Hi I'm a college student interested in your experiences

[aimeemartin]

Hi all!

I am a student at U.C. Berkeley and I am writing my thesis this semester. I am writing my thesis on the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and I wonder if any of you would be willing to tell me about your experiences, including why you chose to take the pilgrimage, what your experiences were. And after having done some of my research I hope that after I graduate I will be able to go to experience it myself!

Thanks!
Aimee

 

[Arn]

Aimee,

I will be making My Camino in April from St Jean Pied de Port France.

I'd be happy to share my experiences with you!

Considering the recent Oakland City council and UC Berkeley conflict with the Marines...would you still want my input?

Buen Camino

Arn
USMC Ret.

 

[oursonpolaire]

I think that you should walk it first, and then write afterward. But that's my opinion. However, if you PM your questions, I will have a bash at it.

 

[MermaidLilli]

PM me as well...
Lillian

 

[vinotinto]

I think that you should walk it first, and then write afterward.

A pre- and post-Camino perspective by the author on the paper would also be interesting. And I'm a former Jarhead as well, so this thread should be exciting... :mrgreen: :arrow:

 

[aimeemartin]

Thank everyone for your responses! I think I managed to send all of you a private message (though the fact that they are in my outbox rather than in my sent box is making me think that you won't get them) I have to admit I haven't been on this site before and I don't really have that much experience with emailing besides my gmail and school account .

But I thank everyone for being willing to talk to me! I am really excited to hear from everyone and I want to say that I would love to hear from all different kinds of people!

 

[sillydoll]

I'm not sure what your research resources are and I'm sure Nancy won't mind if I recommend that you read her book "Pilgrim Stories - On and Off the Road to Santiago". The book was born out of her doctoral dissertation in anthropolgy.
Another interesting book that recounts 'lessons learned' is "Walk in a Relaxed Manner' by Joyce Rupp (known as a spiritual midwife).
Conrad Rudolph's book "Pilgrimage to the end of the World" gives a vivid account of the affects of long-distance walking, slowing down of time, accepting one's homeless state and the refuges along the way which he describes as 'the soul of the camino'.
Good luck with your research!

 

[WolverineDG]

Feel free to PM me as well. I'll be glad to help out. Feel free to take a gander at my blog too.

Kelly

 

[Whalleyranger]

PM me and I'll gladly answer any questions you have.

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Aimee,
Welcome to the Forum , very happy to help out with your thesis, I think the problem might be keeping it small, within limits. My experience of pilgrimage is greater than just the Camino, but I've walked from Le Puy in 1996 and home (UK) in 2005. Plus have experience as hospitalero.
Fire away with questions and if (when) you eventually walk the Way -
Buen Camino,
Brendan

 

[cecelia]

Hi Aimee,
You have no doubt already done the research on this but on the slim chance that you haven't I like to suggest that you may also want to see if you can get information on past theses written about the camino. I know there have been several done in the last 5 years - some of them using forums such as this to gather information. But do I know where to find any of them ?- no sorry I don't - apart from Googling them of course.
Good luck with your research.
cecelia

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi - a starting point for personal accounts and these must be the extensive CSJ library:

http://www.csj.org.uk