Prep year planning group

[BonitaHolland]

I’m facilitating a prep year planning group that meets monthly for a small group of u3a members who want to do the Camino one day possibly Sep/Oct 2022. We meet monthly and have had two meetings to date. Each month we tackle a different topic so far we’ve looked at
1. Footwear and rucksacks and poles
2. Different Camino routes

Our next meeting in November will be about the different types of accommodation.

We also plan to talk about other subjects like:
Food and water in Dec
Medical and bugs and safety in Jan
Walking in the dark/bad weather/heat in Feb
Books maps phones internet and websites in April

Any other themes you think would be good?

 

[C clearly]

prep year planning group that meets monthly for a small group of u3a members

Sorry, but I'm not familiar with these terms - "prep year" or "u3a members".

 

[BonitaHolland]

Sorry, but I'm not familiar with these terms - "prep year" or "u3a members".

u3a is a global organisation (University of the 3rd age) and ‘prep year’ means a year to prepare. Thank you for asking about these two things.

 

[Tincatinker]

Toilets & personal hygiene. A brief search for "the tissue issue" will lead you to plenty of subject matter.

 

[BonitaHolland]

Toilets & personal hygiene. A brief search for "the tissue issue" will lead you to plenty of subject matter.

This is a really good point I might add it into the food and water theme …. what goes in must come out.

 

[Esperanza]

Blisters, footwear, and foot care
Physical preparation and training hikes (I would suggest doing this one early on, as people may need months to follow through)
Rain gear, how to keep yourself and your pack dry

 

[Bala]

Toilets & personal hygiene. A brief search for "the tissue issue" will lead you to plenty of subject matter.

As well as trash and graffiti.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I’m facilitating a prep year planning group that meets monthly for a small group of u3a members who want to do the Camino one day possibly Sep/Oct 2022. We meet monthly and have had two meetings to date. Each month we tackle a different topic so far we’ve looked at
1. Footwear and rucksacks and poles
2. Different Camino routes

Our next meeting in November will be about the different types of accommodation.

We also plan to talk about other subjects like:
Food and water in Dec
Medical and bugs and safety in Jan
Walking in the dark/bad weather/heat in Feb
Books maps phones internet and websites in April

Any other themes you think would be good?

Communicating with Spanish people they'll meet along the way - a knowledge of basic (Camino related) Spanish would be helpful to them.

The "Englishman Abroad" method of speaking loudly and slowly won't get them very far in a small rural Spanish town!

(from a U3A Canterbury branch member)

 

[Esperanza]

Communicating with Spanish people they'll meet along the way - a knowledge of basic (Camino related) Spanish would be helpful to them.

The "Englishman Abroad" method of speaking loudly and slowly won't get them very far in a small rural Spanish town!

(from a U3A Canterbury branch member)

Absolutely! Basic travelers’ Spanish is so important. (I can’t believe I forgot this in my suggestions!)

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Absolutely! Basic travelers’ Spanish is so important. (I can’t believe I forgot this in my suggestions!)

This book has been mentioned on here before - might be worth considering?

Camino Lingo

 

[dougfitz]

Any other themes you think would be good?

In my local camino group we mix the practical topics with a talk from someone who has done the camino recently about their experience. I find it inspirational to listen to these, and realise that ordinary people can do quite extra-ordinary things, and what a special community one enters when one is a pilgrim.

 

[Yoyo]

You could also include:

- accommodation options
- albergue etiquette
- a typical day on the camino
- finances (cost, ATM availability, cash vs. credit cards)
- cultural background info
- religious/spiritual aspects, if so inclined
- credencial, stamps, compostela, distance certificate

 

[Esperanza]

This book has been mentioned on here before - might be worth considering?

Camino Lingo

I am not familiar with that book, but it would seem to at least be a place to start.

 

[lcarneyfarwell]

I’m facilitating a prep year planning group that meets monthly for a small group of u3a members who want to do the Camino one day possibly Sep/Oct 2022. We meet monthly and have had two meetings to date. Each month we tackle a different topic so far we’ve looked at
1. Footwear and rucksacks and poles
2. Different Camino routes

Our next meeting in November will be about the different types of accommodation.

We also plan to talk about other subjects like:
Food and water in Dec
Medical and bugs and safety in Jan
Walking in the dark/bad weather/heat in Feb
Books maps phones internet and websites in April

Any other themes you think would be good?

I would love to Zoom into this planning group. My friend and I will be walking the Camino in May 2022. Please let me know if this is possible. Thanks.
Lisa Farwell

 

[Ronald Boivin]

I’m facilitating a prep year planning group that meets monthly for a small group of u3a members who want to do the Camino one day possibly Sep/Oct 2022. We meet monthly and have had two meetings to date. Each month we tackle a different topic so far we’ve looked at
1. Footwear and rucksacks and poles
2. Different Camino routes

Our next meeting in November will be about the different types of accommodation.

We also plan to talk about other subjects like:
Food and water in Dec
Medical and bugs and safety in Jan
Walking in the dark/bad weather/heat in Feb
Books maps phones internet and websites in April

Any other themes you think would be good?

In which country do you live please? I may be interested depending g on time zones

 

[BonitaHolland]

Communicating with Spanish people they'll meet along the way - a knowledge of basic (Camino related) Spanish would be helpful to them.

The "Englishman Abroad" method of speaking loudly and slowly won't get them very far in a small rural Spanish town!

(from a U3A Canterbury branch member)

I’ve now arranged for the Beginners Spanish u3a group leader to give our group a talk on basic Camino related Spanish phrases. So a great idea thanks!

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

albergue etiquette

Soooooooooo important. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Theresa Brandon]

- managing expectations
- group dynamics
- basic first aid
- making alternative plans in case of injury, weather or other circumstances

 

[BonitaHolland]

- managing expectations
- group dynamics
- basic first aid
- making alternative plans in case of injury, weather or other circumstances

The group won’t be going as a group it’s to prepare each individual for their own Camino.

 

[henrythedog]

Take a look at @Anniesantiago ’s YouTube channel (anniesantiago13 on YouTube). The short informative videos on there are an excellent introduction to Camino-101.

 

[BonitaHolland]

Take a look at @Anniesantiago ’s YouTube channel (anniesantiago13 on YouTube). The short informative videos on there are an excellent introduction to Camino-101.

Thank you for this suggestion

 

[BonitaHolland]

Soooooooooo important. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It depends what you mean as each culture has different values…..

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

I agree, each culture does. My point is common courtesy to all inside a commonplace hostel or albergue such as; not making lot's of noisy early in the morning, turning lights on in common areas while others are trying to sleep, drunkenly stumbling in late at night waking others who have abidded by house rules etc...

 

[BonitaHolland]

I agree, each culture does. My point is common courtesy to all inside a commonplace hostel or albergue such as; not making lot's of noisy early in the morning, turning lights on in common areas while others are trying to sleep, drunkenly stumbling in late at night waking others who have abidded by house rules etc...

I’ve often thought about this issue as each individual has their own unique needs and so we all need to look at how our individual needs impact on others including the need to go to bed early/late or get up early/late.

 

[BonitaHolland]

I would love to Zoom into this planning group. My friend and I will be walking the Camino in May 2022. Please let me know if this is possible. Thanks.
Lisa Farwell

I’m afraid it’s a local u3a group in Brighton Sussex England

 

[BonitaHolland]

It’s now time fir our monthly meeting again and we’re about to meet for our December theme of Food avd Drink. I’ve arranged a Spanish teacher to do a session on useful phrases and vocabulary.
Any particular topics you think I should introduce please for our discussion?

 

[peregrina2000]

Aside from vocabulary, a couple of useful topics, just based on past threads —

What about tipping?

Difference between menú del día and menú del peregrino.

Spanish eating hours.

Differences in coffee drinks, con leche, cortado, solo, etc.

Difference between “bar” in Spain and “bar” in many English-speaking countries.

For beer drinkers, difference between caña, botella, jarra, clara and other words I don’t know because I don’t drink beer.

I’m sure there are many more, but this is a start! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jsalt]

Food avd Drink

I downloaded “Buen Provecho: Spanish to English Dictionary of Gastronomic Terms” onto my cellphone’s Kindle app, and it hasn’t let me down once. It is a brilliant resource for when you are in a restaurant in Spain and confronted with a menu of dishes that are totally meaningless. It seems to include a lot of regional variations. Highly recommend.