COVID All about respect.

[Peter Fransiscus]

We noticed that many elderly people wear a mouth cap here in Spain. We personally don't mind because if it's a bit busier, we just put a cap on , no problem. When people were asked if they would be so kind as to put on a mouth cap and then just don't do it, the result is that I will never make friends with 2 off them.

It 's all about respect for everyone , how difficult can that be .
( Where and who is not important, it happened)

 

[SabsP]

It all comes down to being kind. So much easier than being rude.

We Dutch speaking people have this beautiful word , called " hoffelijkheid " aka courtesy.

 

[Former member 92300]

I don't wait to be asked to put on a mask. If I am not wearing a mask and I am approaching people, especially locals, who ARE wearing a mask - I put it on. I am a guest in their country. I am not worried about me. But I do worry about everyone around me.

 

[Camembert]

It is a good thing wearing masks . Here in the Netherlands nobody is wearing masks anymore , I regret that. . It is not like in Spain however when I stayed for over 15 days in San Martin Pineiro especially the school youngsters did not wear them and the teachers who joined them looked to the other side.

wearing masks has also a disadvantage. Working at the other side of the Pilgrims Office counter , wearing a mask and a perspex window in between we hardly could understand the masked pilgrims , applying for their Compostelas or Certificates of distance.

 

[Brightmore]

It makes me extremely sad to hear some pilgrims are being that discourteous. Tragic.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

wearing masks has also a disadvantage.

So true , that's why Marianne ( She has hearing aids ) retired early . She could no longer lip read and that exhausted her mentally.

 

[Former member 99290]

It is sad that pilgrims are discourteous. But … There was a thread recently about camino myths - and at the time it occurred to me that one may be that ‘pilgrims’ are inherently special - i.e. people walking thé Camino are always kind and respectful. That is certainly not the case in my experience. While most I’ve met have been very nice … and I have witnessed wonderful acts of friendship and kindness, I have also witnessed - though only on the busiest of routes - very poor behaviour and remarks, often directed at those who are trying to help ‘us’.

On thé camino, as in life, some people seem unable or unwilling to put themselves in the shoes of another and consider their needs.

 

[Former member 92300]

It is sad that pilgrims are discourteous. But … There was a thread recently about camino myths - and at the time it occurred to me that one may be that ‘pilgrims’ are inherently special - i.e. people walking thé Camino are always kind and respectful. That is certainly not the case in my experience. While most I’ve met have been very nice … and I have witnessed wonderful acts of friendship and kindness, I have also witnessed - though only on the busiest of routes - very poor behaviour and remarks, often directed at those who are trying to help ‘us’.

On thé camino, as in life, some people seem unable or unwilling to put themselves in the shoes of another and consider their needs.

This is true! Most of the pilgrims I met were kind and respectful and were willing to help and watch out for others. But there were a few rude pilgrims and there were some who were perhaps kind and respectful people - but did things that didn't take into account others needs. One example I can think of is these nice ladies in 2 different alberuges who decided to get up and quietly take a shower first thing in the morning. What is wrong with that? Well - nothing - if they hadn't locked the door to the communal bathroom which prevented anyone else from entering to go pee or take a shower in the many other stalls lol. But that is what they did - they went into the communal bathroom, with no warning to others, and locked the main door into the communal bathroom while they showered and dressed (and took their time). Leaving me and others scrambling to search for another toilet somewhere in the building! Not cool. In both of the buildings I had to search for bathrooms on other floors of the building. In one - I had to use the mens room because that was all I could find and I really had to pee! These ladies were probably oblivious to how their actions affected others. Afterall - they get a private shower in hotels, right? Haha

Thankfully - the vast majority of pilgrims I met were kind, respectful, courteous, willing to help others, AND aware of how their actions affected others.

 

[gittiharre]

It is a good thing wearing masks . Here in the Netherlands nobody is wearing masks anymore , I regret that. . It is not like in Spain however when I stayed for over 15 days in San Martin Pineiro especially the school youngsters did not wear them and the teachers who joined them looked to the other side.

wearing masks has also a disadvantage. Working at the other side of the Pilgrims Office counter , wearing a mask and a perspex window in between we hardly could understand the masked pilgrims , applying for their Compostelas or Certificates of distance.

I know. I find the same working with Detox clients. Very hard to communicate.

 

[C clearly]

It makes me extremely sad to hear some pilgrims are being that discourteous. Tragic.

Unfortunately, pilgrims are not suddenly transformed into people without flaws! (Except for us, of course.)

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I was at a seminar once and during a break the person that I was talking to said "isn't it extraordinary that everyone here is so nice".

This got me thinking, because they were.

I think that in almost all cases that if we give people the opportunity to be nice then they are.

The Camino, unlike most of life, provides plenty of opportunities to let others be nice.

Of course, there are always some who for what ever reason won't be nice at that time.

 

[SabsP]

I was at a seminar once and during a break the person that I was talking to said "isn't it extraordinary that everyone here is so nice".

This got me thinking, because they were.

I think that in almost all cases that if we give people the opportunity to be nice then they are.

The Camino, unlike most of life, provides plenty of opportunities to let others be nice.

Of course, there are always some who for what ever reason won't be nice at that time.

Hi @Doughnut NZ first of all very happy to see you back!

And I'm prety sure you will like Humankind from Dutch author Rutger Bregman where he writes about some fine examples of people being nice and kind.

Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman review – a tribute to our better nature

The Dutch historian’s overview of debate around humanity’s core instincts has blind spots, but its optimism is invigorating

www.theguardian.com

 

[RJ in CA]

We do see so many nice people on the Camino. I have only been on one Camino (my next is in two weeks) but I experienced kindness from the Spanish people and other pilgrims all along the way. When I hiked in 2019, I had a few opportunities to help (in very small ways) a few young pilgrims. They were so grateful and appreciative; it was touching.

I am 64 years young… I went to Spain on vacation in November 2021. While in Madrid I tripped on a loose cobblestone and fell. Every young person around me came to my rescue. I learned that it is custom for young people in Spain to help others in need and I was very grateful to them.

When I came home, I decided to set an intention for my next Camino to look for opportunities to do little acts of kindness along the Camino.

It does not take much to make someone’s day, and kindness is more contagious than Covid!

 

[VNwalking]

It does not take much to make someone’s day, and kindness is more contagious than Covid!

Yes. This.
And if we speak and act at home as we do on the camino, the kindness can spread.

 

[Former member 95219]

We noticed that many elderly people wear a mouth cap here in Spain. We personally don't mind because if it's a bit busier, we just put a cap on , no problem. When people were asked if they would be so kind as to put on a mouth cap and then just don't do it, the result is that I will never make friends with 2 off them.

It 's all about respect for everyone , how difficult can that be .
( Where and who is not important, it happened)

But aren’t you intimating that you only respect those who act the way you want them to act. I have to say I think this is a very unenlightened path to take. We can’t have people ordering people on what actions they should take in their life surely! I wear a mask and am vaxxed but I wouldn’t dream of judging those that don’t/aren’t! Society seems to becoming increasingly intolerant of people with different behaviours/views!

 

[VNwalking]

I wouldn’t dream of judging those that don’t/aren’t! Society seems to becoming increasingly intolerant of people with different behaviours/views

There's a difference between views and opinions having no effect on others, and actions which can cause harm.

Actively spreading disease to others because you happen to have views about 'personal freedom' is like yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater.
It's irresponsible and reprehensible.

Anyone can think what they like; views an opinions are infinitely varied. But my tolerance stops when someone is acting in a way that actively harms me.

 

[Former member 95219]

Surely we have to recognise that huge swathes of people are vaxxed, that covid is now fairly ‘light touch’. We’ve come a long way In two years! Of course anyone can still catch it and become sick, but at this rate people will want to wear masks for ever and not normalise. We all make decisions that negatively affect others, whether we drive a car, the food we consume, and it is all effectively a balance. I think we are on a slippery slope that say people who wear masks are good people and people who don’t are bad people and that can’t be right.

Anyone we are off down the usual path, so apologies to the moderators who must get sick of te covid debates. Sure it will be locked shortly!

 

[Eve Alexandra]

It doesn’t matter whether I’m in Spain or at home. If I’m around anyone who is masked I respond in kind. Because that’s what it means to be a good neighbor, which is more important than “personal freedom,” particularly when that personal freedom can injure another.

I’m completely exasperated by the “personal freedom” pilgrims on trail right now.

I’m fine with honoring differences of opinion, but not when it could be deadly for another person. That’s freedom gone awry.

 

[Former member 99290]

I think it was Martin Luther King who said ‘my freedom ends where yours begins’ or something along those lines - the idea being that individual freedom is not absolute in a society. I think the idea can be applied to many circumstances.

That said, I think these ‘discussions’ about mask wearing rarely - ever - change minds on either side.

 

[wayfarer]

Freedom is a wonderful thing but with freedom comes responsibility which is most important, responsibility for yourself and responsibility for keeping others safe. People tend to forget the second one.
I am closing this now, it's getting into argumentative territory.