Human Chapters: Share your passion (or obsession!)
Room
IHL Space
Start time
End time
09:00
21:50
Max. capacity*
50
What we'll talk about
Discover new hobbies, skills, and interests in this open session where volunteers share their passions. From photography and cooking to sustainability and more, enjoy 10-minute conversations that might just inspire your next passion project!
This session follows a human library-inspired format: no presentations, just genuine, face-to-face conversations with volunteers who are excited to share their experiences and knowledge. Expect short, engaging chats that encourage curiosity and connection with some wonderful humans.
Your host(s)
Could it be you?
Are you passionate about a hobby, skill, food, music genre or any other kind of topic? This session is open to anyone with a special interest they’d love to share. Spark conversations, inspire curiosity, and connect with others eager to learn from you!
Sign up as a human book by emailing us: expatival@leuven.be
Human Chapter: Kanksha - Joyful Cooking: Practical Tips for Meals That Nourish Body & Mind
About Kanksha: I’m 24 years old, moved to Leuven 2,5 years ago as a Masters student and then started working full time for imec. In my free time, I love to do sports, go on walks, meet friends, cook (of course!), learn languages, and engage in creative side projects :)
Country of origin: India (Mumbai)
Languages: English (C1), Dutch (B1), Hindi (native), Marathi (bilingual)
About Kanksha's passion: My biggest passion is cooking delicious, nourishing, well-balanced, easy, vegetarian meals at home. Why? Because I think life is too short to rotate between the same four meals each week.
I am still learning every day (mostly from the internet) on how to improve my cooking skills. But I love trying out new recipes and experimenting with ingredient combinations in the kitchen. In the meanwhile, I am sharing my journey on my Instagram page: feel free to check it out! Come ask me for my favorite recipe or kitchen tips.
Human Chapter: Harold - Uncover the secrets of medieval Leuven
About Harold: Together with my husband, I am a proud Leuvenaar who has been living here since 2015, and in Belgium since 23 years ago. We have a family of five including two cats - Beaujolais "Bobo" and Maximus Pussimus "Max" - and Mr Turtle. An avid history lover, I am the author of Project Oud Leuven, the only resource about medieval Leuven in English. I am mostly incorruptible except that I can be bribed with great food.
Country of origin: Singapore
Languages: English, French, Dutch, Mandarin Chinese, and a splatter of West Flemish swear words
About Harold's passion: Uncover the secrets of medieval Leuven, which was once the seat of the powerful Duchy of Brabant and home to the only university in the Low Countries. What is lurking beneath its modern streets and houses? And what are the ancient buildings hiding in plain sight? Most importantly, what are the incredible stories of the women and men who have lived and loved throughout the centuries in this mighty yet unassuming small city.
Human Chapter: Ani - Mental Health/Practicalities of being an expat
About Ani: I am at the very end of my PhD journey at KU Leuven. It’s been almost 6 years since I packed everything into 3 suitcases and made Leuven my new home. First, it was school, then it was covid, and then it was the PhD. There were curveballs at every end and many an obstacle with almost everything. Somehow, I worked my way through and found myself at the IHL. Now for the fun stuff, I like biking, hosting volunteer events, getting to know different people at a human level to build and improve my own vision of the world and the role of humanity in it. I also do my best to be a funny bone. Terms and conditions apply.
Country of origin: India
Languages: English, Telugu, Hindi, Dutch (work in progress )
About Ani's topic: Expats often choose to leave an entire ecosystem of friends and emotional support to build a new one at their new home. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned or are not easy as they seemed to be on the internet. So, that’s what I want to talk about, us. Our stories. All of it, the good, the bad and the ugly. Talk to you soon!
Human Chapter: Ludovica - Human migration over centuries
About Ludovica: I came to Leuven to do research on Belgian Medieval history and other topics at KU Leuven almost three years ago, after spending four years in the cozy, but cold, Estonia.
Country of Origin: Italy
Languages: English & Italian
About Ludovica's passion: What if I told you that your DNA holds echoes of ancient civilizations, lost migrations, and even long-extinct ancestors? We can trace human history across millennia, uncovering how populations moved, mixed, and adapted to new worlds. But making sense of this vast jigsaw puzzle that is DNA is no easy task: it’s a journey through time, science, and mystery! Yes, by definition I’m a Population Geneticist scientist, but I like to think of myself as the Indiana Jones of DNA!
Boring? No problem: I am also a passionate seamstress, we can talk Victorian fashion!
There are no reservations, it's a first come first served event, so be there on time to avoid disappointment!