Ostrofsky is a life coach in Bethesda. In April, she began a “hug tour” around Washington. She plans to take it to Baltimore and eventually New York. Why did start your hug tour?
It’s not a ‘free hug’ movement. When I go around, I hug people I know. … My hope is that if I hug them, if I show them that I care, that they’ll pass it along to the people [who] are important to them in their lives.
What was your most memorable hug?
When I hug, I send out a tweet. … I did that one day, and a friend said, ‘Can you stop by the State Department?’ She was standing outside — a lawyer, heels, BlackBerry, the whole nine yards. I saw her from across the street, and I started running. She got so excited she started jumping up and down until I got across the street. I ran at her, and we hugged, and we both went on with our day. But that moment — next to a hot dog truck on a Tuesday afternoon — just felt really, really special.
Are there different types of hugs?
A really good hug — you don’t have to think about it. There are some kind of atrocious adult hugs that happen, like the one-armed hug or that side hug or when someone taps you on the back like, ‘I want to be done with this hug now.’
Why are some people uncomfortable with hugging?
Adults tend to complicate hugs, whereas children make them really simple, like, ‘I like you. I want to show you.’ Adults ask themselves all these questions, like, ‘What will this hug mean?’ ‘Oh my gosh, am I too sweaty?’ ‘Will this person get the wrong idea if I hug them?’
How long will the hug tour last?
I’m looking for hug tour ambassadors to keep hugging wherever they are.
— Rachel Baye
