Full STORY

Now I am going to share with you, probably one of the most incredible stories you have ever heard.

"My name is Peacehiker and I am from the world. Peacehiker was born somewhere in Costa Rica, when 21-year old fearful Matej Sedmak has died." This is the way I have been presenting myself, while on the joruney around the world (1 and a half year; budget: 200$; Countries visited: 24; Kilometres hitchhiked: 85 000; I have hitchhiked: cars, carriage with cows, airplanes, ships, presidential limousine, camel).

I have left my hometown on July 20, 2004 with a desire to experience freedom and happiness. I took a big backpack with me, guitar and 200 dollars. In such manner I have crossed Italy, France, I have walked 800 kilometres of Camino de Santiago in Spain. Then I flew to USA. I stayed there for 3 months. I earned my money as a street musician, comedian, dating coach, massage terapist in South Beach and all kinds of ways to get my daily meal. I hitchhiked the route New York - Washington - Miami - Atlanta - Denver - Dallas - San Diego.
In the meantime I took a seminar of Photoreading in Atlanta. I became vegetarian and I took a 10-day VIPASSANA MEDITATION retreat in Dallas.

I crossed Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and I ended up in Costa Rica for the Christmas Day. There I decided I do not need to carry luggage and money anymore. I decided to serve the humanity and the humanity will sponsor me the studies - I mean, the trip :)I continued carriying only trust and friendship.

I went to Mexico, then I flew to Cuba, I was arrested there, because they thought I was American spy. I spent 6 more months in Mexico, appeared on some major media and then local people paid me the plane ticket to Japan. From Japan I continued my way to Taiwan, Singapore and in a miraculous way I ended up in India on Dec 8, 2005.

Four months later, after meeting the president and experiencing transcendental states of being, I returned to my home country, Slovenia. It was March 11, 2006.
I finished the third year of studies - International relations. I wrote a book about the journey in Slovene and I took a challenge to travel 7 weeks around Slovenia in the same manner as I travelled around the world - with no money and luggage.
As I was thinking of what can I do for Slovenia for Christmas, I saw a video onlline of a man who held a sign FREE HUGS and hugged people. I did the same thing in Ljubljana and on Dec 8, 2006 we started a campaign HUG SLOVENIA and we hope to carry it cross the borders and turn it into HUG THE WORLD campaign. The point is to do something for another person with no expectations.

See at http://www.peacehiker.com/ how the story unfolds.

Peacehiker
peacehiker@gmail.com

Free hugs in the center of Ljubljana (sLOVEnia)

I was walking towards Prešern square with a sheet of paper in my hands that said FREE HUG. »How will people react I thought« and held the sheet close to me. I stood for a few seconds looking at the bypassers and didn't know what to do. »What am I doing here,« I said to myself. »Do I really need to do this? Almost everybody said this is almost impossible to do in Slovenia. What if nobody would want to hug me?«

»Oh, this are just the voices in my head,« I said to myself. A few seconds passed and my arms did what my heart decided to do a few months ago when I saw for the video clip tittled FREE HUGS for the first time.

I rose the sheet. Dry mouth and a stupid smile on my face. I wasn't shaved. Short haircut. Wearing relatively old clothes.

I was monitoring the square, couriously waiting for a reaction. I saw smiles on the people’s faces some of them came with cameras and cell-phones tending to mark this funny scene. People were passing by me and as soon as they saw my sheet of paper where it said FREE HUG they smiled, quickly turned around and walked away. But that wasn't the smile like »what an idiot« it was more like » hmm... look what kind of stuff you can see on the street«. Several people passed by and then all of the sudden a homeless man comes up to me and asks me if I could hug him.

»Of course, » I replied overjoyed. We hugged and he thanked me for the hug.

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Few seconds later a little girl came and hugged me from behind. Then a couple came and hugged me. Then my ex schoolmate came and hug me. Two photographers asked me if I could pose in front of a Christmas tree in the centre of the city. Yet another girl came up and ask me for the hug. She was very shy. Then elderly gentleman. And another young lady.

»Did someone hired you to be here?« asked a lady in disbelief.

»Is this a candy camera? « said a girl before she ran into the arms of a stranger.

For a while I was sharing my hugs in Čopova street. »Lottery tickets, lottery ticket, come and buy«..., were shouting two middle aged ladies and asked me whether I was spreading positive energy ...

. There were some dry fruit salesmen on the left side and some salesmen of Christmas ornaments and newspapers.

»PAF« ran direct into me another enthusiastic girl and almost slammed on the floor. We were laughing.

Then a timid girl finally took the courage and came to me and spread her arms. Few minutes we stayed like that , simply hugging. She blissfully looked at me and hugged me again. She placed her hands on her chest for a second closed her eyes, bowed and left.

I was looking at the Ljubljana decorated for Christmas enjoying in the smiles of people who were watching the attraction. My thoughts wandered into the future. I saw Slovenia in the Christmas time. Smiling happy hug donors all across Slovenian cities, on all main squares, in the hospitals, schools, prisons, faculties and homes for elderly people. Every Slovene can get a hug if he or she wants that of course. But a hug is just a beginning. It's just a sign for GIFT WITH NO EXPECTATIONS.

Maybe we will start to give, besides the hugs, RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS to the strangers. We will try to look for the occasions when we can do something good and nice to somebody and on the other hand we're not rewarded.

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What if in some winter morning everybody in Slovenia would wake up half an hour earlier and shovel the snow off the neighbour's car? And then quickly return back to the house so that the neighbour couldn't see them? People would pay double the price for toll and then asked the cashier to let the car behind him or her for free. People would discover content in GIVING.

What if we found a homeless person and invited him or her for a Christmas dinner. What if...

»What’s the purpose of this action? What is in it for you?« asked another elderly women in disbelief. »There's nothing in it for me, » I said. »My only purpose is to make your evening more pleasant.« I laughed and spread my arms. She did also. We hugged. She said I did make her evening more pleasant.

Then I put my sheet away and went towards my car. I was surprised that the parking fee cashier didn't noticed me. I got into my car and waited for ages before I finally started my car. Men in orange was looking at me but didn't came to me to collect the parking fee.

I had a meeting in Formatisk printing office and left meeting a bit sad because we couldn't get to the agreement in order to reduce my immense debt. »Business world is so cruel,« I thought. I didn't know where to get the money to pay for my books. I should pay a long time ago. Several minutes ago I got an email from a businessman who wants to pay for 100 of my books and let me donate those books to the people who can't afford it. Now I can pay my debt to the printing office. Tomorrow I will send them the money and end this part of the story.

Together with Aleš from www.pozitivke.net, Franci from www.klub-srecnih.si and other »freaks« we would like to make a project HUG SLOVENIA which will (hopefully) grow into HUG EUROPE. Our first meeting will be on Prešeren square on Friday at 10.00 AM. Will you come?

We'll get together, hug, make the paper sheets that say FREE HUG, hug the city centre then spread all over Ljubljana. We'll provide the pens and sheets. Contact us if you can help with the organization. Or JUST COME. We will also have the photographer with us who will mark the whole adventure. We also need the camera. Maybe the press will come too.

I am so happy - estoy tan feliz

My life has been absolutely amazing. Escribo tambien en espanol en la enzima.

Today my favorite professor (a very known person in Slovenia) confirmed she will be my mentor for my graduation paper. I am SO THRILLED! I wish to write it jointly with 25 people - interdisciplinary paper with the title: "How can Slovenia be the light in the World - what can Slovenians do to make the WORLD WORKING FOR EVERYONE".

Because of the structure of the assignment it would be a very unique graduation paper, not only in Slovenian, but as well in European history. In my vision each of the countries in the world could adopt the idea and make their own sister project. Students must think about their future!

Now I have a dancing partner. Her name is Janja. You know... I see life as a dance. I met a girl that I really liked and I asked her if she wants to dance along. She agreed.

We are now building the most amazing connection I have ever experienced with another human being. Few days ago we had a talk and I told her what does it mean to communicate powerfully and to express yourself fully and honestly with no restrictions. I told her I want to surrender to her and that I really love her. She really inspires me to do great things. I inspire her as well.

Business with books is flourishing. I am having lectures all around Slovenia, huge groups of people are gathering, they get immersed into my story and then they start hugging and kissing each other and I get dozens of emails every day about the change that happened in their life. I sell many books, though I offer them to lend to people for free if they do not have money.

Me and bunch of people here have started a movement HUG EUROPE with its daughter project HUG SLOVENIA. We hope to inspire whole Europe to hug for Christmas and tell them I love you (the idea came from this video http://youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4).

Few weeks ago I have taken an amazing seminar called Landmark Advance Course in Amsterdam. It was a transformational weekend. For me and for 83 other guys.

I learned to fully accept people as they are and know that they are perfect in this way. I do not have any intention whatsoever about changing anyone else than myself. We are all amazing human beings.

Guys, on the end I send you a video that you MUST see. It is really amazing. It is a movie called THE SECRET.

By Dec 7, I have decided to finish the translation of the book to English and to finally set up a webpage at www.peacehiker.com. Also the project HUG EUROPE will come to life. Dec 7 is a BIG DATE for me.

Take a look at the amazing video, that will change your life at http://video.google.com the+secret

A warm Slovenian hug,

Matej - Peacehiker
peacehiker@gmail.com


P.s. Feel free to forward my email to your friends if you believe it will inspire them.


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Hola amigos,

mi espanol no es tan fluente como antes quando era en Mexico. Les voy a escribir por lo menos un par de las palabras. Ojala que todavia me puedo expresar en espanol. Estube aprendiendo tambien el italiano en ese tiempo.

Hoy me siento tan feliz. Recibi la respuesta de una profesora en mi universidad que va a ser mi mentor para las tesis. Es mi profesora favorita. Es tambien una persona muy conocida en Eslovenia. Mi tesis van a ser: "Como puede Eslovenia ayudar que el mundo FUNCIONA PARA TODOS". Mi vision es crear un grupo de la gente que lo hara juntos. Esto puede ser una inspiracion para mucha gente alrededor del mundo que cada pais busque sus qualidades que puede ofrecer al mundo.

Me acerque a una chica muy intensamente. Se llama Janja y en los meses pasados hemos creado la relacion mas increible que yo jamas he vivido. Tenemos la comunicacion mas fenomenal, hacemos el amor como nunca con nadie y le pedi si quere ser mi partner por balle. Le dije que para mi la vida es un balle y quiero bailar con ella.

En 24 de Agosto he publicado mi libro que se llama: CAMINANTE DE PAZ - ALREDEDOR DE LA TIERRA SIN DINERO. Ahora estoy muy exitoso con ello. La gente me escribe que les esta cambiando su vida. Tambien tengo las lecturas alrededor de Eslovenia.

He visto una pelicula que me inspiro muchisimo para hacer algo LOCO aqui en mi pais. Veelo aqui: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

Hemos decidido que vamos a hacer una Navidad inolvidable para toda la gente en Eslovenia. Nos pondremos en las calles con un papel:

TE REGALO UN ABRAZO

Despues de dar la gente un abrazo, les decimos TE QUIERO. Esperamos que toda Eslovenia se empiesa a abrazar y que la gente se acerca uno a otro y empiesa a sentir el amor de otra gente.

Estoy traduciendo el libro en Ingles y el texto sera listo hasta Dec 7. Me gustaria tambien traducirlo en espanol pero quiza necesitare ayuda.

Hasta el Dec 7, tambien tendre una pagina de web en espanol. Ese dia sera un dia muy importante para mi.

Te quiero.
Te mando un abrazo Esloveno,


Matej - Peacehiker (Caminante de paz)
peacehiker@gmail.com
TEL: +386 41 848 014


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