Was it hard to organize your life in order to walk the Camino?

[MelaCro]

How difficult it was for you to organize your life (family, work, friends) in order to set aside time to walk the Camino?

Have you had any remorse or feel that you are selfish?

I ask you this because despite the fact that I am planning Camino for last two years I find very difficult to organize everything...

In the last month I work 10-12 hours a day every day, without weekends and days off, and the same will be the next month. I'm trying to finish all the jobs that I could be away for a month.Since I have a family and a child of 7 years, I have guilt that's what I do is selfish in order to realize my long-standing dream. Of course, I talked to everyone in the family and grandparents are wiling to help my husband with everything while I'm gone

The idea that I'm about to finally walk the Camino gave me strength in crisis situations in the past two years, but now that I'm finally on the verge of realization I wonder if I'm selfish?

Camino means a lot to me and I really need that time to take a break from everything and to "arrange" some important things in my head ...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Organize my life? Seventy years of failure!

It helps to have plenty of vacation, a modicum of money, a supportive spouse, and an understanding family. Children and aging parents add to the complexity, but the internet era has made it easier. You may need a willingness to toss money at changed airline plans if "something" comes up. I found that once I looked at all the disaster scenarios, saw that I could handle any of them, and planned accordingly, the actual walk was quite calm.

 

[RobertS26]

For me, it was difficult to arrange the time off because I'm self-employed without any partners or employees. To arrange the time, I started one year ahead of time. I told every judge, every prosecutor, and every client of my plans. Each Camino conversation took at least 15 or 20 minutes. Some lasted more than an hour. Some clients decided not to retain my services because I was going to be out of the country for seven weeks. Most were understanding if not supportive. As the year progressed, I had to remind judges and prosecutors that I was going to be gone whenever we talked about scheduling. In all, I bet I spent 2 or 3 hundred hours fighting for my time off. It was exhausting.

When I finally left for the Camino I took my iPhone with me. I spent at least an hour a day returning phone calls and answering text messages and emails. I stayed in private rooms to minimize the disruption to others.

But in the end, it was well worth it.

 

[Robo]

It was hard for me because I own my own business and I am one of the main sales/marketing people.

Did I feel selfish? Yes. If you read my Blog you will find that was a constant issue for me. Only after about 3 weeks walking did I 'get over it'.

I planned 2 years ahead. I told my team 'I'm going'. So we'd better work out a way of covering for me whilst I'm away. Like many business owners I was tending to work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. So it was very hard to see how others were going to fill the gap. But we managed. They just covered the 'essentials' and did it very well.

Family. My wife moved back to be near her family, as her Dad was sick anyway.
Friends. Don't have any. Work and family take up all my time. So no problem.

When I got back from Camino last month (my second) they asked "going again next year"? It seems I am easier to live with when I am away Or maybe just a bit more chilled when I get back....

The key point it, you need to look to find a way. What if you 'get run over by a bus'. How will people cope? Plan for that scenario maybe....

Perhaps the bigger problem is when you get back.
My mind and focus were not on work as they used to be.
They're on some distant hill top in Northern Spain

 

[cher99840]

Fortunately, no. I am retired and for many years put away money for the sole purpose of being able to travel when I was no longer committed to earning a living. My son is an adult with a family of his own and makes no demands on my time. My husband understands that I always have a bag or two packed. He knows that if he needs me, I won't leave him (He had a recent health issue but he's ok now which freed me for my upcoming NZ tramp.), otherwise make no commitments that require my presence.

 

[Albertagirl]

I started planning for my first camino before I ever heard of the camino. My work would not allow me to ever take more than two weeks holidays at a time. It was very awkward trying to fit a family wedding in China into two weeks and I could not travel with the rest of the family. So the next spring I turned 65 and gave up my job, which I liked, for work which is casual, a few weeks a year, and allows me to plan travels. I went to New Zealand that first year. When I heard about the camino the next fall, I was able to plan for the walk. And I have already scheduled my work for the rest of this year around my second fall camino. The year that I went to China, my father died, so I no longer had any family obligations that would not let me plan for long term travel. Work and family can be the best things in our lives, but pose challenges when we need time for ourselves.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I am very fortunate because of the support system I currently have at home, but know it will not be there in th near future. And, oh, really, I hate to say this, but I am planning on making it easier for those helping me out with at home issues so I can walk. Keep in mind I have never walked for more than 3 weeks at a time.

What I would say is that the calling is so strong is that your 7 year old will benefit from your experience, from the person you will become after what the Camino will teach you.

Now, if the people who will take care of your child while you are walking, then I think you may be facing an issue. And then perhaps you can negociate a 2 or 3 week first walk.

Try to figure out if you will become a better parent from taking X number of weeks off, and then repay them to the care giver left behing, and if feasible ... WALK! for how ever long is ok for all of you.

 

[Robo]

I am very fortunate because of the support system I currently have at home, but know it will not be there in th near future. And, oh, really, I hate to say this, but I am planning on making it easier for those helping me out with at home issues so I can walk. Keep in mind I have never walked for more than 3 weeks at a time.

What I would say is that the calling is so strong is that your 7 year old will benefit from your experience, from the person you will become after what the Camino will teach you.

Now, if the people who will take care of your child while you are walking, then I think you may be facing an issue. And then perhaps you can negociate a 2 or 3 week first walk.

Try to figure out if you will become a better parent from taking X number of weeks off, and then repay them to the care giver left behing, and if feasible ... WALK! for how ever long is ok for all of you.

You make some excellent points!

It is not only the Pilgrim/Walker who benefits, but those around them.

I know that personally I am now more 'chilled' and create less stress for those I live and work with. Maybe that's why they like me 'going on Camino'

 

[Andpartner]

We waited nearly 30 years for the 'time to be right'. Retirement, fitness, children's health issues stable, parents either died or safe in Residential Care, loosened from Grandparental duties by daughter's maternity leave for new baby. The Camino doesn't go away and it's fun thinking about it. Waiting isn't a bad thing, we live the lives we live. Responsibilities are part of us and the result of choices we've made. My time on the Camino was very precious, perhaps even more so for the waiting.

 

[Fletchonides]

From the brief description you give, it sounds like you really need to go on the Camino. Your family and friends are happy to take on the family responsibilities. You don't say what you do, but it sounds like there is something seriously wrong with your work/life balance or with your job if you are putting in that many hours.

All that time that you should have had for yourself and didn't is being stored up to bring with you on the Camino. Sounds like you are being as responsible as you possibly can be in preparing others, so no its not selfish.

 

[Terrri]

No, you are not selfish. Selfish would be if you weren't making any preparations to make things easier on your husband and child while you are gone. You have been making plans and preparing for this for two years - that sounds very responsible. Your child and husband have supportive grandparents. It is a different situation for everyone who walks the camino and having a small child that is staying at home probably brings stress of its own but it sounds like you have all of your ducks in a row.

With today's technology you can skype or face-time with your family and post pictures and notes to keep in touch with them and not seem so far away, especially to your child. The time will go quickly and you will be back home before you know it but you will be leaving your child with a wonderful impression of you and probably others around you as well.

We can put things off forever waiting for the right time that might never come. If we don't want to do something we can always find a reason not to do it but if we really want to do something we will find a way. There is no time like the present.

Now don't burn yourself out before you leave by stressing and over working yourself so much that you can't enjoy your camino while you are on it.

 

[Sarah80]

There's no point in going if when you're here you're not fully here, or you're feeling guilty about being here. So you need to take the measures you need to take to be able to "walk right" and be present.

I grab weeks on Camino often and take my laptop in my backpack and work in the albergues for a couple of hours because I know that I will feel too guilty (not to others though, to myself) if I don't take care of the essentials. My first camino I was between jobs and so didn't have the pressure (or the extra weight) and it was a lot less burdensome, but that's just me, I'd rather be out here walking and connected for a couple of hours per night than not get to do it at all - I can't leave the biz to someone else at this moment.

From your comments, you seem like you've got everything taken care of and if you're resolved to come you have to disciplined with your mind not to feel guilty, work out a contact plan or something, a time of day to call your daughter regularly and by sticking to that and meeting that expectation you wont need to feel guilty and can get the most from the walk.

 

[kmrice]

For me, it was difficult to arrange the time off because I'm self-employed without any partners or employees. . . . Some clients decided not to retain my services because I was going to be out of the country for seven weeks. Most were understanding if not supportive.

We had pretty much the same experience in 2013 when we walked the CF. No clients were harmed, but it took a lot of juggling, getting out of our two attorney office was stressful, trying to help clients using wifi in rural Spain was frustrating, and putting out fires when we got back was pretty intense, even with an excellent staff. We did a couple of shorter pilgrimages in 2014 and 2015 but when we decided to walk the Le Puy to Santiago Camino this year, we decided to go ahead and retire. Life is to short to practice law when you could be walking the Camino!

 

[MelaCro]

Thanks everyone

it is easier for me to see that for the majority of you Camino meant a lot of hard preparation...

I'm also (as some of you) self employed, running a small business, which is fortunately more and more successful, but that also means a lot of work, sacrifice and consequently a reduced quality of life...however this is not an issue now

For me, it was difficult to arrange the time off because I'm self-employed without any partners or employees. To arrange the time, I started one year ahead of time. I told every judge, every prosecutor, and every client of my plans. Each Camino conversation took at least 15 or 20 minutes. Some lasted more than an hour. Some clients decided not to retain my services because I was going to be out of the country for seven weeks. Most were understanding if not supportive. As the year progressed, I had to remind judges and prosecutors that I was going to be gone whenever we talked about scheduling. In all, I bet I spent 2 or 3 hundred hours fighting for my time off. It was exhausting.

When I finally left for the Camino I took my iPhone with me. I spent at least an hour a day returning phone calls and answering text messages and emails. I stayed in private rooms to minimize the disruption to others.

But in the end, it was well worth it.

Most of my experience is unfortunately different and vary from "lebels" new age freak, religious fanatic, frivolous (because leaving my child and a growing business) etc. ...just one (not so close) friend understand the meaning of the Camino for me, so I already stopped to explain the reasons of my future absence to others

even my husband nor my parents do not understand my need to walk 800 km although accept my decision and are ready to help

I believe that most of you understand me when I say that and still have a tremendous need to walk the Camino, but I really want to walk in the true sense and carrying a laptop (job) with me as well as remote control work simply is out of the question. I understand that for some of you that worked well, but to me it would be an additional stress and frustration

One colleague told me that maybe all this "talk" that has not been my time, but I do not agree with it ...I am not waiting for my (perfect) time, I am creating my time

 

[RobertS26]

I still have a tremendous need to walk the Camino, but I really want to walk in the true sense and carrying a laptop (job) with me as well as remote control work simply is out of the question.

I had three choices: (1) never walk the Camino, (2) walk the Camino without technology and bankrupt my business (and probably loose my license to practice law), or (3) walk the Camino with technology and continue to run my business. And as I mentioned earlier, I stayed almost exclusively in albergues with private rooms, one star hotels, or rural casas to reduce, if not eliminate, other pilgrims being forced to watch me work. Did it effect my experience? Yes. Am I glad I still went? Absolutely.

I'm frankly jealous of pilgrims who could have someone else do their work for them while they are away. I remember a conversation with a elementary school teacher from The Netherlands at the Los Templarios albergue. She came over and told me that she had been watching me for several days and that she noticed that I slipped away from everyone else on a regular basis carrying my smartphone with me and she was sure that I was using it to go online. She proceeded to tell me that I was ruining my pilgrimage, whether I knew it or not, and that as an American I needed to learn how to really take a vacation. I then asked her if children she taught were sitting at home waiting for her return. "Of course not," she replied, "there is a substitute teacher in my classroom while I am away." I then explained to her that I was self-employed without any partner or employees. I then told her my three choices as stated above. She was kind of enough to apologize to me for being so judgmental.

 

[Dennis D]

Walking the Camino becomes a positive addiction. The first thing I did when I walked into Santiago three weeks ago was to start planning my fourth Camino. I am retired so work is not an issue. My wife is very supportive of what has become an annual adventure.

I spent a good part of today looking at different scenarios for next year. I will be leaving again 10 months from now and of course my pack is resupplied and ready to go at a moments notice. I could leave in the morning if necessary.

Should I feel selfish that that Camino experience has made me a better person? I think not. My friends saw a difference in me when I return from my first Camino. Since then I have tried to be a resource for others who want to walk it.

Its okay to be anxious. That is normal and it just means that your body is getting ready for a great adventure.

My advice to you is to just go for it and have a Buen Camino.

 

[Lance Chambers]

I don't believe you are being at all selfish!

Some things we believe we do just for ourselves end up being of great benefit to everyone we have in our lives.

There are experiences in life that can change us for the better and I know the Camino can be one such life enhancing undertaking. I believe, with all my heart, that everyone that you love and care for will benefit from your walking the Camino.

The experiences I had improved my life dramatically. It improved my relationships with everyone I know, especially my family, and those I don't know because I am calmer and, I believe, more caring and considerate than I was in the past.

But it doesn't end when the walking stops.

I do things now I have never done before such as walking (6.5 kms 4 miles) 3 - 4 times a week now and my health and fitness is much improved. My brain is clearer and I found parts of myself that had faded or disappeared over the decades and I now treasure those personal revelations. I came back from the Camino with a totally different take on my life than I had before I left and that was after only 5 days of walking from Sarria to Santiago. This year I plan to walk all the way on the Frances and believe that this will help me become a far better person than I am today.

I believe, that you will miss the opportunity to experience something very precious if you don't do this. I wish you all the best.

Buen Camino.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

How difficult it was for you to organize your life (family, work, friends) in order to set aside time to walk the Camino?

Have you had any remorse or feel that you are selfish?

I ask you this because despite the fact that I am planning Camino for last two years I find very difficult to organize everything...

In the last month I work 10-12 hours a day every day, without weekends and days off, and the same will be the next month. I'm trying to finish all the jobs that I could be away for a month.Since I have a family and a child of 7 years, I have guilt that's what I do is selfish in order to realize my long-standing dream. Of course, I talked to everyone in the family and grandparents are wiling to help my husband with everything while I'm gone

The idea that I'm about to finally walk the Camino gave me strength in crisis situations in the past two years, but now that I'm finally on the verge of realization I wonder if I'm selfish?

Camino means a lot to me and I really need that time to take a break from everything and to "arrange" some important things in my head ...

Hi, no problems what so ever. I have enough vacation day's.
The only thing to do is ask for a vacation from /till a few months before I want it.
That's it, I also know that I'm fortunate that I can do it this way.
Wish you all well, Peter.