Some ideas come suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, others are like raindrops, one by one creating a hurricane. For me, the situation was the second: first I read a blog post, then I saw a video, then I heard experiences from people… and finally I decided that this year I wanted to reach my Summer University by hitchhiking!
I started asking friends and fellow participants, but nobody would or could join. However, I was already determined. This way of travelling would allow me to stop in several cities on the way, to talk to the locals, to feel a bit like Jack Kerouac in the America of the 50s, reduce my environmental impact and finally to save some money.
The time separating me from the departure date flew fast and one Monday morning at ten o’ clock I was already hitting the roads – direction: Grenoble, France. This was the first stop of a trip that would bring me to Paris after travelling approximately 200 km per day.
“Aren’t you scared?” is one of the questions that I heard the most.
I was, a bit. But I was confident as well. And optimistic. These qualities are needed to hitch-hike. What else is necessary? Determination, patience, trust in other people, will to talk, strategic positioning, map, colourful clothes in order to be noticeable, and a big sign with your destination.
Five days and fifteen cars later I arrived. Probably not wiser, but with more knowledge about France, its costumes and society and with lots of stories. On the way I met a priest and a border policemen, I heard about positive philosophy and industrial washing, I went to visit the school of one of my drivers, I was invited to pick mushrooms in the forest, I shared a car with four more experienced hitch-hikers, I was left in the middle of nowhere or brought directly to the place needed, I had drivers finding the following lift for me, I gave and received suggestions, and had fun!
At the end of the trip the satisfaction to have managed not to give up when the wait was longer and rain started to fall made me want to jump and smile all by myself!
As I said at the beginning it was exactly a blog post, an article on the internet that inspired me to undertake this adventure: I hope that my story will be a drop watering someone’s idea of hitch-hiking, just as it did to David, my SU friend.
And I hope that next time when you are driving and see someone on the side of the street waiting for a lift, you will not think that he/she is a serial killer thirsty of your blood, but just a person willing to offer his company, hints of reflections, jokes or maybe biscuits typical of his country.
Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino
Photographs provided by Jüri Kirpu, AEGEE-Tallinn
Remark by The AEGEEan: The provided photographs were not taken during this trip.