Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Psychology student Jari Bouwman from the Netherlands finds time not only for studies, but also to plant vegetables on campus. His passion is gardening and he is hoping that in several months that the onions, radishes and dill he has planted will sprout and there will be a harvest.
“I have planted some garlic , onions, kale,” the 2nd year Psychology student said. Working together with a member from MRU’s Environmental Management LAB, Bouwman feels encouragement for his small project.
“I am trying to show people that you can grow your own vegetables. It’s cheaper than buying,” he said. “I’m trying to get like-minded people together. Maybe we will establish a Sustainability Club, which should start operating on campus in the fall,” he added.
When he was 8 years old and in primary school in Delft, he had a small garden plot. “I tried to grow vegetables. It was fun to plant vegetables and then wait for them to grow,” he added.
Bouwman who was applying to MRU in 2021 was encouraged by his Lithuanian girlfriend whom he met in the Hague. She was beginning studies and Bouwman was thinking about applying to MRU to study Psychology. The two then moved to Vilnius, where he is studying Psychology.
But in his spare time, the vegetarian student said he wanted a hobby that would be practical as well as fun. Gardening fit the bill.
He didn’t know much about Lithuania before coming to Vilnius.
“I knew there were the Baltic States, but not much more. It’s very calm. It’s relaxed and Vilnius is a safe city. It’s one of the safest places in Europe,” said the Psychology student.
Bouwman likes to bike to MRU's campus from his apartment in Antakalnis. He was surprised, when he first came to Vilnius, about the lack of bikers. My girlfriend had warned me about this, he said.
Vilnius is a very nice city, he added. "It feels nice to walk in the forest near my apartment in Antakalnis," he said.
The Dutchman said the only thing he misses is briefly conversing or saying hello to the people he meets going about the city during the day.
"I do enjoy saying hello to people I meet and acknowledging another human being. It's a daily thing that I miss," he added. However, he has learned to say "Laba" short for "Laba diena" to those Lithuanians he meets during the day.
Overall, Bouwman said he is happy with studies and life in Vilnius. Even though he misses his family and friends in the Netherlands, he has found a home here in Lithuania. His small garden is planted. Perhaps the fall will bring a bounty of a harvest.
