WHY BIKING?

I truly believe biking can change lives and perspectives. I distinctly remember the time when my grandpa took the training wheels off of my bike. I was nervous, scared, and had an entire zoo in my tummy. We had been practicing every day for almost a week and I was adamant to join the cool club of kids riding without training wheels. On the first go, I biked straight into the coconut pit he had prepared for that season of planting. Covered in fresh dirt, I was determined to get back up. This time he made me go around the trees. Needless to say, I was covered in cuts that day. I wanted him to know I was just as strong and tough as him. . Something he told me during this training stayed with me throughout my life. He told me to own the bike and my fear of getting hurt. Throughout the entire training process, he taught me to focus and instilled in me the courage to fall and get back up, no matter how hard the fall. The perseverance I picked up at five years old built my inner self to be brave, strong and driven today and I dedicate all that to my grandpa for teaching me how to bike.

Coming from a metropolitan and growing city in India, biking is an impossible far-fetched dream. Getting to bike in a city designed consciously for bikes is life-changing. Living in Eugene and experiencing a bike-friendly city has been nothing short of transformative. Striving to cut down my carbon footprint, I have been grateful and content with getting around Eugene on my bike. So, when I came across the Summer Study Abroad Program in Sustainable Bicycle Transportation in Europe, I was ecstatic. Studying in Netherlands and Denmark about sustainable bicycle infrastructure will help me understand how different policies work given the context, people, history, and culture. Needless to say, I will be comparing the biking capitals of the world to the cities I will live in for the rest of my life! This course has the perfect mix of everything I love and hold dear. More than getting to experience and appreciate the stunning architecture, I will have a lived experience of being a biker in a few of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. I look forward to learning from the experts and locals about how biking has changed their lives, lifestyle, and culture. Having this unique experience will add to my personal experience, expertise, and knowledge. I hope I can slow down time and soak up every bit of joy and excitement about the course and enjoy the beautiful places we will be!