“a global, unified family”

by Heather Wieberdink

One of the most interesting aspects of this trip for me was the opportunity to meet people from around the world, an obvious correlation with my International Studies major. Through my experiences thus far, I can honestly say that on the Camino, everyone has more similarities than differences. Apart from the obvious language barriers, everyone has been friendly and passionate about the Camino de Santiago. We walk for many different reasons, but whether someone is French, German, Spanish or American, we are all peregrinos with the same goal in mind; get to Santiago.

With these last couple days being more strenuous, it can be hard to find the motivation to keep going. For me, part of it comes from my interview with Carlos, a worker at the albergue in Leon. After learning where he came from and how long he has worked at the albergue, I asked Carlos (pictured above) why he liked working there. He replied with a statement about how much he enjoys watching the generations of people coming together and how important it is that the Camino experience is passed down to future generations. Next, I asked him to tell us about the spiritual experience of the Camino, something he is very passionate about. He said that along the Camino, we form a universal community, one that comes together to get to Santiago. He said that in this moment, we are a part of a global, unified family walking the Camino. I had never thought of the Camino in this way, and it is a concept that is hard to understand without walking the Camino yourself, but after hearing that from Carlos, I have been able to keep going. Because the Camino is something far deeper than a hike across Spain, and with my newfound perspective, I am able to find the motivation and determination within myself.