Hello!

[erinmarie]

Hi! I've been referred to this site by a friend with whom I walked most of the way to Santiago (hi, Deirdre!) and I'm coming on for the first time as I procrastinate from writing a paper...

I'm twenty years old, live in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada), and I walked from Pamplona to Santiago between July 22 and August 18. I had been in Europe to backpack for the summer, without any real plan as to where I wanted to go or what to do with the time. I met a German man in the first week of the trip, back in May, and he described the Camino to me- he's a travel writer and had done a section earlier that past year. I forget which part, though... At any rate, he shared the possibility with me and it stuck in my head for the rest of the summer. So I did it! And it was the most wonderful and difficult thing I have ever experienced.

It's strange to be home now - even after close to two months - and to walk past people on city streets with no acknowledgement, to sleep in the same bed every night, not to feel exhausted and exalted at once; I thought arriving back home would be a relief after so many months alone, but now I miss people I met and the places we passed through together. It's also bizarre not to talk about it- and, especially, not to be understood if I do.

I meant just to arrive here and say hello, but! look how I've gone on. It's great to see so many people here discussing! I'll be back...

Erin

 

[vinotinto]

thought arriving back home would be a relief after so many months alone, but now I miss people I met and the places we passed through together. It's also bizarre not to talk about it- and, especially, not to be understood if I do.

I can relate - not many Americans even know about the Camino, much less have walked it. I found this board after I returned from the Camino (started in St. Jean on 7/14/07, ended in Santiago on 8/24/07). The pilgrimage was one of the best things I've ever done or been involved in, and it's nice to be able to dialogue about it, if only virtually.

Did you consider going on to Finisterre? I was going to continue on to Finisterre from Santiago, but once I arrived I knew I'd had enough walking for awhile ;-) I'd like to go back some day and do the Portuguese segment (most likely Porto -> Santiago -> Finisterra -> Muxia).

Anyway, hope the Camino continues to impact your life in a positive way - buen post-Camino!

 

[erinmarie]

Hey, thanks for the reply!

I wanted to go further once I arrived in Santiago- somehow the end didn't feel like it should have come! But I think I'd also reached a point at which my body wanted me to stop. If I'd spent just one night in santiago and gone on, I could have reached Finisterre just in time to head back to Santiago for my flight out- but instead we stayed in Santiago, took a bus to Finisterre for one night to see the sun set, and had some quality coffee/wine drinking time before separating. I agree- I want to go back some day, and hopefully do a longer walk this time, perhaps from somewhere in France or the Netherlands if I have time! Well, and if the joints are still operational.

Amazing to see other North Americans here. I was so lucky to happen across someone who showed me the way; how did you find out about it?

Erin

 

[fiddletree]

another young (23) North American checking in! I was spending 13 months in Europe and my Irish visa was about to expire and a friend there told me about the Camino, and I decided to do it on a whim. What an incredible experience!

It seems to me that more Canadians know about the Camino... I ran into a number of Canadians, but only 2 Americans in 5 weeks of walking. Welcome to the board!

 

[vinotinto]

Amazing to see other North Americans here. I was so lucky to happen across someone who showed me the way; how did you find out about it?

My Camino spark was lit in Leon, during the summer of 2003. I had a Spanish roommate at an Oregon grad school, and he invited me to his wedding in a small town outside of Leon. That was a good excuse to finally hit Europe for the first time, so I left a couple weeks before his nuptials to see some sights. I began in Amsterdam, then spent some time in Paris and London. Finally, I flew into Madrid and took a train up to Leon.

My friend met me at a cafe and we walked to his parent's residence. On the way, he mentioned that people "thought I was a pilgrim" (I was wearing a backpack). Thus began my interest in the Camino. While I was there I observed pilgrims when I could, and mulled the idea over while sitting at the pilgrim statue. After I got home I began reading books about the Way, and it grew in my mind more and more.

Finally, in March of 2007 I impulsively put in for a leave of absence from work to do the Camino, and to my surprise it was approved the same day! So, four years after my first visit I walked into Leon as an actual pilgrim. I even got to stay for two nights with my friend, who now has two young daughters. He and his wife were very hospitable, and it was nice to catch up. What's funny is that he didn't even remember making the "pilgrim" comment that ended up changing my life.

So, that's the story. I'm glad I took the risk and did the Camino instead of putting it off, because responsibilities have a way of making one delay such adventures - until it's too late to do them. And someday, I hope to return and finally walk into Finisterre...

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Erin
Welcome to the Forum, ,
I think it's absolutely amazing that you were so open as to hear about the 'Camino' on holiday and to take it up.
To get home, sleep in same bed each night etc - I've have had the same feelings, I think all the things you are experiencing on return are normal, ( wanting to talk; even in the UK the Pilgrimage is not as well known as in other parts of Europe, and often when I mention the 'Camino' to people who are interested in Spain they don't know what I'm talking about.). I think also that two months is quite a short time after the pilgrimage for things to settle down - I don't mean you will/should forget your enthusiasm but with time it will mature/distill and become enriched. After one Pilgrimage it took me more than 6 months to adjust to 'normal' life.
If in time you want some advice re walking from France or Holland let me know, I have some experience in that area. If you want help on this particular issue (long distance pilgrimage) send me a private mesage and the I'll give you my e-mail address for more info.
For the moment, on your current pilgrimage,
Buen Camino,
Brendan

 

[erinmarie]

Hey,

Thanks so much for the responses! Again, I really love that this is here.

It's reassuring to hear about other people's experiences, and I think that some of my favourite stories have been those of finding out about the Camino. I don't know that I myself have much advice to offer anyone, at least technically, but just to talk is the best thing.

Brendan, thanks for the offer of information- I'll be sure to take you up on that eventually, although if I start asking any questions too soon I might just forsake the student life and run away for good!

And fiddletree, have you met anyone since getting home who's done the camino? I live in one of the lesser-known Canadian capital cities but I still managed to meet a woman who was born here in Rabanal at the English albergue. I guess I didn't meet many Americans, either- I just feel like I did because I walked with an American woman for most of the way! The Canadians I met were mostly Quebecois.

 

[fiddletree]

I ran into a girl who I think was in one of my classes in college after I got back to the US and it turns out she did the camino when she was a teenager. Also a friend of my mom did the camino (well, part of it anyways) right after me. Those are the only Americans I've encountered. I still feel like I have a tie to the camino because of my boyfriend, who I actually met while walking and we have somehow made it work (despite him living in Italy), and we talk about the Camino a lot.

True about the Canadians... most are Quebecois, though I did meet some others. It is strange, in countries like Spain and Italy everyone knows about the Camino, so there is no need to explain, but here people are kind of like 'wait.... you WALKED? As in, on your feet? Across what? Spain? Are you sure?'. Different culture here, I guess.