I’d like to add my “penny worth” of thoughts to this debate and the related Logrono episode where a hospi said “Leave, leave” to a pilgrim.
@The Anacortesians.
First, I’d like to thank those of you who responded to the OPs by using the “praise sandwich” model of 1) Praise 2) Correction/Different Opinion 3) Praise. It exhibited respect for the OPs and at the same time allowed respectful disagreement, debate and balance.
However, a few others have used a different kind of “sandwich” consisting of a top layer of criticism, followed by a hard centre of rebuke, and finally finished off nicely with an under cut to the jaw that would make Muhammad Ali proud
.
If we can step back a little and look at the bigger picture. The Camino is a wonderful medieval tradition steeped in history, hardship and spirituality, but which is now firmly planted and baptised into the 21st century where industry, commerce, customer service, the “bottom line”, tourism, and mod cons are the distinguishing features! It’s an anachronism, a paradox, a clash of cultures...even of civilisations.
All of us who love the Camino do so for a variety of reasons, but one is that it is an oasis located in a different world separated in miles and years from this furiously changing geopolitical world around us. But while we may have an ideal-world view of the Camino, it is not utopia….because people are involved. And where people are involved you will have good and bad. The majority tend to be good decent people. The majority of hospis are wonderful souls. Some, sadly, are not.
Also, the majority of pilgrims have their dreams, hopes and aspirations. I think it is fair to say that all people who walk the Camino can be classed as “pilgrims”, whether they are doing it for religious/spiritual reasons, to get over the grief of the loss of a loved one, or to have a place where they can find some peace for a troubled mind. They are on a journey. Others are “just on a long walk”, to quote the movie
The Way. But that’s just fine too. Also, pilgrims come in all different personalities: extrovert and introvert, loud and quiet, sensitive and tough, good….and few not so good!
I do
not feel or believe that the two OPs came across with an arrogant attitude. They were just probably expressing their shock and disappointment that the Camino is not the ideal place they thought it was, or may have been led to believe. So, I think there is a way to respectfully enlighten them or correct their possible innocence (no disrespect intended), and disappointment, if that is what people think about their posts.
I know we like to think that we all have a share in this "global" treasure called the Camino. But if we boil it all down we would see that the principal stakeholders in the Camino are the Spanish government, the Spanish people, and perhaps the Catholic Church (Spanish and Vatican). But even if you are a Catholic and feel that it is OK to harshly criticise the OPs for sharing their bad experiences with hospis, I think that most of the spiritual stalwarts of the historic Catholic church might disagree with you.
For example, the rule of St Benedict is at pains to make all pilgrims feel welcome. And I think many such spiritual leaders would take aside the few hospis who are rude and abusive and would have a good talk with them to see where their heart really is on their own “spiritual pilgrimage”. I am certain that some spiritual leaders would give them a copy of the a Kempis’ “The Imitation of Christ” to calm their troubled souls (after two long weeks of serving!), and then send them on the Camino from Malaga for a year with no money, a staff, a dumb bell hat, and a ball of cheese!
We all have our off days but most hospis are only on duty for two or three weeks. If they can’t handle the heat of that kitchen by simply not expressing extreme rudeness to a pilgrim then I feel they ought not to be invited back next year (at least until they have walked from Malaga!). Thousands of others are waiting in line to volunteer! Volunteering as a hospitalero is a unique privilege. They could be venting their bad attitude on a pilgrim who is doing the Camino because they have emotional wounds from the past, mental problems, or have recently lost a loved one. Or they have a broken heart. And neither is there any excuse for allowing the longer term “professional” paid hospis to get away with giving abuse and rudeness without a challenge.
And I don’t agree with the theory that “Leave, leave” was some of the only English the hospi at Logrono may have known. I am a teacher of English as a foreign language, and the imperative “leave” is not the first thing I teach my students. The first thing they learn is “Hello”, “How are you today today”, “Welcome”, “No”, “On”, “Beds”, “Backpacks”...stuff like that! And if they don’t understand Spanish or English, then modelling the meaning goes a long way to getting the message across. It only takes a minute to communicate by acting the message out, or demonstrating it.
So, to the two OPs, I would like to say “I hear ya”. I would like to box such rude hopis across the right ear...in love of course! But look at the bigger picture. You haven’t had to endure the hardship of the medieval times when pilgrims were often penniless, were subject to ravages of disease, hunger, cold and wet, while the loving, warm, welcoming hospitals/albergues were few and far between. They depended on the kindness of strangers. The modern Camino is not an ideal world. But we still have it to escape to as a great medieval spiritual tradition and retreat from this crazy and seemingly out of control world around us, but we are still sure to come across the odd disappointment or two. That’s all part of The Way.
On the other hand, looking at it from a 21st century post-modern, industrial society, we are paying money for a bed (excepting
donativos) and we do kind of expect not to be abused after paying money for a bed! Do you get my drift? At the reception desk, we hand over money for a
cama, a bed, but we never see where it says “verbal abuse included free in the price”.
But joking aside, how will an albergue improve its service to pilgrims and know to give their misbehaving hospis a copy of “The Imitation of Christ”, if we never feedback our comments, experiences and suggestions to the managers/owners? You can still vote with your feet by not returning to that albergue, but if we pay money, as part of this commercial world that we live in, then we do have a right to suggest improvements and to comment on the service we received.
Otherwise the Camino could tend towards a dual-class society: one subjugated class consisting of the voiceless, eternally suffering pilgrim martyr, and the other elite class comprising the hospis and albergue owners who must not be criticised as they dwell in their “castles”. I don’t need to point out how unspiritual and immoral that would be! And thank the Lord it is not the case today.
Given this clash of two eras, cultures, and civilisations, I think the modern pilgrim on the ancient Camino has two choices.
I) Use the 21st Century “customer service” method - only where money has been paid for a bed of course - and report very rude and abusive hospis to their superior. The temporal pay off here is short term emotional gratification, but, more importantly, the knowledge that a supervisor can take a troubled hospi aside to get to the root of their problem that they too may be suffering, or else correct them or re-train them. But understand that albergue managers will have to filter out justified criticism from the more than a few complaints of some very fussy ill-tempered pilgrims, and that’s not always easy.
2) Use the ancient spiritual Way and ask yourself “Why does this one ill-trained, rude, abusive person bother me so much and why am I allowing their obviously bad behaviour to steal my joy and peace on my journey? Then rise above it on the inside and learn spiritually about yourself without complaining to him/her or his/her supervisor. The pay off here is long term spiritual fortification of the soul and of character, and an ability to get on with life despite external difficulties. Keep your peace, no matter what, and keep looking forward on the way independently of the bad behaviour of others. This further helps us to be more open and sensitive to the many mini miracles (good behaviour) that come our way through good people. And all of these benefits come for just 5 or 10 euro for a bed. Well worth the price!
Finally. I do not post often to this forum and haven’t done so for a long while. I like to walk the Camino alone, but with access to people when I need moral support. I guess my long post here is in part down to my recent introduction to the work of Susan Cain who wrote the book “Quiet”, in which she maintains that introverts have been neglected in the industrial world made for thriving, often loud, extroverts, whereas modern industry itself has experienced some of the greatest innovations from introverts and sensitive souls. But open plan offices, the highjacking of “brainstorming” sessions by extroverts etc. all tend to mitigate against the creativity and productivity and valuable contributions of introverts. You can see a good TED talk presented by her on YouTube.
I’m no innovator, but I dare say that a fair share of the ancient meditative, contemplative, spiritual introverts (monks
et al) have all contributed to making the Camino what it is today. So here’s to all introverts both ancient and modern, to their expressed voices down the centuries whether that be orally, written, or through practical innovation, and to their valuable contributions to The Way...whether they were right or wrong.
Sorry for the lengthy post. Not a penny worth in the end, but maybe a few pounds/euro! I think I may have expressed all that I have to express for the next year now. So till then, I’ll be hibernating to recover my energy...or else on a long walk somewhere along The Way!
Gerry
PS. I have just thought of a motto for a new albergue
“Bed 8 Euro. Verbal abuse, leaping bed bugs, and other benefits included free in the price, all to make you a better, more spiritual person. NO (NO!) BACKPACKS (MOCHILAS) AlLLOWED (PERMITIDOS) ON THE BEDS (EN LAS CAMAS)!! GOT THAT PILGRIM? GOOD! Welcome to the ancient Way and to true Camino experiences that will last you a lifetime!!!”
PPS My own background is Catholic, though I left the Catholic Church years ago. I do the Camino for spiritual reasons (four times now) and I have served as a hospi three times at an albergue where they emphasise serving people in love, but also being firm, though not rude, with abusive or unreasonable or very fussy pilgrims. They give two or three days off at a time so that you can recharge and be refreshed. A number of times I witnessed pilgrims in the morning with tears in their eyes reluctant to leave, as they linger over breakfast because of the special atmosphere in the place. I have experienced only two pilgrims who were very very rude to me and I passed them on to more experienced hospis or the manager. I have met about four hopis in my Camino walks who were very rude and even abusive, but possibly hundreds who were very good, and more than a few who were great. Last year I recorded some 5 or 6 mini miracles that came my way while walking…. all of which came through people: pilgrims and hospis.