When people believe in you

Just before summer I got the message that teaching would not longer be an option for me. What else to do then? Especially when the person with knowledge about the situation tells you that it will be very difficult to find something at all with my indications. In this blog more about how I ended up at Bikeshop Amersfoort (whoop-whoop very happy person) and the guidance of Boogh. Also a bit about Esther and me being married for 5 years now. It sounds like a bad romance movie (which it absolutely is not!), but with her by my side life is so much more worth living.

Five year marriage

Our marriage date is 15.10.15, so easy to remember for me :-). Still a day never to forget with a lot of good memories, despite the bad weather. During the five years with got sunshine, calm weather, but also some thunderstorms to cope with. I cannot say it differently than "Thanks for being at my side, no matter what. You make me smile, you let me shine, you allow me to do crazy things (and sometimes even join me) and you get me out of bed on dark days 🥰 Love you 💞😚!".

One of our maids of honor got us a picture for our wedding with a typically dutch "ANWB koppel". Absolutely now idea how to properly describe that in English, but it is about married people having the same bikes, shoes and jackets. So for our 5-years-married cycling tour, we decided to go according to full ANWB style. I think we did a good job there and the bike ride was lovely.

Reintegration pathway

November 2019 I gave my last lessen as chemistry teacher, without knowing it would be my last. In March 2020 I asked my teammanager if it would be an option to get guided by Boogh, which was suggested by the company doctor. Boogh is an organization, among others, for people with acquired brain injury and helping them back into working life. In April/May 2020 I followed course "Rediscover yourself - CH-Q training". It is so easy to think about all the things you could do, but that you cannot do anymore. In this course is was all about what you CAN do and what are your current qualities. We also did an assignment in which you were asked what your ideal job would be and why. What are the qualities you need for that, why does it make you happy, can you convert these qualities into a job which would be suitable for the current situation and so on.

My ideal job? Something with sport training; sport masseur; sport coaching and psychology. Working with people, working outside and transferring my passion of sport to others to give them the same joy as I feel. Transferring this knowledge into something that would be good as starting point to get a work experience place was whoever difficult. Important aspects were that I like to be outside as much as possible, I cannot work with computers too much, working with people makes me happy, but give me headaches at the same time and I don't want to sit still for too long. Brainstorming gave me options like: working for organizations as Bird protection, Natuurmonumenten (Dutch nature organization), but also working as bike courier. However with the current world issues it was almost impossible to find anything. Every organization said no, or in some cases I could work, but only from 18.00-20.00 in the evening, which is not possible as well.

In the end I got a change at the Bikeshop Amersfoort. We bring all our bikes there for the yearly check ups, or if I am to lazy to repair the bikes myself. After being there for the I don't how how much times in a couple of weeks, I got a chat with Mark, one of the employees. He convinced me to take the step in talking to the owner and so I did. It was a very strange conversation, in such a way that normally during a job interview you try to sell yourself, but in this case it was a chat with... "Well I cannot work with computers, I cannot stand hard sounds, talking to people give me headaches, but yes I do want to work and I love bikes.". Nevertheless, it was a very pleasant talk and I biked home exhausted, but happy. The day after I got the message: "We go for it. No idea what it will bring us, but we want to give you a change.". You can understand the happy dance I made in our living room and no it is not filmed. I started the week after and however it makes me so tired, I also puts a really big smile on my face. Even after 5 weeks I still not have the correct flow in setting my week up the right way. I work twice a week for 2 hours, which still feel like a 40-hours workweek, but I also notice a big change in mood. I get up easier in the morning, slowing down during the rest of the week is easier, because I know that helps me in working with less headaches. I found out that biking after work it not a good idea, swimming however makes me recover from work faster. Biking before work is okay as well. Walking/running depends on the day. So hopefully I can the right Wammes-manual in a couple of weeks in how to work without feeling so exhausted.

It feels so good that people give you a second change, that they believe in you. I feel super welcome and everybody at the Bikeshop is really helping me out to make the best of it. As a start it is for 10-12 weeks, but I hope that I can stay there and perhaps even work a bit more hours. Mark and I also set up a special Bikeshop Ladies Clinic, but due to the current covid-situation we postponed that to March 2021. I did gave a private clinic last Saturday and that tastes for more!

And what do I do with the ideal job I wrote down in April? Well the clinic is already a good starting point and at the moment I am also looking for a short course to become a qualified trainer on the bike. Furthermore, when the brains are okay with that, I would really go for a proper course/study in sport&movement&physiology, or sport masseur. I still have hope that the brain will recover a bit further in the coming years and that it will be possible to combine working at the Bikeshop with some personal training things. Or e.g. give more clinics for customers.

In addition, I started to train the swimmers at ZV Hoogland on Wednesday evening. Also in this case they give me the opportunity to investigate my possibilities and when I need time off I can do that as well. Although I am not a swimming expert (just started swimming last year), I learn every week and hopefully can be a good trainer soon. That is with respect for helping them with the technical skills. Motivation e.g. is of course not a problem. That is not differently from teaching or cycling trainings.

In summary, reintegration is an ongoing process. I make mistakes and sometimes even the same mistake twice, but I try not to be too harsh for myself (people: I am TRYING, not there yet, also work in progress, so help me out if you see something that can help me). I learn every week on so many levels and hopefully my own manual will be complete soon. And even if I have the manual, it will be need updates on a regular base. Esther: you can order one for free ;-). For other people: well.... Paul&Anne-Irene as my trainers: free as well. For the rest.. a Tony will do the job.