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What makes a good hospitalero

camino-david

RIP 2020
Time of past OR future Camino
Caminos Frances (x4), Finisterre, Aragon, Via de la Plata, Portuguese 2011 -2015. Hospitalero 2015
I have never seen this question asked before, but mention of it does crop up every now and then in posts about good albergues.
I will be working later this year in as a volunteer at San Miguel albergue in Estella, and wish to give all the peregrinos visiting the hostel a good experience. So what do you think makes a good hospitalero. There are some obvious points such as a great welcome, a clean alberbergue, etc. Bear in mind that there are some things a hospitalero cannot do, such as changing the layout of the hostel, or the rules that govern the operations of the hostel but it would be interesting to see your ideas. Thank you in advance. David
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
There was a young man on Camino with me who had serious problems with his knees. He was only 29 but had such terrible arthritis he ended up having both knees replaced shortly after his Camino. This meant he was moving really slowly and getting into town late in the evening. I saw him one day and he said he had ended up sleeping on a bench in a park because he couldn't get into an albuergue.
So that night I went to the albuergue and explained what was happening to him and asked if I could pay for a bed for him - though I know that isn't allowed under most circumstances. The woman I spoke to was sympathetic and walked with me to a guy who was apparently the man in charge. For some reason this guy just really wanted to throw down with me over it. He told me that if the man had that much trouble he shouldn't be on Camino - demanded to know how it was my business where the guy stayed, said I couldn't buy another peregrino a bed - he was just pointlessly hostile. The woman argued with him and then just took my money for the bed and told me she would keep an eye out for the young man. I would have understood if they had just said no, all that rudeness and aggression was just weird.
On the other hand I was in one place where an older lady had sent her pack ahead on Jacotrans to a place 10 km further down the Camino and she just couldn't make it. She had decided to stay there and wanted the hospitalera to call them and ask them to just hold her pack there for her until the next night. The hospitalera said she would. Later that evening she drove up with the pack - she had gone to the town and picked it up. She also had some sun burn ointment she brought to a young guy who was cherry red after his day. I will never forget those small kindnesses.
Being flexible and willing to help?
Have a wonderful time! You're going to meet some great people!
 
The number one item for me would be a foot massage.
Good luck with that foot massage. If you asked me to give one there would be nothing but broken bones and not from a lack of my kindness.
 
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Half of the challenge of finding a good hospitalero is being a good pilgrim. If the first words out of your mouth at the door are "is there wifi? I gotta have a lower bunk. Is this the free albergue, or do I gotta pay?"
I may not be the best hostess.

A good hospi is someone who is quiet and listens when you talk. Someone who watches you, and sees when/if you are dehydrated, in pain, exhausted, or otherwise beat-up, and tolerates your uncharacteristic lack of civility until you've showered and rested-up and re-humanized yourself. They are flexible and kind. They respect your silence, and your desire to chat... but they have their own chores and lives, too.
It's someone who lets you make the salad at dinner, or wash the dishes after.
It's someone who knows how to pray with you, and asks you to pray for him on the road.
 
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Love. You can stay in a fantastic albergue, with lots of showers, hot water and all mod cons, and if the hospitaleros are unwelcoming, it feels not good. You can stay in a place with lots of shortcomings, one broken shower between 30 people, and have the time of your life, because the hospitaleros are so warm, welcoming and caring. And when they love their job, it shows and you can feel it...
 
I remember with tears in my eyes the hospiladero who seeing I was exhausted came out from behind the desk and took my rucksack off my back when he saw that I was too tired to do it myself; the kindly hospiladera who arranged for me to stay another night leaving a note for the person next on duty but who came back in herself to make sure that I was alright. The brisk and businesslike lady who ordered the teenagers behind me to take the top bunks and leave the bottom ones to "the likes of those" indicating me and my friend as we trudged up the stairs holding the banisters.

Thoughtfulness and kindness, alertness to needs, these are the things I remember .

On behalf of all pilgrims THANK YOU.
 
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During the past ten years totaling 450 cumulative nights in pilgrim albergues I have encountered innumerable helpful and kind hospitalero/as. However two very special women who graciously served last November were exceptional.

Trudging on from Sahagun to El Burgo Ranero was COLD, bleak and solitary. During 5 hours only a handful of pilgrims passed by but all were battling the incessant wind and rain. With great relief I finally arrived at the simple adobe albergue Domenico Laffi
and met the friendly hospitalera named Alicia "like Alice in Wonderland!" as she said.

Wonderland indeed! Alice who had just arrived herself would be resident hospitalera for the next two weeks but already had an open fire warming the downstairs common room (there was no other heat) and her lunch was cooking in the kitchen. One other soaked cold pilgrim, Carlos from Madrid, came in. Since it was Sunday and both bars and the village shop apparently closed Alice immediately set the table for three and graciously invited us both to share her meal. Thus the delicious HOT rice, vegs and salad was stretched with his cheese and my biscuits and bananas. In the spirit of Wonderland we all drank several steaming mugs of HOT sugared tea. Alice enjoyed recounting her many camino memories while serving as hospitalera. I sensed that wherever she might be it would quickly be her 'home'; across the years the camino had become her way of life.

Monday at dawn the rain had ceased and the pale blue sky was luminous with that special glow of an early medieval painting; at last the day was perfect for walking! I walked on to Mansilla de las Mulas east of Leon where in the municipal albergue another special hospitalera, Laura, has served for many years; now she and her father manage the place together. Over time much space has been re-purposed; what was a shower is storage, new showers are now on the patio and a tiny entry level dorm has become the supplementary dining area. Many potted plants brighten the interior and electric heaters provide warmth these cold nights. Most pilgrims cook and congregate in the comfortable kitchen where Laura offers a multitude of advice on shops, routes or blister care, etc. She greets each pilgrim personally and always gives me a big hug remembering my name and earlier visits.

Thus in both these albergues outgoing gracious women each in her distinctive way have created 'pilgrim homes' with much ambiance and soul. All who stopped were richer for the experience.

Margaret Meredith
 
[QUOTE

Thoughtfulness and kindness, alertness to needs, these are the things I remember .

On behalf of all pilgrims THANK YOU.[/QUOTE]

Yes, THANK YOU .

One of the kindest things ever, was the hospitalera , this last November, who seeing how scared I was at the prospect of being the only pilgrim in an albergue, said she would leave her husband and children at home and come and stay with me. That made me cry.... ( not necessary in the end as others turned up ) I'll never forget her.
 
David, Further to our previous conversation, when we served at San Miguel in 2011, before we arrived we decided that there were three things we would do; 1) greet you with a smile 2) have a clean Albergue EVERY day and 3) always have toilet tissue........and I think we succeeded in meeting those goals. As most pilgrims aren't expecting the 'Four Seasons' if you keep to the basics things will be great. And as Rebekah said, think of your pilgrim experiences and just be yourself. You were, I'm sure, a 'good' pilgrim and as you are obviously trying to do a great job as a Hospitalero you will not have any issues. And as you are walking to Estella, you will make the transformation from a pilgrim to a hospitalero. I think that makes for a better hospitalero. Enjoy.
Dayton and Karen
 
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Half of the challenge of finding a good hospitalero is being a good pilgrim. If the first words out of your mouth at the door are "is there wifi? I gotta have a lower bunk. Is this the free albergue, or do I gotta pay?"
I may not be the best hostess.

A good hospi is someone who is quiet and listens when you talk. Someone who watches you, and sees when/if you are dehydrated, in pain, exhausted, or otherwise beat-up, and tolerates your uncharacteristic lack of civility until you've showered and rested-up and re-humanized yourself. They are flexible and kind. They respect your silence, and your desire to chat... but they have their own chores and lives, too.
It's someone who lets you make the salad at dinner, or wash the dishes after.
It's someone who knows how to pray with you, and asks you to pray for him on the road.

Hi Rebekah,
Definitely, the most wise words.
Bom Caminho
Mario
 
Genuine interest in the pilgrims who end up on your door step.

The worst: Sto Domingo, 2 years ago: "Pay, pay, pay, we are not hear for free, and WE are volunteers. And put your boots there, and only speak when spoken to". Ironcially, on my 1st Camino, I love this place so much that that was when I first thought of offering a few weeks to serve the Camino. These men turned me completly off. Think again!

The opposite: Albergue Saturnio in Hazas. The alberguero who was there on the day I was was the replacemtn person. He is a city employee who paints benches etc. No meals are offered, but washer and dryer and a super clean albergue. He was so interested in our experience. Suggested the hidden local beach to those looking for sea again. Drove the rest of us to the cliff with the beach, showing us the better way out of town in his car, and taking us to his home to visit. He was proud to show us HIS village, and he showcased it beautifully.

He cared. He shared who he is with us and what he has loved all his life.
 
Thank you for all your great ideas. Please keep them coming. I also have had bad experiences at albergues. At one albergue, I asked very politely if it was possible for me to have a bottom bunk as I had knee problems, only to be told 'you'll sleep where you're told to sleep'. Nevertheless the other hospitalero kindly put me in a bottom bunk. And in another well known donitivo albergue, it was chaos with pilgrims rushing into the dormitory (with boots on) to claim a bed space before registering. But 90% of the time the experiences have been great.
A special thanks to Dayton and Carol in a posting above who served in a previous year 'my' albergue and have helped me immeasurably with their advice. I will be at the San Miguel albergue (donativo) in Estella for the first two weeks in October, and will be very happy to meet anyone walking at that time. David
 
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I know this won't be a particularly earth-shattering answer, but just being friendly and helpful. Thankfully I didn't have any particularly terrible experiences with hospitaleros or hospitaleras during the Camino, but it was a bit disappointing when you found yourself in an albergue where the hospitalero or hospitalera wasn't particularly warm or welcoming. I always really appreciated it when the hospitalero or hospitalera was friendly (e.g. Casa Ibarrola in Pamplona and Puerta de Najera), made an extra effort (e.g. Casa de la Abuela in Los Arcos, the parish hostel in Estella and Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal) or had a sense of humour and was willing to joke around with the pilgrims (e.g. Amigos del Peregrino in Mansilla de las Mulas).
 
It really is a different experience being on the 'other side of the reception desk', because while being a pilgrim is very much a journey of self-discovery, the big lesson in being a hospitalero is realising it's not about *you* at all. In fact, you'll be so busy you won't have time to think or reflect much about anything, it all goes past in such a blur! I think a good hospitalero is a servant of the way, giving a great deal of time and energy without expecting much praise or thanks in return. Many of us sign up because we know we have received a lot from the camino, and it just feels 'right' to give something back. It is indeed surprising how pushy and demanding some pilgrims can be, but it helps understanding (remembering?) how exposed and vulnerable one can feel as a pilgrim, and how this can be expressed as a need to be 'in control'. But whether you are met with gratitude or its opposite, just remember to never take any of it personally, and have faith that the camino is doing its work on everyone who passes through your door. And even in the bad cases (which are few and far between), remember that everyone will be gone by the time you sit down to breakfast, and you won't even have a moment to think as you begin preparing for the next wave of arrivals!
 
Jan, You are so right. As you make that transformation to a hopitalera it becomes all about your 'guests'......can I help you with that blister, the pharmacia is...., the Mass is at 7:00, sure you can use the kitchen, a tienda is open just down the street, you can hang your wash right over here, tell me about it and I'll see if I can help you....
Anyway, it's amazing how you can make a pilgrims day just a little bit better by just listening and doing the simple basic things. It will be one of the hardest working 15 days you've ever spent, but also probably the most rewarding.
Enjoy. Dayton and Karen
 
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@karenhypes - tell me about it! To be honest the 'training course' couldn't have prepared us for half the things we had to deal with - not because the course was insufficient, but because you're dealing with the full range of human behaviour, needs, and emotions, and there's no guessing which will come up on any day. Everything from the practical advice you mention, to broken limbs, and a even man who decided to go off his meds because he thought the camino would cure his schizophrenia! Then there's also the possibility that you're in a parochial albergue where the priest, parishioners or seminarians want a say in how things are done, and it's quite a job trying to navigate cultural expectations and etiquette in a language you might not speak very well… As an academic, I had to draw on skills and reserves I never even knew I possessed! Wonderful experience, doing it again this year… ;)
 
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Don,
When you are there please give my regards to the friendly owners at the nearby La Taberna in Castrojeriz. It's my favorite CF bar/resto.

MM
Will do!
My contact is Ovidio at Hotel Iacovus in Castrojeriz and it appears the FICS with his support has opened the doors to this ancient refugio.
 
... and hospitaleros who want to serve at San Anton in 2015... step right up! There are still four openings this summer!
Hey Reb, did you know it is almost time for Opening Day for the Reds in Cincinnati. Batter up!
A pretty bad play on words:eek:, huh?
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

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