I am the 'worried mum from Australia' - and my son has just finished the Camino today!

[KateB]

Jack and his four friends arrived in Santiago de Compostela today!
They went to the Pilgrim Mass and saw the botafumerio swing, had their photo taken outside and are now going to take some time to process, reflect and rest.

To all of you on your Camino - six week ago I wrote to this forum all worried because my son is 19 and last year he was in high school doing math and writing essays. I am in Australia - he is in Spain now and has just completed 35 extraordinary days that will change his life. So many kind people on here wisely reassured me as I was worried he would be in danger, get lost or something bad would happen to him.

So thanks everyone who watched out for Jack, helped me, read my posts and offered words of comfort.

May you all receive abundant blessings in your life. You have my heartfelt gratitude.

 

[ivar]

Yay !

 

[Stephen]

That's good news and as you say it will be an experience that will stay with him.
Have you ever thought of going yourself?

 

[KateB]

Stephen - oh yes! My work as a teacher means I get long breaks...but living in Australia means our long breaks coincide with the Camino being at its most challenging i.e. December/January. I will do it one day - but have relished living it vicariously through my son and his friends.

 

[Bernard duffy]

There is a rumour in Santiago that they are planning to walk back to OZ

 

[KateB]

Bernard - hahahaha! The long term plans are many and varied for all five of them but for now its rest and some down time in the Algarve.
I have heard it can take a long time for peregrinos to come to terms with what they have achieved, and reflect on the experience. I expect it will be the same for them

 

[t2andreo]

Everyone adjusts to the end of the actual Camino pilgrimage differently. It depends on the individual's mind set, level of faith, and motivation in doing the Camino. I have seen tears, jubilation & laughter, exhaustion, trepidation, anger, depression, wild exuberation; the complete range of human emotion. Some of this is due to the actual experience and "to the core" affect of the Camino. Some of it is also the sober realization that you will likely not see many of the members of the "Camino family" you established and were nurtured by on your month-long pilgrimage again.

But, in general terms, some sadness or ennui is normal. Elation and a desire to do it again, like NOW, is also a commonly-seen behavior. I am glad your son has several mates he can share the experience with.

Regardless, your son went away a child and will come back more mature and thoughtful because of this experience. I hope you can support the "new" son...although somehow, I know you will.

Expect him to regale you with Camino stories and anecdotes for some months to come. There will be times when you wish he would shut it already. However, I beg you to continue to listen attentively. It is important to his readjustment process. I hope some of his friends are near enough to talk to regularly, that will also help. He experienced the adventure of his to-date relatively brief lifetime. He will want to share it with others.

In fact, if you have a local library, church, or other community group that might be interested in a presentation about the Camino, perhaps your son might be interested in taking all the photos he captured and developing such a talk. If nothing else, he will have the best account of "how I spent my summer" if asked to recount same in class.

I hope this helps,

Tom

 

[KateB]

Tom the presentation idea is really good and I can imagine his high school would be very receptive. He attended a Catholic school and so did one of his friends he walked with so the faith part of the journey was important to them. I will definitely listen to him talk about it and in fact I may grill him a little too much as I am so interested in what he did. Thanks for your helpful advice.

 

[Bernard duffy]

Everyone adjusts to the end of the actual Camino pilgrimage differently. It depends on the individual's mind set, level of faith, and motivation in doing the Camino. I have seen tears, jubilation & laughter, exhaustion, trepidation, anger, depression, wild exuberation; the complete range of human emotion. Some of this is due to the actual experience and "to the core" affect of the Camino. Some of it is also the sober realization that you will likely not see many of the members of the "Camino family" you established and were nurtured by on your month-long pilgrimage again.

But, in general terms, some sadness or ennui is normal. Elation and a desire to do it again, like NOW, is also a commonly-seen behavior. I am glad your son has several mates he can share the experience with.

Regardless, your son went away a child and will come back more mature and thoughtful because of this experience. I hope you can support the "new" son...although somehow, I know you will.

Expect him to regale you with Camino stories and anecdotes for some months to come. There will be times when you wish he would shut it already. However, I beg you to continue to listen attentively. It is important to his readjustment process. I hope some of his friends are near enough to talk to regularly, that will also help. He experienced the adventure of his to-date relatively brief lifetime. He will want to share it with others.

In fact, if you have a local library, church, or other community group that might be interested in a presentation about the Camino, perhaps your son might be interested in taking all the photos he captured and developing such a talk. If nothing else, he will have the best account of "how I spent my summer" if asked to recount same in class.

I hope this helps,

Tom

Most excellent post sir.

 

[NualaOC]

Great news Kate, glad they had such a positive experience. I bet you'll do it yourself some day!

 

[t2andreo]

Most excellent post sir.

Thank you, kind sir...

 

[t2andreo]

Tom the presentation idea is really good and I can imagine his high school would be very receptive. He attended a Catholic school and so did one of his friends he walked with so the faith part of the journey was important to them. I will definitely listen to him talk about it and in fact I may grill him a little too much as I am so interested in what he did. Thanks for your helpful advice.

Jack's greatest challenge would be to condense his experiences into a reasonable time-frame. Once you hear what he has to relate, you will realize he has enough material to flesh-out a course outline that could last for a semester. Once you start to consider all the various aspects of Camino that, together, form the entire "awareness" of the experience, you begin to realize that there is far more here than just one teenager's cool summer holiday.

In fact, there are presently multiple US universities and colleges that either incorporate the Camino into classes about Spanish culture and language, or offer entirely free-standing college level courses focusing solely on the role of pilgrimage in society or about the role of pilgrimage in Spain specifically. Professors "lead" these groups.

In 2013, and to a greater degree in 2014, I found myself competing for finite hostal and low-priced hotel bed space each evening with these class groups. The phenomenon is more pronounced in the final 100 Km from Sarria to Santiago on the Camino Frances route. Even if they put two students in each room, the supply of rooms available in a given village or town dries up quickly when a college groups rolls in. So, advance planning is needed especially if doing the Camino Frances in May or June.

I thought this might prove helpful...

 

[Keith Patterson]

Everyone adjusts to the end of the actual Camino pilgrimage differently. It depends on the individual's mind set, level of faith, and motivation in doing the Camino. I have seen tears, jubilation & laughter, exhaustion, trepidation, anger, depression, wild exuberation; the complete range of human emotion. Some of this is due to the actual experience and "to the core" affect of the Camino. Some of it is also the sober realization that you will likely not see many of the members of the "Camino family" you established and were nurtured by on your month-long pilgrimage again.

But, in general terms, some sadness or ennui is normal. Elation and a desire to do it again, like NOW, is also a commonly-seen behavior. I am glad your son has several mates he can share the experience with.

Regardless, your son went away a child and will come back more mature and thoughtful because of this experience. I hope you can support the "new" son...although somehow, I know you will.

Expect him to regale you with Camino stories and anecdotes for some months to come. There will be times when you wish he would shut it already. However, I beg you to continue to listen attentively. It is important to his readjustment process. I hope some of his friends are near enough to talk to regularly, that will also help. He experienced the adventure of his to-date relatively brief lifetime. He will want to share it with others.

In fact, if you have a local library, church, or other community group that might be interested in a presentation about the Camino, perhaps your son might be interested in taking all the photos he captured and developing such a talk. If nothing else, he will have the best account of "how I spent my summer" if asked to recount same in class.

I hope this helps,

Tom

Well said. Buen Camino.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Everyone adjusts to the end of the actual Camino pilgrimage differently. It depends on the individual's mind set, level of faith, and motivation in doing the Camino. I have seen tears, jubilation & laughter, exhaustion, trepidation, anger, depression, wild exuberation; the complete range of human emotion. Some of this is due to the actual experience and "to the core" affect of the Camino. Some of it is also the sober realization that you will likely not see many of the members of the "Camino family" you established and were nurtured by on your month-long pilgrimage again.

But, in general terms, some sadness or ennui is normal. Elation and a desire to do it again, like NOW, is also a commonly-seen behavior. I am glad your son has several mates he can share the experience with.

Regardless, your son went away a child and will come back more mature and thoughtful because of this experience. I hope you can support the "new" son...although somehow, I know you will.

Expect him to regale you with Camino stories and anecdotes for some months to come. There will be times when you wish he would shut it already. However, I beg you to continue to listen attentively. It is important to his readjustment process. I hope some of his friends are near enough to talk to regularly, that will also help. He experienced the adventure of his to-date relatively brief lifetime. He will want to share it with others.

In fact, if you have a local library, church, or other community group that might be interested in a presentation about the Camino, perhaps your son might be interested in taking all the photos he captured and developing such a talk. If nothing else, he will have the best account of "how I spent my summer" if asked to recount same in class.

I hope this helps,

Tom

I really enjoyed your thoughtful answer too, Tom. This high school teacher says "bravo"!

 

[Debb Smith]

Jack and his four friends arrived in Santiago de Compostela today!
They went to the Pilgrim Mass and saw the botafumerio swing, had their photo taken outside and are now going to take some time to process, reflect and rest.

To all of you on your Camino - six week ago I wrote to this forum all worried because my son is 19 and last year he was in high school doing math and writing essays. I am in Australia - he is in Spain now and has just completed 35 extraordinary days that will change his life. So many kind people on here wisely reassured me as I was worried he would be in danger, get lost or something bad would happen to him.

So thanks everyone who watched out for Jack, helped me, read my posts and offered words of comfort.

May you all receive abundant blessings in your life. You have my heartfelt gratitude.

Steven asked if you've thought of going yourself? I'm going to do this, you should too xx

 

[Gailsie]

I wish I had walked the camino at the age of 19. Wonder what changes it might have made in my life. Instead I walked at 60 after retiring.

 

[Dan the Man]

WOW! I am so happy that you posted this. I was wondering when your son would finish! I remember reading all of your posts!
I lost my mom at age 10, He is lucky to have you to worry about him. I can not believe that 35 days have passed already!

I wish I did this at 19, not 53 after I retired from being a teacher and principal!

Your turn is next!

 

[KateB]

Thanks everyone for your lovely thoughts.

He has received his Compostela. When he sent me photos of his pilgrim passport covered in stamps and his certificate, I was in tears of joy - as you who have done this know - it is the validation of your weeks and weeks of persistence and overcoming so many challenges.

There is a photo of the four of them outside the cathedral, still holding their walking sticks and with grins the size of Antarctica on their faces. For me, that sums it all up.

 

[Ellerby]

Kate, So pleased for you and your son. Seeing your post prompted me to finally join the forum to post here. I am an Aussie too and am walking part of the Camino in September and I have a 20yo, so your post resonated with me.

Hope you get your chance to do the Camino one day.

L

 

[gracethepilgrim]

Kate, what an awesome mum you are - to have encouraged and supported your dear son. I’m sure this experience will give you the idea to walk yourself some time in the future. You are already a forum veteran (hehehe). I certainly hope it’s possible for you to experience some camino fun one day. Cheers, Grace

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Congratulations to the two of you, because,this was a tandem Camino. You gave your son a great gift by allowing him to go on this jouney regardless of the stress this may have meant for you and for supporting him every step of the way. I am convinced that you will be repaid for this in many ways when you see who he has become after this experience.

 

[t2andreo]

I wish I had walked the camino at the age of 19. Wonder what changes it might have made in my life. Instead I walked at 60 after retiring.

I walked my first Camino in 2013, celebrating my 60th birthday in the Cathedral at the noon Pilgrim Mass, complete with Botafumeiro...nice touch. I thought of it as celebrating the first-half of my life and starting the second-half of my life with blessings from above. All in all, rather poetic, or so I thought at the time. I am trying to be and remain optimistic.

So, where is it written that you cannot experience the joys of youth at a more mature age? In fact, with all the accumulated experience, skills, and knowledge I accumulated over six decades, I rather think I got far more out of my three Caminos since 2013 than I might have done at a younger age.

Sure, I have medical issues and chronic illnesses that compel me to tote special diet foods and about a kilo of medications, in addition to my customary rucksack load. All in, it is a three-kilo penalty for a month-long Camino. So, the proverbial 10Kg limit means a 13Kg load for me.

Keeping those weight issues in mind, I recently learned while doing the Portuguese Route from Porto that, given the choice between food and medicine, or clothing, I am now choosing to "go commando" and pare my clothing load to the minimum consistent with decorum. The Camino is not a fashion parade. As long as I do not attract flies, I figure I am okay... If you do not want to see all of me (yuk!) don't look...actually, I would NEVER go that minimal, but you get the idea...

Plus, 80 is evidently the new 60, or so I have seen it written and spoken of recently. So, there should be enough time to plan a reprise Camino.

Or, put still another way, youth is wasted on the young... Retirement rocks! See you on the Camino!

I hope this helps...

 

[Gailsie]

If you see me on camino t2andreo I won't be in commando

 

[fiona99]

Jack and his four friends arrived in Santiago de Compostela today!
They went to the Pilgrim Mass and saw the botafumerio swing, had their photo taken outside and are now going to take some time to process, reflect and rest.

To all of you on your Camino - six week ago I wrote to this forum all worried because my son is 19 and last year he was in high school doing math and writing essays. I am in Australia - he is in Spain now and has just completed 35 extraordinary days that will change his life. So many kind people on here wisely reassured me as I was worried he would be in danger, get lost or something bad would happen to him.

So thanks everyone who watched out for Jack, helped me, read my posts and offered words of comfort.

May you all receive abundant blessings in your life. You have my heartfelt gratitude.

Fantastic news....it's a wonderful journey...

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola KateB - as I think I said in answer to your initial plea - to be a mum is to worry. But to you and your great son - much congratulations. Now for your adventure - start looking at how to use some of that Long Service Leave - a month should be enough if you can tack it onto a late Easter and maybe start in Pamplona (but not during the bulls festival). Buen Camino

 

[KateB]

Hi Saint Mike - if only I could. I have no LSL accrued and work on a contract basis but I do dream of the Camino Frances - and I would definitely start in Saint Jean - I don't want to miss those Pyrenees.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hi Saint Mike - if only I could. I have no LSL accrued and work on a contract basis but I do dream of the Camino Frances - and I would definitely start in Saint Jean - I don't want to miss those Pyrenees.

OK Kate - stop dreaming and start the planning. Best of luck!

 

[juju]

I walked my first Camino in 2013, celebrating my 60th birthday in the Cathedral at the noon Pilgrim Mass, complete with Botafumeiro...nice touch. I thought of it as celebrating the first-half of my life and starting the second-half of my life with blessings from above. All in all, rather poetic, or so I thought at the time. I am trying to be and remain optimistic.

So, where is it written that you cannot experience the joys of youth at a more mature age? In fact, with all the accumulated experience, skills, and knowledge I accumulated over six decades, I rather think I got far more out of my three Caminos since 2013 than I might have done at a younger age.

Sure, I have medical issues and chronic illnesses that compel me to tote special diet foods and about a kilo of medications, in addition to my customary rucksack load. All in, it is a three-kilo penalty for a month-long Camino. So, the proverbial 10Kg limit means a 13Kg load for me.

Keeping those weight issues in mind, I recently learned while doing the Portuguese Route from Porto that, given the choice between food and medicine, or clothing, I am now choosing to "go commando" and pare my clothing load to the minimum consistent with decorum. The Camino is not a fashion parade. As long as I do not attract flies, I figure I am okay... If you do not want to see all of me (yuk!) don't look...actually, I would NEVER go that minimal, but you get the idea...

Plus, 80 is evidently the new 60, or so I have seen it written and spoken of recently. So, there should be enough time to plan a reprise Camino.

Or, put still another way, youth is wasted on the young... Retirement rocks! See you on the Camino!

I hope this helps...

I walked my first Camino in 2014 for my 60th and also celebrated in the cathedral with the botafumeiro! I walked alone and with coeliac disease but wouldn't change the experience for the world. It changed my life profoundly.

 

[fiona12]

At the end of November 2012 I had a compulsion to walk the Camino, and to go ASAP. I walked alone (53yrs) - Leon to Santiago in Feb 2013. Every day I think of the Camino and know I will do it from St Jean next time. The Pyrenees call.

I agree with other posts - plan it and do it. Even if you have to do it in sections, even if you have to walk in winter (I will definitely do winter again). I found Margaret Meredith's blogs of her winter walks inspiring and her packing list perfect http://mscamino.blogspot.com Made a mistake not taking her recommended immersion heater.

So, KateB JUST DO IT

 

[KateB]

You are all so positive and encouraging. I thank everyone!
I still have a child in high school so have obligations and can't take off for weeks at a time, but at least it gives me lots of planning time and time to stick to these forums and watch and learn.
Thank you all!