Camino Spirit (22 May, Katie Berry)

In the four days since we started walking to Santiago, I have continually been amazed by the spirit of the Camino. Everyone we’ve met has been so supportive and welcoming to us. The Spanish people are always so friendly and willing to offer a smile and wish us a good journey. When we arrived in Hospital de Orbigo on the second day, there was a race going on through the town and we stepped aside on the bridge to let a group of runners pass by. As they ran by us, we shouted and cheered them on to finish their race while they cheered back at us and shouted “buen camino”. The people we meet while we are walking speak different language, come from different countries, and have been walking from different distances, but they are always happy to hear about where we come from and offer some kind of advice or encouragement. Even among our group, the Camino took 12 students who were almost all strangers and made us into friends in less than a week. After walking together for 4 days, I feel like I have known these people for months or years. I feel comfortable telling them things that I don’t normally talk about with people I’ve known for only a week. Right away, everyone has been so inclusive and generous—sharing bandaids or snacks or ibuprofen. We have shared so many memories and laughs, and I am so excited to see how our friendships continue to grow as we continue on the Camino.