我很慶幸此生有機會可以學會搭便車這個技能，感謝我身邊很多冒險犯難的沙發客夥伴們，讓我從我二十幾歲就開始耳聞且慢慢習慣搭便車這個世界。 開始搭便車之後， 我學到了好多，我也慢慢變成我想要的那個未來的我。
I’m glad that I got the opportunity to learn how to hitchhike in my early 20s. I have to thank all the crazy friends I have made through Couchsurfing, who exposed me to hitchhiking and budget traveling. I have learned so much from hitchhiking while travelling, and my experience of hitchhiking has really made me a better person.
我一直喜歡學新技能、體驗新的人事物，因為我相信這些新的體驗會像蝴蝶效應一樣，帶我前往我從未想像的國度。這也是為什麼我喜歡旅遊的原因，因為在旅行上，幾乎天天都是人生新的篇章。
I love learning new things and am always up for new experiences. I’m curious where the new adventures could take me, and what kind of new life I could end up being a part of. This is why I love traveling so much.
目錄
搭便車經歷 Hitchhiking Experiences
我目前有在日本和克洛埃西亞自己搭過便車，其他搭便車經驗是跟我麻吉一起，像是在波蘭、捷克、美國、加拿大、日本，還有台灣。最近一次我們花了約兩個星期，在加拿大搭便車約4000公里到北極圈，認識了許多從未想像過的人，像是以開油罐車到北極維生的Kelly，或是從德國開著小巴一路旅行到加拿大的情侶。有時候，我們是別人此生第一次載路邊搭便車的人。還有一次，我們因為搭便車認識一個加拿大的牛仔，到現在還有聯絡呢！
I have hitchhiked by myself in Japan and Croatia. I have also hitchhiked with my partner many times in the U.S., Canada, Taiwan, Poland, and Czech Republic. Most recently, we spent around 2 weeks and hitchhiked about 4000 km in Canada to go to the Arctic Ocean. We met many people we wouldn’t have met otherwise, such as Kelly who was a career tanker truck driver, Mitch who was a cowboy and a family guy, a vanlife German couple, and many more people who were living alternative lifestyles! Sometimes, we were the first hitchhikers people picked up!
更信任世界的美好 More Trusting
搭便車讓我學會信任，也讓我體會到被信任是一件多麼美好的事。願意停下來載我一程的人，照理也是會怕我的，畢竟他們不知道我背包裡還是身上帶著甚麼東西。但是他們開放的態度讓我們彼此都有機會踏入對方的人生，允許彼此這個素為平生的陌生人和自己的人生產生對話。
I learned to trust strangers more, and realized that being trusted completely is such an amazing feeling. The people who picked me up would be afraid of me too. After all, they didn’t know what I had in my backpack. However, when we were both open to allow the other person to join us in our lives for a few hours, we got to know the lives that we’ve never imagined.
我也體會到有能力可以信任陌生人幾乎可以說是一個特權，因為這表示我沒有真正遇過壞人，或是我從小的教育讓我相信了世界的美好，所以我很願意也很有能力信任陌生人，接納他們給我的幫助。我有遇過一些碰過壞人，但還是願意繼續相信世界美好的一面，這些人（也是陌生人）真的很理性，讓我覺得不可思議，也是我學習的對象。
I also came to realize that having the ability to trust people is almost like a privilege. It comes from a positive outlook on humanity, which partly comes from the lack of negative experiences in life, or a secure upbringing, or simply one’s personality. I have met some people who were still willing to give the world a second, or a third chance, even after seeing the ugly side of human beings. These people, strangers as well, are my inspirations and role models.
脫離同溫層 Stepping Out Of My Bubble
搭便車讓我踏出自己的同溫層，讓我發現，我之前都把那些在我同溫層外的人惡魔化了。雖然我一直都相信溝通的重要，但潛意識下我就是不會跟異溫層的人多聊幾句。例如，之前只要聽到有人不相信氣候變遷，我心中對他們人格的看法就開始醞釀，覺得他們是愚蠢的，可能沒有受到完整科學教育等等。但是當這些人是載我一程的人，在我已經知道他們是大方願意隨手助人的人之後，我會以一個比較平等的方式來對待、了解他們，即使我們永遠不可能是好朋友，但是當下我是願意去了解他們，了解他們也和我一樣有擔心、有愛的人。
Hitchhiking has also forced me out of my bubble and get to know people who are completely on the other side of the political or social spectrums. I realized, as hard as I have tried not to, that I have been discrediting the concerns and beliefs of those people all these years. Now that some of these people were the people who were generous enough to pick us up, I was forced to be overwhelmed by their kindness before I judged them. I got to know them as equals.
成為更彈性、隨興的人 More Flexible
搭便車也讓我成為對生活要求比較彈性、比較有耐心的人。在搭便車時，通常是不可能預知要等多久，或是甚麼時候可以到目的地的，這對於旅行上的安排都是一個挑戰。搭便車時也不可能有椅子坐（當然你要背椅子也是可以），所以常會做在馬路旁、泥土上，並不是一個特別舒服的經驗。但是，當這些種種不方便對我來說都不是問題之後，我的旅行就變得很自由，也沒有過多要計劃的壓力。
Hitchhiking has also made me a more patient, flexible person. It’s almost impossible to predict how long we would have to wait to get a ride and when we could reach our destination while hitchhiking. There are no chairs to sit (you could bring one I guess) so we always had to stand for a long time or sit on the side of the road. It isn’t a particularly comfortable experience. However, when all of these inconveniences stopped bothering us, our travels became more free because there were less planning involved.
對空間與時間更敏銳 More Time to Stop and Smell The Roses
搭便車讓我非常習慣看地圖，也可以敏銳地體會時間跟空間的關係，比起坐飛機的旅行方式，搭便車更可以了解走過每一吋土地的感動。我記得我在加拿大丹特公路上搭便車經歷了9個小時的砂石路後，一到因紐維特市變成是柏油路時我有多麼的感動；記得從加拿大北極一路下來時終於看到森林的感動； 記得在加拿大遙遠的西北領地搭便車時，等車無聊時低頭一看，好多七彩的苔癬和菌菇類，突然覺得它們是我今天最珍貴的驚喜。這些感動都是搭飛機體會不到的。
Compared to flying, hitchhiking has allowed me to be more in touch with the changes of the landscape and the weather while travelling. Especially when I was in the Arctic in Canada, I was more able to feel the struggles that the locals have to deal with, such as being far away from grocery stores, the cold temperature, etc. I remember how relieved I felt when I first saw a paved road after 9 hours of rocky ride on the gravel road on the Dempster Highway in Canada. I remember the excitement of seeing forests when I first came back from the Arctic circle. All of these surprises would have been non-existent in my life if I had just taken a plane.
更會表達自己 More Chances to Express Myself
搭便車讓我學會更清楚地表達自己 ，並相信自己的決定。有時候搭便遇到載我們的人會信誓旦旦地給我們建議，叫我們應該要到另一個地點等會比較好，這時候通常我們都要相信自己的經驗，因為有些給我們建議的人，並沒有搭便車的經驗。
Hitchhiking also gave me more opportunities to learn to trust myself and to express my ideas and believes clearly. Sometimes, the people who picked us up would advise us another “better” stop to wait at, even thought they might not have experiences hitchhiking.
而且，基本上每搭上一趟便車，就是一次自我介紹的練習，也是一次次審視自己人生價值觀的機會。每上一次車，車上的人不免會問為什麼我要旅行?為什麼選擇搭便車?為什麼不想要有小孩? 就是因為我們知道我們相遇的時間就是這一兩個小時，所以所有的對話都非常誠實、直接。下了車之後，我們帶著跟陌生人聊天後的新火花、新元素、新想法，繼續我們的旅程。
Each time we got into the car, it was time to refine my self introduction. It was also time to examine my values in life. People always want to know why we travel the way we do, why we choose to hitchhike, and why we don’t want to have children. I noticed that I was often extra honest and straightforward with these people who picked us up, because they were strangers. The answers I gave to them are often more truthful. When I got out of their cars, I also had new outlook on my own life.
搭便車後記 About Hitchhiking
當然，我知道你們可能有聽過很多搭便車恐怖事件，但是我想要說，我在七個國家搭過便車，全部大概搭過上百次便車，這麼多國家搭過這麼多便車，我從來沒有遇過不好的人。我有遇過讓我感到焦慮的人，可能是因為他們的信仰、生活態度和我完全相反，但是從來沒有遇過任何恐怖事件。當然，這也是因為我們會小心，上車前和上車後都是隨時保持清醒狀態，隨時都保持非常直接的溝通。
I know all of you have heard many horror stories about hitchhiking. I feel lucky that I didn’t have this baggage when I first started to hitchhike. My challenge was more about feeling ashamed of asking for help. After hitchhiking in 7 countries and accepted more than 100 rides from strangers, I have only had good experiences. There could be people who made me anxious, such as people who had completely different believes or attitudes in life so it was not completely easy to get along with them. However, they were all nice, generous people. Of course, I also have to mention, that we are always careful.
我認為相信陌生人是可以練習的。當我們對陌生人提心吊膽時，其實可以想想，我們對別人來說也是陌生人，所以別人也會對我們提心吊膽嗎？可是我們明明就是很好的人不是嗎 ？ 世界上有很多人，其實跟我們是一樣的。越旅行你會越發現這世界各地的相似處，陌生人只是你還沒有發掘的朋友罷了!
Starting to trust strangers might take some practice. I think one way to think about it would be to remember: we are strangers to the other people as well. Don’t we also want them to assume we’re nice people? As one Couchsurfing host in Canada told me, “strangers are just the friends we haven’t met yet!”
Follow Super Mei!
歡迎在網站上方訂閱，也歡迎到 Super Mei 的Instagram，或是到Super Mei的Facebook粉專，跟著Super Mei看看世界上不同的小角落！
Check out Super Mei’s Instagram to see all the beautiful places you can’t miss in the world! Like Super Mei’s Facebook Page to see what is Super Mei up to right now!