Difference between revisions of "Hitchgathering/2012"

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===Ready-made articles===
 
===Ready-made articles===
A couple of contributions from Tomi (--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] 01:17, 17 July 2012 (CEST)). Feel free to edit and/or translate as you see fit. Send to your local newspapers, magazines and e-zines!
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A couple of contributions from Tomi (--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] 01:17, 17 July 2012 (CEST)). Feel free to edit and/or translate as you see fit (you can leave out the author info, keep it or replace it with your own credentials). Send to your local newspapers, magazines and e-zines!
  
 
====The driver-perspective====
 
====The driver-perspective====

Revision as of 00:18, 17 July 2012

Template:Hitchgathering2012

Ambraziškiai

The 2012 European Hitch Gathering will be in Ambraziškiai, near Molėtai, Lithuania. The location is set amongst an abandoned vodka factory which sits beside a lake, small village and some nature like fields/forest/hills etc. The date is still Saturday 4 August 2012.

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/ryDX

In the village there's a shop (we'll inform them so they can prepare a bit). Next to factory we have a good clean lake for swimming. Factory area itself is a bit industrial - but there are patches of grass. And even picnic tables. But it gets perfect around the area: plenty of nature! fields, grass, forests, hills - all for us. There's an old horse stable, or more like ruins of it, just walls; I think inside it we can make very cozy circle around the fire.

Organizers

Team of people ready to take responsibility on the ground:

  • Name | contact details | special contribution/interests
  • Mikael / Tuchkus

Online:

  • Richard (rdoc101)
  • Jona / n0id --N0id 17:08, 7 June 2012 (CEST)

Volunteer-forum

Pre-meetings

Assemble and organize on the forum. Then post details here.

City, country

After-meetings

City, country

Other meetings, events

Almost everywhere, see map.

TO DO

Anything that is here MUST be moved to "being done" down there

Misc

  • Tell the village shop we're coming in force. They need to put their garbage outside :D

Website work

Translation

Possible in buddypress? If not delete the point.

Other

General communication

  • sent an invitation to the polish hitchhiking clubs - n0id will do it soon, but if you're faster go ahead --N0id 14:14, 16 July 2012 (CEST)

Social media

  • Need a hashtage

Media presence

Art

Practicalities

Special stuff and gear we'll need

Being done

Anything here MUST be moved to "Done" down there

Practicalities

  • Getting big cooking pots to the spot (being organized on the mailing list).

By Bea and Mikael

General communication

Social media

  • Need a #hashtag suggest below

#hitchgathering too long

#thumbing

#4812

#hitch4812

  • I like the one above. --N0id 14:15, 16 July 2012 (CEST)

#hh4812

#4812hh ?????

Workshops

Being organized in the forum.

Art

Flyers

Contact

Visa info

Web-presence

Main website and forum

Facelift event

Threads in Couchsurfing.org groups

(I know, it's an evil corporation led by Satan and his minions but here goes anyways):

(If you could comment on these threads every now and then they wouldn't be lost before the event. Thanks! --Astikain 00:25, 17 July 2012 (CEST))

CS Event

Thread in BeWelcome

Promotion: DIY!

There are endless possibilities to spread the word about the hitchgathering. For example:

  • Tell your friends
  • Tell hitchhikers you meet on the road
  • Write cardboards with hitchgathering.org, the place and date (and maybe more) and place them at popular hitchhiking spots ... be creative and use your colorful markers!
  • Draw your own flyers :)
  • Spread the word around hitchhiking clubs and websites in your country/your language
  • Post on your hitchhiking / travel / nomad blog or website about the gathering
  • Tell your favorite hitchhiking / travel / nomad blog author to write about it
  • Organize a pre-meeting (can be early like May/June/July to raise attention and connect people)
  • Translate a ready-made article in your local language and offer it to newspapers

Ready-made articles

A couple of contributions from Tomi (--Astikain 01:17, 17 July 2012 (CEST)). Feel free to edit and/or translate as you see fit (you can leave out the author info, keep it or replace it with your own credentials). Send to your local newspapers, magazines and e-zines!

The driver-perspective

Picking up a hitchhiker - a good deed for yourself

Having been exposed to constant mass media fear-mongering, it doesn't come as a surprise that people, in general, don't trust each other anymore. This is self-evident to those modern day hitchhikers who, regardless of being told to be afraid, are still courageous enough to take to the road. You don't have to pick up a hitchhiker - they've chosen to be on the road - but if you do, it can prove to be a very positive experience! Here five reasons to pick up hitchhikers (or five excuses not to).

”I just go a short distance” Many of us behind the wheel are not aware of the fact that a five-kilometer distance equals to one hour of walking. Usually a hitchhiker is happy to go even a short distance. Maybe there is a better spot where the hitchiker gets the next long ride, thanks to you.

”I don't really have time/space” Outside the White Nights of the Northern hemisphere summer, daylight is the most precious asset to a hitchhiker. Mind you, a human being approaching you on a dark gas station is no different from a day-time traveler. A hitchhiker doesn't mind going fast and a travel buddy doesn't slow you down. A hitchhiker doesn't require luxury neither. Just a small space to sit will suffice because most are traveling light. And on a long journey you can ask your fellow traveler to take the wheel as long as they have had enough rest and are in a possession of a valid driver's license.

”Someone else will give a ride” Many think that truckers always help hitchhikers. Contemporary truck companies, however, often have insurance policies that prohibit extra passengers, even if the driver was willing to help. ”He can always take the bus” is not a good excuse either because going from place A to place B with no money involved is just one of the motives to hitch. Getting to know new people, a sense of adventure and developing your character are hardly reasons to travel by bus.

”I don't give rides to strangers” A hitchhiker is always grateful for the ride and sits next to you with a smile. Due to the challenging nature of the hobby, hitchhikers are typically very sociable creatures with thousands of stories to tell. Many enjoy having a hitchhiker so much that, after the ride, they invite him for a bite or even to lay down his head. For some a Facebook friendship will suffice. Others confide to a hitchhiker so openly that they prefer to end the therapy session at the end of the ride. In any case, you are no longer strangers once the car comes to a halt. The driver decides the limits: whether we should go in deep conversations and get to know each other profoundly, or whether it is better to talk about the weather and to listen to the radio.

”I'm too afraid” If riding a heavy fast-moving metal object alone doesn't make you scared then it shouldn't happen in good company either. Fear is the silliest reason not to stop for a hitchhiker because it's usually unfounded. Statistically speaking, most people die in their homes and the most dangerous people are those closest to you. Getting to know a hitchhiker is a free means to rid yourself of unfounded fears. Hitchhikers are rather healers than killers.

Of course you can continue the list of excuses ad infinitum and make yourself believe that picking up a hitchhiker is not worth the risk. ”You hardly see them anymore” or ”I can't make that quick decisions” are poor excuses if you make the decision right now: Will you pick up a hitchhiker when the next chance arises? Time around the European Hitchhikers' Meeting (4-8-12) is a great chance to see a hitchhiker! Get ready! It can be one of the coolest experiences of your life!

THE AUTHOR: Tomi Astikainen - Education: Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration) - Hitch-experience: over 100,000 km, ca 30 countries, more than 1,500 drivers - Motto: Love the universe and it will love you back - Monthly budget: 0 Euros - More info: www.tomiastikainen.com & www.hitchgathering.org


The hitchhiker-perspective

Done

Facebook

Facebook event

Flyers