Wageningen (the “city of life sciences”) and its university have been beautiful hosts to me over the seasons

Apart from classes, I joined an eight month student challenge to design “the ultimate urban greenhouse.”

My entire program traveled to southeast Spain this June to work on land and water management issues

And of course, I’ve enjoyed many cultural events (carnival and Christmas markets, for example) while in the neighborhood!

My host Rotary Club

It’s fall again in Wageningen. I’ve been riding my bike to classes and the local Saturday market for over a year, now. The picturesque fields around my town have become familiar paths that I casually use for runs and errands. And I am still spoiled daily by homemade feasts with international housemates and friends... friends who are students plant science, food technology, soil physics, water management, organic agriculture, and landscape architecture… all of whom arrived in this small city to explore how to improve people’s quality of life, while sustaining harmony with our planet.

Apart from classes, I joined an eight-month student challenge to design “the ultimate urban greenhouse.” Crop production in cities was a new topic for me, and my team of 14 masters students took the opportunity to visit urban farms across the country, including this one in The Hague. I also sit on the planning committee for TEDxWageningenUniversity, which took place this November with a theme of sustainable thinking and action. We have been planting trees throughout Wageningen neighborhoods to include our surrounding community and offset the event’s carbon footprint.

My entire program traveled to southeast Spain this June to work on land and water management issues in the region. The month-long consulting project was an ideal culmination of our year of courses on irrigation designs, sociotechnical water flows, and modern water scarcity tensions.

The Oosterbeek-Kabeljauw Rotary Club immediately welcomed me into their community from day one. I have visited their meetings multiple times over the year and was invited to present at the training weekend for all incoming Rotary presidents in The Netherlands.

Indeed, it has been an incredible, influential year for me. I look ahead now to the completion of my last courses and internship with the Centre for Development Innovation, followed by six months of thesis work on integrated water management during periods of reconstruction. In short, I can hardly imagine life without this opportunity that Rotary has granted me. I am immensely grateful to you all.

Below are a few views I’ve enjoyed over the past year. Again, “Dank u wel!” and I look forward to visiting next time I’m in Atlanta!