In early November, we were finally leaving Athens today after being to and from here for almost 2 weeks. It’s a bit of nostalgia, but I kind of love this city. It feels slightly unfinished in a way that is hopeful. People just let you be. All my feelings are buoyed, of course, by the fact the this is this kindest large city I’ve ever experienced. And certainly the nicest folks we’ve encountered in the Balkans writ large.
Yesterday, Kyende and I were on the metro. It was quite packed and we were standing on the edge of the door. A small woman darts in just as the door is whisked shut behind her, forcing her to fully embrace Kyende in a hug. They lock eyes and just bust out laughing. At rush hour no less! People are nice. I won’t bore you with more anecdotes likes this, but it has happened time and time again. Folks at a bakery patiently explaining to us what everything is in whatever English they have, ferry operators letting us on last minute – it’s all a far cry from the mean men of northern Greek buses and the death stares of grocery store clerks. Cheers to that!
This city is also the first time in both of our lives where we haven’t been utterly patronized at bike shops. Of course, each one was still entirely staffed by men – that seems to be a global battle – but they treated us like human beings. Human beings who maybe have been on a bicycle before and aren’t completely uneducated. How REFRESHING. if you aren’t a woman that has spent time in bike shops, this might sound very commonplace – a place of Business treating its customers with respect-, but let me tell you that the bar is extremely low when it comes to woman bike owner- male bike mechanic interactions. At no less than three bike shops, the dudes were extremely kind and genuinely wanted to help. A special shoutout is owed to Andreas of Grammarios bikes who re-inspired our bike mechanic dreams. He was experienced, patient, he listened to our concerns, explained something if we didn’t understand. He even let me tour the back of their shop where they fabricate their own carbon frames. They also machined all their own aluminum parts – bearings, brackets, headsets you name it. I was in PEEK nerding out mode. It was SO COOL. and they were NICE.
A small part of me dreams the universe reveals a way for me to survive financially being a bike mechanic. Helping more women have experiences like this but with women bike mechanics. It’s hard to put into words what joy I feel like we could bring by doing that. Until then, heaps of gratitude on the Andreas of the world. Thank you, Athens, for a lovely send off to Asia. A massive thanks to Kyende as well for joining us on our very final days on the continent, relaxing on some brisk island beaches and scootering around with glee.
