First 50 Days: In the home of bicycles

So here I am! An international student that just landed in her land of promise, Tilburg! New country, new habits as one would say. And for me the first habit that I had to acquire was (and I know that to many people it will sound hilarious) to learn how to ride a bike. That’s right. I didn’t know how!

My friends back home kept asking me “What are you going to do? You are about to move to Netherlands and still can’t ride a bike!” The truth is that I was a hopeless case. Coming to the land of bikes, having no clue on cycling whatsoever.

Upon arrival in Tilburg I decided to prove them wrong. And there I was strolling in the city centre, looking to purchase my biggest fear! I walked in the first store I saw, telling the salesperson that I was looking for the cheapest bike possible. To be honest, I had no idea what else to ask for, so I bought the first he suggested and left without even trying it (I was too embarrassed to do so).

And now here comes the good part. On my way home (while rolling it and not riding it of course) I noticed that my bike had no handbrakes! I immediately thought “Oh man! He got that I am completely clueless and sold me a defective bike!” So back to the store to solve the mystery. The guy must have thought that I was joking, because when I asked him about the breaks he gave me this strange look and told me: “You have to backpedal… Simple.”

So back to rolling my bike, thinking this Greek quotes “Half of the embarrassment his, half mine”.  Reaching a quiet street, I looked around, no one was passing by, so I figured “This is my chance, here we go!” I tried to get on the bike but no luck. It was too big for me and my legs couldn’t even touch the ground! Completely discouraged I gave up the efforts and took the way home.

But the decision was made already. I had to buy a bike that day no matter what! TIK Week was about to start the following Monday and I needed time to practice so that my guilty secret wouldn’t be revealed. I searched the internet, found a bike store close to campus and decided to go and beg for an exchange.

The kind owner was willing to help me after I explained him my situation and after a lot of nodding and Dutch speaking with his employees, he agreed to let me exchange my new bike with a smaller second hand one, with an additional fee. I took the offer with no second thought. I bought two bikes in one day without even knowing how to ride one!

On my way home I spotted an empty parking lot, so I decided to call it my field of practice. First burst of joy: my feet could reach the pedals. And then, I started pedaling, trying to remember at the same time all the advice my parents had given me when trying to teach me how to cycle. “Keep your back straight and your hands steady”. I was surprised to notice that I could actually keep my balance because I believed that, that was my main problem.  “So far so good”, I thought, “Time to hit the road”. It was late afternoon on a Saturday and luckily there was not much traffic in the streets around campus. That was it! I was on the street riding my bike! What an amazing feeling of joy and self-accomplishment! I could totally do it! I am completely aware that even to a five year old Dutch this sounds funny but to me that was the ultimate conquer. I was eager to get home and let everyone know!

Over the following days, I kept getting better and better, gaining confidence about my cycling skills. The first days, I was observing a lot fellow Dutch cyclists to pick up some tips. At first, I found it difficult to stop and start again in traffic lights especially in rush hours when bikes were coming from any direction. Sometimes it helps a lot to handle on these poles where traffic lights are, and always to start with a strong pedal.

I have tested myself at night, during rush hours, under rain and wind.  The results are surprisingly good! Of course there is still room for improvement. I might not be candidate for the next “Tour de France” (yet) but it works just fine.

I wouldn’t dare imagine how cycling would be back in Greece. Here feels much easier and definitely safer. Cyclists are much more protected by the infrastructure and they always have priority. The smooth land of Netherlands, along with the specially indicated lanes, makes cycling a lot easier and a lot more fun. In Greece for example, cars always dominate the streets and as a result, any daring cyclists put their lives into danger. Unfortunately, there are no special provisions and in addition to that, in most regions, even in urban areas, the ground is extremely uneven.

All in all, my message to all of you out there, especially international students, that don’t know how to ride a bike you are not alone! Embrace your fears and give it a go. It worked for me; it will work for you as well. After all, what better place to learn cycling than in the home of bikes?

Katerina Petropoulou (25) is a student  Business Communication and Digital Media at Tilburg University and writes the First 50 Days blog for Univers.

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