I’ve Been Driving a Tractor Since I Was Nine!

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You know, growing up in Greece in the late ’90s and early 2000s, things were… a little different. Let’s just say the rules were looser, and kids like me got to do things that would probably be a big no-no today.

One of my favorite memories? Driving our tractor at just nine years old.

The thing about tractors is, when you put them in first gear, they move really slowly—because they’re built for strength, not speed. And to my young eyes, it looked easy enough. I still can’t believe they actually let me do it.

The truth is, I didn’t even have the leg strength to press the brake properly. I had to jump with both feet on the pedal just to slow it down. But I wasn’t really in danger—my grandfather was always nearby, walking beside the tractor. What I didn’t know at the time was that he had a trick: he could stop the machine instantly by pulling a little switch. So while I thought I was completely in control, he was quietly watching over everything.

But still—it made me feel free.

One of the biggest challenges I remember was learning how to back up the tractor with a cart trailer hitched on the back. That’s no joke—even adults struggle with that. But I kept at it, with lots of “oops!” moments and grinding noises. My grandfather would be yelling at me and laughing at the same time. That mix of tough love and pure joy—that’s what taught me.

And you know what? To this day, my friends are amazed at how easily I parallel park in tight spots. They have no idea I trained with a tractor and a plow on a dusty Greek farm road.

A few years later, when I was stronger, I could hitch and unhitch the tools like a pro. I wasn’t just pretending to be a farmer anymore—I was becoming one.

And that feeling of freedom? It never left.