Iberia strike announced

J Willhaus · Dec 14, 2023

UGT y CC.OO. anuncian ocho días de huelga en Iberia en Navidad - http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...ga-iberia-navidad/00031702495294870774593.htm

Ok, mildly freaking out as my students and I are supposed to fly to Santiago early on the 30th from Madrid. Already have the plane and bus tickets (airport to Sarria) paid for. Will begin to explore other train and bus options. Very concerning. Will continue to monitor.

J Willhaus · Dec 14, 2023

Looks like its a baggage handler strike against Iberia being proposed. I am going to ride this out for now. My backup plan is to develop a Logroño to Burgos alternative as there are more bus options to Logroño and from Burgos back to Madrid. I'm very familiar with stretch and have walked part of in winter before. I know all the possible albergues and I'd love for the students to have a night in Grañón.

If the strike is called off, we can just proceed with the original Sarria to Santiago plan. I do want to be prepared if that is not the case though.

Kirkie · Dec 14, 2023

J Willhaus said:
Looks like its a baggage handler strike against Iberia being proposed. I am going to ride this out for now. My backup plan is to develop a Logroño to Burgos alternative as there are more bus options to Logroño and from Burgos back to Madrid. I'm very familiar with stretch and have walked part of in winter before. I know all the possible albergues and I'd love for the students to have a night in Grañón.

If the strike is called off, we can just proceed with the original Sarria to Santiago plan. I do want to be prepared if that is not the case though.

Sorry for you, this is not what you need!

J Willhaus · Dec 14, 2023

Kirkie said:
Sorry for you, this is not what you need!

Yes, I'll make the best of it though. I didn't sleep well, but think I can create a good alternate plan. Mostly worried about budget, but I think it is still manageable. I am still grading final papers from this semester and I have graduate students to hood at graduation ceremony this Saturday so I can't let myself get too distracted.

MARSKA · Dec 14, 2023

You can do this! A lot of extra work for you though.

Peterexpatkiwi · Dec 14, 2023

Good luck

konnie · Dec 14, 2023

J Willhaus said:
UGT y CC.OO. anuncian ocho días de huelga en Iberia en Navidad - http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...ga-iberia-navidad/00031702495294870774593.htm

Ok, mildly freaking out as my students and I are supposed to fly to Santiago early on the 29th from Madrid. Already have the plane and bus tickets (airport to Sarria) paid for. Will begin to explore other train and bus options. Very concerning. Will continue to monitor.

susanawee · Dec 15, 2023

J Willhaus said:
UGT y CC.OO. anuncian ocho días de huelga en Iberia en Navidad - http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...ga-iberia-navidad/00031702495294870774593.htm

Ok, mildly freaking out as my students and I are supposed to fly to Santiago early on the 30th from Madrid. Already have the plane and bus tickets (airport to Sarria) paid for. Will begin to explore other train and bus options. Very concerning. Will continue to monitor.

Hoping for the best for you.

dick bird · Dec 15, 2023

Not what you need. It is one thing for a seasoned traveller to change their plans but doing it for a largish group of youngsters who have never been overseas is another. Then again, if you don´t walk in to Santiago, that might be an incentive for them to come back another time and finish it off. A mid-section of the camino may be a more realistic and memorable experience than the Sarria to Santiago walk, so it may work out for the best. Anyway, I wish you luck.

BTW, ¨I have graduate students to hood¨ - does this mean what I think it means?

J Willhaus · Dec 15, 2023

dick bird said:
Not what you need. It is one thing for a seasoned traveller to change their plans but doing it for a largish group of youngsters who have never been overseas is another. Then again, if you don´t walk in to Santiago, that might be an incentive for them to come back another time and finish it off. A mid-section of the camino may be a more realistic and memorable experience than the Sarria to Santiago walk, so it may work out for the best. Anyway, I wish you luck.

BTW, ¨I have graduate students to hood¨ - does this mean what I think it means?

I am a professor of nursing and direct one of the nursing graduate programs here at University of Wyoming. It is the last graduation for me since I retire in May and my students graduate in December each cohort year, hence the hooding comment.

Actually most of my study abroad course students have traveled some. Two are going ahead of the rest on Christmas Day to visit Cordoba, Grenada, and Toledo with another university classmate who plans to travel along with us, but did not enroll in the course. She has to make her own arrangements, but I try to share what our plans are specifically. Her Dad is from Spain and she speaks Spanish well. The three early travelers will join the rest of us in Madrid on the 29th.

Knowing that buses won't run on Jan 1, I'd plan to be in Logroño on Dec 31 and stay 2 nights somewhere reasonable. Maybe spend a day in Pamplona or Sorria on Dec 30 to see some sites at a place with easy bus access to Logroño. We would start walking Jan 2 and take 7 days to get to Burgos. Two days in Burgos for the cathedral and Museum of Evolution, and then back to Madrid for 2 nights to finish with the Sophia Reina and Picasso 's Guernica and a final farewell dinner. Also some class work, reflections, student-led assigned discussions along the pilgrimage, too. We'd be at Grañón for 3 Kings so will see it celebrated in a small village. In the past pilgrims had to fill in roles as the Kings so may be an option this year, too.

Only 3 or 4 nights do we need to reserve once walking. The rest don't take reservations and I know them pretty well anyway on this stretch as Phil and I have both walked it and served on it in winter..

dick bird · Dec 15, 2023

J Willhaus said:
hooding

I never heard of it before. I wasn´t hooded for either of my post grad quals in Australia so it must be a North American custom. And before the language police catch up with you, it´s Reina Sofia. But The Guernica canvas is stunning. If you get the chance, take your group to the Prado (free after 5.30) first to see the Goya pictures. There is a powerful connection there I think.

Sounds like you have an amazing trip planned. Buen viaje.

J Willhaus · Dec 15, 2023

dick bird said:
I never heard of it before. I wasn´t hooded for either of my post grad quals in Australia so it must be a North American custom. And before the language police catch up with you, it´s Reina Sofia. But The Guernica canvas is stunning. If you get the chance, take your group to the Prado (free after 5.30) first to see the Goya pictures. There is a powerful connection there I think.

Sounds like you have an amazing trip planned. Buen viaje.

Yes, Phil and I have been to the Prado and saw the exhibit. Both are moving. Students have free time to do what they want earlier that day, but I am able to get the students in free to see Guernica after quite a lot of "hoop jumping " to get seals, signatures, and reservations with my new special registered log in. Reach out if you are taking a student group and I will walk you through it.

Hooding refers to placing the graduate hood over the students' heads while they are in regalia either as they walk across stage to get their degree conferred or in my case with the Masters students, just before they walk across stage. Doctoral students have their dissertation or program chair on stage to place the hood. My MS students get the their hoods placed off stage and we snap a quick photo together just before they walk across the stage to get their degree.

Kirkie · Dec 15, 2023

J Willhaus said:
Yes, Phil and I have been to the Prado and saw the exhibit. Both are moving. Students have free time to do what they want earlier that day, but I am able to get the students in free to see Guernica after quite a lot of "hoop jumping " to get seals, signatures, and reservations with my new special registered log in. Reach out if you are taking a student group and I will walk you through it.

Hooding refers to placing the graduate hood over the students' heads while they are in regalia either as they walk across stage to get their degree conferred or in my case with the Masters students, just before they walk across stage. Doctoral students have their dissertation or program chair on stage to place the hood. My MS students get the their hoods placed off stage and we snap a quick photo together just before they walk across the stage to get their degree.

I wish you every success, Janet. You, and no doubt Phil in the background, have put so much care and thought into the programme. I do not expect you to tell a tale of woe, rather one of happy feet and minds and hearts. Buen camino to all.

Kathy F. · Dec 15, 2023

Last week my return home was delayed about a week because of a strike in Belgium followed by a strike in Germany.
Ugh, unexpectedly stuck in Belgium during Christmas market season! All that extra beer and chocolate. Somehow, I managed to force myself to go with the flow, remembering “Man plans, God laughs,” and carrying on.

Seriously, though, good luck, I hope everything turns out well for all of you!

J Willhaus · Dec 16, 2023

Kathy F. said:
Last week my return home was delayed about a week because of a strike in Belgium followed by a strike in Germany.
Ugh, unexpectedly stuck in Belgium during Christmas market season! All that extra beer and chocolate. Somehow, I managed to force myself to go with the flow, remembering “Man plans, God laughs,” and carrying on.

Seriously, though, good luck, I hope everything turns out well for all of you!

Our university won't pay for any alcohol, but the chocolate does sound lovely. My stepmother is from Belgium and I bring her Rittersport bars when we visit every 6 months or so (not homemade Belgium chocolates, but she still loves them.)