The Camino – a spiritual journey back to my roots

Taking time to rediscover my Spanish roots, one km at a time.

Oh, wow… 6 days to go and I’m off work for 7 months. Seven whole months to myself. It’s started to sink in, but in some ways it still feels surreal.  In 80 days I leave for Spain to walk part of the Camino. How did I get here? Let me tell you, I’ve earned the time off!

Life has thrown me a few curveballs in the last few years. Two years ago, I was in a low place. I had just gone through a very difficult 2 years at work. It ended by me going back to my former job. This was the last thing I wanted to do. I felt defeated, angry, sad and completely wiped out. I knew I needed to work, and yet I did not have the energy, physical or otherwise, to look for another job. All I knew was that I needed to look to the future. I needed to have something to look forward to. I decided to ask for a deferred leave, which my awesome boss approved. Yes, an awesome boss, but a less than ideal job. That’s another post!

Combined with my career implosion, I hit menopause. Ah yes, the perfect storm: hormonal fluctuations, self-doubt, and career disaster. When I returned to my old job, I just wanted to quit. Quit work, quit my regular life. But, hey, that wasn’t a possibility. Not when you have family, friends and colleagues who expect you to be there, do the right thing, go to work, socialize, be a friend. Hell, the expectation is that we can do it all and do it well! But, at some point, I thought “I need time for me. Time away from the routine.” If you’re reading this, you can probably relate. We get to a point in our lives where we’ve likely spent years taking care of others and doing what we need to do. At some point, we may realize that we need to take care of ourselves. And this is where I found myself. In need of taking care of myself.

The Camino

I didn’t just want time off for the sake of time off. I wanted to use my time off to do something I’d never done before. Maybe I could travel alone (something I’d never done). But, not just travel for the sake of it, even though I love doing that. No, I wanted to do something different. Maybe step a little outside my comfort zone and at the same time, rediscover my Spanish roots. I wanted to make this time count. So, I decided to walk part of the Camino de Santiago. My mom was born in Galicia and so I figure that the Galicia border is the best place to start my journey, about 160 kms from Santiago de Compostela. I’d make this a spiritual journey to reconnect with my roots.

Even though my mom was a Gallega, I don’t really know very much about her culture. Part of it might be that she married a Portuguese man and both cultures were diluted as they raised their family. During my childhood I lived in Portugal, but not in Spain. Visits to Spain were quick and family oriented. There wasn’t much cultural or historical exploration. We’d visit abuela (grandma) at her home, a large rambling country house. But, since I lived in a tiny village in Portugal, visiting another tiny village, albeit in a different country, didn’t really hold much interest to me. As a little kid, I found those trips so boring!

Beautiful Northern Spain

As an adult, I’ve gone to Spain on several occasions. Every time I go, I see and experience so many cool things and I realize how much there is to see and learn in Spain. And maybe with age comes some knowledge, maybe even wisdom. I’m always amazed at the diversity of Spain. Even though it’s not a large country per se, its culture and history are so varied. From the Moorish influence in the south, to the Celtic influence in the north, the Basque country, the Catalans. Each region is so distinct and yet so Spanish at the same time. And the food! Oh, the food! Tapas, pintxos, paella, seafood, cider, flan…

As I’ve travelled through Spain, I’ve fallen in love with the north. Let the tourists have the south. The north is what calls out to me: its indescribable beauty, rugged peaks, rolling hills, beaches, vineyards, churches, architecture, and traditions.

On my last trip to Spain, in 2013, I kept thinking that I wanted to go back, alone. I just didn’t know when I’d do this. Each place I visited was a wonder: from Barcelona and its beautiful architecture, San Sebastian with its stunning beach, Playa de la Concha, to Oviedo with its medieval castle and delicious cider, to lush Galicia with its rolling hills and friendly Gallegos. And as we drove through Asturias, I kept asking my hubby to pull over because the scenery was breathtaking. So, I knew that I needed to go back.

This upcoming trip will last 3 weeks. I am going alone. This is the first time I’ve ever traveled alone. Seven days to walk the Camino and 20 days to reconnect with families and friends, while discovering the beauty of northern Spain.

When I started to plan the trip, I didn’t know too much about the Camino, so some research was in order. There are tons of resources, and there is so much to research. The first thing I wanted to do was set up was an itinerary. I spoke with a friend who suggested O’Cebreiro, located at the border of Galicia as a starting point. I then found a great itinerary at https://meanderingmac.com/2014/02/21/my-camino-itinerary/ I used this as my itinerary, but made one minor change because I had difficulty finding accommodation in one of the towns. Each day, I will walk anywhere from 18 to 29 kms. From a physical perspective, I’m not too worried. I’m in good shape. But I’ve never carried a backpack for 7 days while walking long distances. I’m prepared for lots of blisters.

In keeping with stepping outside my comfort zone, I’ve decided that when I arrive in Santiago and get my compostela, I will also get something I don’t yet have: a tattoo. Now, for many people this is not a big deal. But, it is for me because I don’t have any ink on me. For the last couple of years, I’ve wanted to get inked, but just couldn’t decide what and where. I now know what I want and where I want it. This  tattoo will symbolize the Camino. I’ve started to research designs and I have a pretty good idea what I’d like to get.

As each day passes, I get more excited about this upcoming adventure. I can’t wait to  walk and think. I have no expectations of this pilgrimage. My heart and mind are open to any experiences that may head my way. Bring it on. I’m all set for whatever comes my way.