Me (on the right) with a friend on a hitchhiking competition ("lift wedstrijd") to Antwerp.
Have you ever went someplace by getting in a stranger's car? I have. And it was amazing. In a couple of hours we arrived at our destination, we'd met some new people, and we hadn't paid a cent. And I felt safe doing this. Of course, this was partly because we had to send a picture of the license plates to the people organising the event. But still.
Getting into a car with someone you don't know is something that goes against every single thing you've ever learnt. And rightly so - you should be very careful. Especially as a girl. But luckily for us, this was mainly a positive experience. We got treated to food by a random guy who apparently was an ex-con (yeah.. I know), and people were eager to help us get weird places to score point. It was a competition, after all.
Now - I am Dutch, and the Dutch are not exactly well-known for their openness. We're generally grumpy and very direct people with a short temper and no patience (not all of us, obviously, but according to the stereotype). Being Dutch, talking to strangers is not exactly a hobby of mine. But it can really open your eyes towards trying something new, and talking to new people. That can teach you a lot about others, about yourself, and about society and the world in general. It's good to step out of your comfort zone every once in a while.
This is gonna be a short one, guys. Have you ever tried #hitchhiking? Why did or didn't you, and would you consider doing it in the future?
I'll write a longer post next time - it's been a busy week.
Talk to you soon,
@emma-anna