Livin the Life in Leon

I'm sitting in a restaurant enjoying my pizza and coke like never before. As tempted as I was to go to burger king (another great find after Mickey ds yesterday), I smelled the pizzas coming from the restaurant next to my hotel and couldn't say no. Today was awesome to say the least. I didn't do much, and that's what made it enjoyable. After a bust yesterday because of the festival and stores closed, I went to the convent hostel for church then sleep. I was exhausted and with the snoring people symphony and hot air from so many bodies in one room- I didn't sleep well at all. I was up at 3 contemplating going exploring since I couldn't sleep. I figured my feet needed the rest even if I couldn't. At around 730am I left the hostel with my backpack without a thing to do. I had my list of things to do but hours before stores opened. I felt like a homeless person to be honest- all my belongings on me without a place to go. It was pretty cold this morning and of course I didn't pack anything warm. I hung out in a bar with wifi until around 9. I hadn't showered in about 2 days, my clothes were filthy, and I was exhausted.

When I went back to the sports store I saw yesterday, SANTA CLAUS DEPORTES, I was pleasantly surprised with my options for new shoes. They had my Nikes, for about $150... Ouch. The woman at the store showed me some Solomans, which were exactly what I needed for only $110- we're talking Euros here. So, with our charades of a conversation because my lack of Spanish, I threw out my old shoes and socks and bought new ones. I walked down the street to the farmacia, showed the pharmacist my feet, and literally bought the place out. I ventured to the historic district of town to find a cheap hotel along the Camino route, and found one right across the plaza from a beautiful building (not quite sure what it is- but it looks old and important). I paid about 30euro for my own room, a queen size bed, a full bathroom, real towels and sheets, and the best part- a window which I can open that overlooks the plaza and that really cool old building. I was so siked I passed out and broke in the hotel room with a 3 hour power nap.

When I got up I checked my Facebook and news to me- Kari from Illinois skipped ahead and was in Leon. I messaged her back and came to find out she was throwing up all night after walking 40km in a day... She trained it here to rest up all weekend before continuing the Camino. I went to see her this afternoon and she was not leaving her bed. I'll take the blisters over the vomiting I think.

So here I am enjoying my pizza contemplating my next plan of attack. I have 4 hours of light to see some sights if I'm going to hit the road walking tomorrow. But then there is the possibility of staying another day, meeting up with the young crowd who should be here by then to watch Spain in the EuroCup soccer finals tomorrow night. I think it's going to be a game time decision in the morning. Which will prevail- the comfortable bed or the new shoes I'm dying to try out? If I hit the road and start walking I need to go early. You see, the route is starting to get crowded. That means the hostels are filling up. More pilgrims choose to do the last portion of the walk instead of the whole thing. It should prove to be an interesting final 2 weeks here on the Camino. New shoes, double the pilgrims, more mountains, rainy yet green, and SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (the finish line) in the near future. Goodnight from Leon and hope all is well with each of you. A special shout out to one my roomies from college, Kristin Amram, who is getting married probably as I type this.
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Gravel...

You see, it all started with my near death experience. There were two route options today: I chose the one closest to the road in case I had to hitch hike. Well, the path alongside the road was gravel, and you all know how I feel about gravel. Therefore, I chose to just walk on the shoulder of the road to give my feet the smoothest possible terrain. It would have been fine and dandy if the car didn't try to pass the big truck, but it did. I had to jump off the road and into the side ditch. Yes I fell to the ground, but I still have all my limbs- BONUS! So after I was almost hit by a car- I moved to the gravel path. I started feeling the pain in my feet at this point. It was then the thoughts started rolling.

Over the past few weeks I have been blogging and face booking and receiving the nicest messages and comments ever. You guys really do care, and you show your care and concern with so much love. When I started explaining how badly my feet hurt with my blisters, I can't tell you how many people offered to send care packages to me. The tricky thing is finding a post office along the route that would hold it for me until I got there- not going to happen.

But honestly, from foot care products to candy to even a pair of new shoes- the offers were coming in left and right. The generosity was beyond anything I ever imagined. I can't explain how thankful I am to all of you. But it was while thinking about how kind you guys have been while walking on the gravel that made my head spin.

Rewind about 3 years ago, and picture me riding in a tro-tro in Ghana. My head was probably literally out the window because I was sweating so badly. This is when I noticed the women, with babies on their backs, in the hot sun hammering and chiseling rocks. I couldn't understand why they would sit for hours and hours doing this tedious job- what was it for? When I asked the man next to me he answered, "making stones." In other words, making GRAVEL. This had to be the WORST job ever. They had to fill a big box with chiseled away rock to get paid like 50 cents a day. Hours in the scorching heat hammering away was by far the worst thing I could imagine. Sometimes the truck came to pick it up and pay them, sometimes it didn't show up. No wonder I hate gravel so much...

Fast forward to today on the path, made of gravel, that I was walking on. I thought to myself, I CHOSE to take this trip and walk. I CHOSE to not train and get my feet ready. If I want to quit, I can. If I want to buy new shoes, I can. If I need supplies, I can probably search and find them. What about those women who make gravel every day for a living. They don't really have a choice. They need to work. They need to support their families. What about the men and women in uniform who get blisters MUCH worse than I do. My brother offered his advice to me when he heard I had bad blisters- when he was in Afghanistan they used gauze and duct tape. Are you serious? That is what the people fighting for our freedom are using? Here I am with a thousand options for foot care, and they are the ones keeping us safe yet suffering much more then me.

To those who offered the packages- I appreciate the kindness and generosity more than you know. However, there are other people in this world-Ghanaians, our own men and women in uniform, and so many others that are MUCH MORE deserving then me of care packages. So I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you. I'm very appreciative, just not deserving.

It took me forever to put this into something that made sense. You see, I think about Ghana each morning. When I start off my walk, it's usually dark out. It's not really scary, just lonely. I got into the habit of going through the whole morning assembly routine from Our Lady of Holy Cross School. I recite the "Good morning Sisters, good morning teachers, good morning friends... How are you... We are fine thank you and what about you... Onto the Ghana national anthem, the Ghana pledge, the prayers, and then... THE MARCHING SONGS! I sing as many as I can remember before zoning out. Before I left on this trip, I sewed the school patch onto my backpack. I wanted to keep my students and friends from Ghana on my mind. Of course my other students, friends, and family are on my mind as well. And with the outpouring of support for me, it made me think about what is possible for the outpouring of support of others. That's why I felt unworthy of the overload of generosity from you guys.

I am still in search of my mission on this Camino. I have thoughts and ideas of course... Nothing final or complete. But especially after today, the St. Catherine's motto comes to mind. "What we keep we lose, Only what we give remains our own." I realized today how so many of you live this out... Made visible by your offering to help me. Imagine the possibilities if together we found those truly worthy of this generosity.

With that said, I made it the 20km this morning to catch a bus to Leon. I even saw Christian from Denmark at the bus station! He got off before me in a other town. When I arrived, I got off the bus and was welcomed by a McDonald's. HEAVENNNNN!!! I was thinking very highly of this city until I started walking around. I thought it was just siesta since everything was closed. I came to find out that today and tomorrow are a festival (oh joy). It turns out THAT was why everything was closed. I wandered the city for a good hour following the farmacia signs to be let down at each one. I am hoping tomorrow will have more luck. As for tonight, I am passing on the festivities. I am going to church at the convent I am staying in and going to sleep early. Tomorrow I will be on the search for an open pharmacy and a shoe store. I passed one today called Santa Claus Deportes which looked promising... And I need to find a hotel. Rules of the camino for pilgrims... One night in a hostel before they kick you out to make room for new pilgrims the following day. I'm not complaining, but rather excited to have a room to myself.

*The picture is during my walk. You can see how boring it was, the shoulder I was walking on, the gravel I was forced to walk on after almost dying, and the ditch I fell into haha. If you look closely you can see a church steeple... Also known as a light at the end of a tunnel. I knew I was almost there giving me hope that I could finish the day strong and make the 20km.

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230 Miles Down... Ouch!

I tried my best but I just couldn't go very far today. I went 14km and my feet were so bad I had to stop. I came to this hostel right in the town of Fromista, by the train station. I'm sure I'll regret this later when I'm trying to sleep and the trains come through. However, it was the first hostel I came to and it had wifi. I arrived at like 10:30am, only walked about 4.5 hours including my breakfast break. I now have to entertain myself here all day- so wifi was a must. I want to walk into town to see the church but my feet just can't do it. There is an old guy cruising around on his bike outside... Maybe he will let me borrow that bad boy. We will see.

When I got here the owner came out and asked if I was staying. I didn't know yet because I wanted to see what my feet looked like. I knew how they felt, but I wanted to see. I got a coke because I'm addicted and drank that before I could manage to peel off my shoes and socks. When my socks came off, the sight was not pretty. Blisters the size of half dollars on the bottoms of BOTH of my feet filled with puss and looking like thyme were about to burst. I honestly don't know how they didn't while I was walking. I started crying when I saw them and the guy felt so badly for me it was only slightly awkward. I don't really know why I cried, but I just didn't want to believe my feet were that bad. I wanted to make it at least one more town, I wanted to maybe even rest and then continue on my scheduled journey later today.

With these feet, I don't know what to do. There is a 20km walk tomorrow which will take me to a town where I can catch a bus to Leon- a big city. I think i can make it. If I skip ahead to Leon, I skip about 4 days of walking. If I rest here, I'll be bored out of my mind. I'm hoping Leon will have a store where I can buy some Nikes. I hate hiking boots, I hate hiking shoes, I just want some good old Nikes to finish this walk. I'm sure I'll pay about a million bucks for them, but I don't care. I'm not quitting. I might be skipping a couple of days, but a big city will have a good pharmacy, a good shoe store, and will be interesting enough to take a day off or two and let these blisters heal.

Some people say on the Camino your sins are forgiven through your feet. Well God, if this is true, I think I get the point...

As for my 14km today, it was actually quite a nice walk. I hate the gravel path because when I step on a rock in the right spot on my foot (every 4 steps or so) it hurts so badly. However, there was a canal after about 10km of walking that made everything green around it. If I wasn't focusing on my feet I would have really enjoyed it. I was stopping a lot to take a deep breath and battle through the throbbing... In doing so I was taking pictures of what I was looking at. The picture for this post is before I got to the canal and green part. It was right as the sun was coming up and the gravel was kicking my butt. After about an hour of slow crawling basically, I turned around to see how far I had walked, and this is what I saw.
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Pilgrim?

Between the church bells every half hour and my internal alarm clock, I was up at 4:45am this morning. However, our hostel was awesome and really relaxing after a long day. Instead of the normal 20+ beds in a room, Kari and I had our own room with bunk beds. It was the first night I didn't need my ipod to block out the snoring. When I woke up I was so stiff and sore but knew it was important to beat the heat. The group met outside at 5am (IL., Denmark, VA Beach, VCU, Vancouver, and OH.) in the darkness but with headlamps to light our way. It's so different walking with a group of people instead of solo. The VA Beach boys whipped out the iPod speakers and STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON was blaring as we watched our steps to avoid tripping while walking along the path in the darkness. Oh so different from my previous solo walks... It turned out to be an overcast day which was a huge bonus for me following a day of extreme heat. I stuck with them past ruins, through a small town, behind a shepherd and a flock of sheep blocking the road, up a steep climb with an amazing view, and down into another village. This was 20k into the walk, and even though it wasn't even 11am, I decided to call it quits and say bye to the group. My blister was back in full swing on the bottom of my foot and the pain was too much to ignore for another 10k. As much as I love everyone I was walking with, it is nice to be on my own again. The hostel isn't the best, the village is nothing fancy, but resting and having nothing to do is pretty awesome.

Today, as in everyday, I was referred to as a pilgrim (or peregrino) from hostel owners, locals, waitors, etc. It's funny because I usually just consider myself a tourist. I mean... I'm wearing a backpack, I'm taking pictures, I send postcards, and I stick out pretty clearly. It was today after my walk when I was talking to someone on Facebook when they told me, "you're a true pilgrim..." and this got me thinking. What is a true pilgrim? What's the difference between a tourist and a pilgrim?

I think both of these people set off on trips, or journeys. But the reason behind going is different. A tourist wants to see new things and bring home a souvenir to prove it. A pilgrim wants to experience new things but without a souvenir to prove it. A pilgrim's journey, or experiences, are the souvenir in itself. It may not be a Tshirt, or something concrete. But they do come home with something for sure. They are changed beyond the tourist because they are seeking more than the tourist seeks. You see, for me at least, what you get out of a vacation or pilgrimage is what you put into it. This Camino could definitely be considered a vacation, but it's not. What makes it a pilgrimage, and what makes me a pilgrim instead of a tourist, is what I am putting into it in hopes of getting something out of it.
So now the question is, what am I putting into this trip? It's hard to put into words but it's giving this journey up to God. I believe I'm doing this for a reason, even if that is yet to be determined exactly. Each day I pray for God to be with me and to open my eyes to new things and people and experiences. I try to see God in every one and every thing. I read about the history of this pilgrimage and seeing the sights makes it all come to life. The ancient ruins, the Roman bridges, the old churches, cathedrals, monasteries, and convents are all remarkable to see but even more incredible to think about their past and those who came before. I'm learning, I'm experiencing, I'm on a religious quest, and therefore I'm a pilgrim. Note: I will be getting a Tshirt at the end... But that won't be the only thing I take away...

It's not just on a specific trip that one can be considered a pilgrim or a tourist. Think about it... In our everyday lives we can easily live as tourists or pilgrims. It's important to consider what you are putting into your life and what you want out of it. That will help you see if you are a pilgrim or a tourist. For me, the important thing will be to take what I have learned here and not just bring it home with me. But instead, I need to bring it home AND keep it a part of who I am. It's easy to pray and develop a strong relationship with God when you're in the middle of no where and walking alone for hours. The challenge will be when my life gets crazy again to still be a pilgrim on a quest for God each day of my life.

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Hot...Hot...Hot

My night in Burgos was a lot of fun. It was a really neat city with a lot to do, but the best part was I met a lot of cool people. I reunited with Kari and Christian (IL. and Denmark), ran into the VA boys again, and then I met some really cool people from Florida and Ohio. It's a much younger crowd that who I have been hanging with so that is cool. We went to church together at the cathedral, got some drinks, and then had dinner. The guide book had us walking just 20km today, but these guys wanted to push it and do 30km. I wanted to stay with them because they are fun and so it was 30km for today. I had done 30 before but never in this heat. We are now on what they call the meseta. I don't really understand it, but it's like a big, hot plateau. You have to climb up it, then it's super hot and dry. Needless to say my 30km in scorching heat was not fun. My feet were killing me. Once we passed the 20k mark there was no where to stop so I had to keep going. When we arrived I was thrilled. It was a huge accomplishment for me but I was wiped out. I have a new blister on the bottom of my foot which stinks. I syringed out the puss and will figure out how to dress it for tomorrow. I'm definitely not doing 30k again with the way my feet feel. It will mean saying goodbye to the fun crowd but that's okay. When we finally approached the town it was pretty cool. You couldn't see anything... Just dripping with sweat and desert like landscape in all directions. Then out of nowhere in this valley you could see the steeple to a church... Finally our stopping point for the day! I showered when we finally arrived after our long, hot walk and took a solid 2 hour nap before eating with this new crowd who are all really fun to be around. Overall, it was a long, hot day... but this was in the gospel reading for today- "How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few..." I think the road I traveled down today was just like this. It was tough, it wasn't pretty, but at the end of the day it was a great feeling. How many times in life do we want things to come easy? How many times do we complain and then bite our tongue when the reward is worth it? I always try to remember that if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. And I'm pretty sure it will be worth it in the end. During these tough and difficult 30k hot days, I am thankful for the friendships I have made, the opportunities I've had thus far, and look forward to the rewarding finish of accomplishment and hope for what is possible.

The picture is the VA crowd. The boys are from VA Beach and the girl was at VCU.


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Burgos!

Greetings from Burgos, Spain! It's a cityyyy! Today has been awesome and I'm hoping tonight will be even better. Last night I wasn't feeling too hot, after dinner with my Brazilian and Chilean friends I couldn't really sleep. I was up this morning at 5 before my alarm and decided to just start walking. It wasn't the most enjoyable walk, but when I arrived in Burgos it was awesome. The first thing you see is the massive cathedral and I knew I wanted to get a tour. It was soooo hot and I figured that bad boy would be cool, so I went straight inside. They had a guided tour where you just listened to this thing as you go, and I was all over it. I was obsessed. It was so incredible I can't even describe it. The churches here are all amazing but this one is by far the coolest ever. After my tour I went to check in at the hostel to make sure I got a bed and ran into Kari and Christian from the start of the camino... Illinois and Denmark. I haven't seen them since Pamplona, and I was so excited to see them it was an awesome reunion. Kari and I went out for lunch and drinks before heading back to the hostel to nap. We are at a bar right now getting wifi before heading to church at 7:30 and then out to dinner after. My plan was to stay here two nights, but I am not sure if I will stick to that or head out in the morning. I will see how I feel I guess.

I just wanted to send a special shout out to those who are commenting on here, commenting or posting on Facebook, emailing, or iMessaging. It is so nice to hear from you, whether it's a comment about what I've posted or just a simple hello- it means so much. I'm at such a great place in my life right now and that is because of all of you. I've mentioned before how blessed I feel but it's so true. I love my family, my job is incredible, my friends are the best, and the possibilities I'm given to travel and see the world are saaa-weeeet! This trip has opened my eyes to so much and in such a different way than Ghana did. Once again I realize how amazing I have it in the States, but I also can see how truly special and unique this part of Spain proves to be. I'm experiencing it one village at a time, one city at a time, one person at a time, one conversation at a time, and one step at a time. It's a remarkable journey that began two weeks ago. I can't wait to see where I am two months from now.... Actually I know... Getting ready for NOTRE DAME to take on Navy... GO IRISH!

Chickens in Church?

When I was told the church in Santo Domingo had chickens in it, I didn't really see the big deal. After all, when I was I'm Ghana there were chickens in church quite frequently. Chickens and goats would wander around the benches almost every Sunday. However, this was something entirely different.

When you walk into the massive church in Santo Domingo, there is a huge chicken coop high above eye level. It has beautiful carvings around it of design as well as of chickens on either side of the coop opening. When you look in the middle, through a glass opening, there sits a chicken and a hen on the opposite side of the church as the alter. Yes, real ones.

You see, as the story goes there was a father and son completing the Camino together. While in town, the boy was set up for a crime he did not commit when someone placed something of value in his bag. He was caught the next day and sentenced to be hanged. The father pleaded but was unsuccessful. The following day he saw his son was still alive hanging there, and he went to ask for him to be let down since this was clearly a miracle. When he asked the Judge to have his son back, the judge replied, "Your son is no more alive then this chicken I am eating..." and with that the drumstick in his hand started clucking and came to life. The boy was let down and ever since the town of Santo Domingo keeps chickens in their church.

The picture I took of the coop didn't come out to well, but here is a picture of the church.

This morning I walked from Santo Domingo to Belorado... About 23km. It wasn't the most beautiful of walks since we were pretty close to the highway the whole day. I am almost to Burgos, a city of about 170,000. I'm thinking of spending 2 nights there, maybe even one in a hotel, instead of a hostel with about 50 bunk beds in all directions like I have been lately. When I hit the city, I'll be about 300km down with 500km to go.

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Feelin' Good!

Today was an easy day... I laugh as I write this because it wasn't really easy just compared to the past two days it was easy. About 22km that covered the area from Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada was my route for today. It was pretty gorgeous. I left early again (seems to be my thing to avoid the heat of the day) and arrived at my destination even before the hostel opened at 12. The first 6km were pretty easy because I was still half asleep. I mean I was awake enough to walk but still not 100% present. It's just one foot in front of the other at this point of the day. I came to a cute little town called Azofra and stopped for breakfast. A powerade and a chocolate croissant really hit the spot and I was motivated to keep on chugging along. The next part of the journey was pretty as I walked away from the main road through farms and rolling hills. The patchwork of crops is really beautiful and as you go up and down hills and catch glimpses of different landscapes it's really incredible to look at. It's definitely not something you see everyday.

My blisters are gone and my knee feels almost 100% so it figures something else would start to bother me. I have a pain on the bottom of my foot that is killing me. Walking over rocks for miles and miles hurts so much. When I stepped on a rock in a certain spot on the bottom of my foot, I actually was voicing my pain because it hurt that badly. I tried hikers wool from David the Australian, and a compeed strip from one of the Japanese women but no luck. Not sure what I will try next but I need to figure out something.

Today on my walk the vineyards I passed reminded me of Tabor Hill Winery in Michigan. My friend Bender used to work there when I was in college, and we used to go wine tasting which was so much fun. This thought brought me to the idea of how she lived alone in college and I thought she was so weird needing her "me" time as she put it. She basically lived at my apartment with my roommates and me, but she would be so happy to be able to go back to her apartment at night. I used to think it was just because I scared her with my competitiveness when it came to board games or especially charades and cranium in which I made multiple people cry... I just like winning. However, it wasn't until I lived alone these past two years when I finally understood what she was talking about. I absolutely love being around people but it is so nice to come home and just re-center yourself at the end of a day alone.

Today I was thinking about the huge difference between loneliness and being alone. When you have that alone time you are able to clear your head and think about yourself and what you need. When you are around people all day long you are constantly thinking of others and doing what others want to do which is great... But not all the time. Having that peace and the ability to do as you choose in order to think about your day, your week, what happened in the past or what is coming in the future is exactly what you need (at least I do!) I think a million things pass through my head on a daily basis but I can't stop to think about them because I am doing another million things. It's easy to get caught up in work, family, and others and put yourself on hold. But when you are able to give yourself that alone time- it doesn't mean you are lonely but it means you can actually take time and think about yourself for a change. During this walk I have already thought about a ton- but I have a lot to continue to think about. Some of which I don't know yet, but just by giving myself this time my batteries are being charged and I'm able to give the needed time to those issues or thoughts that are normally put on hold. Most people are not given over a month to walk and to do this, so please know I feel very fortunate. Most people aren't given the opportunity to do a lot of what I have done or will do, and not a day goes by that I don't thank God for all I have been blessed with in my life.
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HYDRATE to be GREAT! - Chanes

I have walked over 200k. I think thats crazy, so I can't imagine what I will feel like if I make it to the 800k finish. It's wild because I have never walked this much in my life, and I am starting to figure out how far I can go, when I need a break, how often to drink water, etc. The weather here is awesome in the morning until about 11. I get into a rhythm and just goooo. By the time that sun is out in full swing, I'm thinking "oh good God just keep on trucking." I'm surprised my mother hasn't commented on here yet about me drinking water. I think she is the only one who knows about my tendency to pass out in hot weather... Okay I lied. Nana- if you are reading this thing, "remember when I was playing tennis with you and the old ladies and they whooped my butt and I almost passed out in that Florida sun?!" With that said, I have been extra careful about making sure my water bottles are full, and I drink a ton. A reminder is always good, so I greatly appreciated the words of wisdom from a student of mine that I received today. "You gotta HY-DRATE to be GREAT!" - thanks Chanes!!  Besides water, there are other things that nourish you along the way. And that is a good conversation. I can only stand myself for a couple of hours before I start singing or rapping or entertaining myself with who knows what. It's usually about that time that someone comes up to talk to me on the way. I have learned a ton about so many different countries and cultures. It's amazing how this walk is popular worldwide. Today was special though. I was walking along and just about at that point when I was annoying myself, when this lady from Spain came up to me. She knew NO English so I didn't think the conversation would last much longer than hola, como estas. However, we talked for over 2 hours taking care of about 10km. My Spanish was kicked into high gear and I was even surprising myself at how I remembered so much. Jay-Z... You work magic! (yes, I refer to my college Spanish professor as Jay-Z). Each and every day I have had amazing conversations with different people resulting in my small little bubble of a sheltered American life getting bigger and bigger.  Even though I am talking to different people each day, life on the camino is pretty small town-like. Marcus, the professor from Notre Dame, and I joke around and call it Mayberry (most jokes go over my head with references from before the 1990's, but I knew this was from THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW- thanks Dad!) Each day there are a couple of different hostels you can stay in, different places to eat, diffent places to stop, and things like that. But even with that said, somehow and someway you run into the same people. It can be days later and wa-lah here comes so and so from AUSTRALIA or so and so from CROATIA or so and so from SOUTH AFRICA. I think you get the point. It's really something special. One of my goals here was to meet people from strategically located countries that I want to visit during my time in Europe when I finish the walk. I'm actually a little behind on that goal... But this is a good reminder to get busy! Instead, I have places to go on other continents! As well as a place to stay in VA Beach. It was a couple of days ago at mass when the priest called up the pilgrims to the alter for a blessing (I only knew because everyone starting going up there and they were wobbling and in nasty clothes like me). The priest asked where everyone was from and when he asked the 3 guys next to me they said Virginia. We talked afterwards and it turns out they teach at Norfolk Academy (we play them in sports...) SMALL WORLD. I've seen them multiple times and it's so funny to be able to say WHAT'S UP!? And not have to worry about accents or language barriers.  After walking 31km today, I feel exhausted and drained. However, tomorrow's route is just 23km I think. It will be a walk in the park! So many people are taking buses, trains, etc. to skip ahead. Blisters and shin splints are the main cause. Others just want to bike the flat part coming up soon. Of course other injuries and even bug bites (not tracker jackets, Chuckie d.!) have sent people home.  I've also considered skipping ahead but can't decide. It's not like it's a SURVIVOR mentality or anything like that. It's just what I think about in making the most out of my "way"... I'll keep you posted I'm sure!

Dream Teamer

I think I'll start this out by saying that yesterday someone died on the camino because of the heat. I am not trying to scare anyone but just explain that it has been SO HOT! Waking up early on these really long walk days isn't helping too much. No matter if I leave at 530 or 6, when you walk 30km you're going to be walking in the heat of the day. With that said, WOW! Today was really difficult. I thought I was going to stop after about 20km...I even thought about hitch hiking the final 10k into the city. I actually got into the car and then said "Nah, I got this," and jumped out to continue walking. It is such a mind game, and today I had to continuously convince myself I could do all 30k. Today, a line from one of my student's emails that I received yesterday popped into my head. It was something like- HEY MS. YOHE, IF IT GETS HARD JUST REMEMBER TEBOWS FAVORITE SCRIPTURE "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."Addie you have no idea how awesome it was you emailed me that. Thanks buddy! It really did work because here I am writing this blog in an open plaza on Logronos, Spain- the finish point for today.

I think it's awesome how this specific scripture rings true for me. However, it goes along with something else that I keep close at heart at all times. As much as I love TEBOW, I also loved someone else who taught me that if you believe in something, you can do it. My aunt worked at Seaworld, which was probably the second coolest thing she did to going to Ghana for two years in the Peace Corps. I have looked up to my aunt since I can remember- which means i looked up to her friends as well- one in particular. While she was working at Seaworld she met her best friend, Dawn. Even after my aunt left Seaworld to move to VA, I still kept in contact with her friend Dawn because she was one of those people you couldn't help but love. Her passion for life was unmatched. She was in my cell phone as Dream Teamer and she called me Number One as in her #1 fan. Of course I loved how awesome she was interacting with Shamu, but I really loved how sincere, fun, and incredible she was as a person beyond Shamu Stadium. If you happened to be in my dorm room in college, or my apartment in Richmond, you will see the autographed picture I have of the DREAM TEAMER. When I was in Ghana, I got the news that there was an accident at Seaworld. There was no way in my mind that this could have happened. Still today, I find it hard to believe that she is gone. I do my best to carry on and live out the way Dawn lived her life. If you BELIEVE, you can do anything. Between the Dream Teamer and Addie, I got the message loud and clear today. Christ is the one who gives me my strength... If I BELIEVE in him, I can do all things. And yes it was during those climbs in the heat that the rosary came out... I was trying everything! Best part... It worked.
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Scallop Shell

Happy Wednesday! I have two days to recap for you guys. Tuesday I woke up in Puerte de la Reina at around 6 and hit the road. It had rained the night before and it wasn't done yet. About 15 minutes into our walk I pulled out the poncho Canada gave me the day before. I only brought a rain jacket that is wonderful for me, but it's really my backpack that I need to stay dry. So, the poncho helps out both. The rain came down hard for a long time, and I was drenched. I was walking with England and south Korea again and we decided to stop into a bar for breakfast to get a break from the storm. I rearranged my backpack because the dollar poncho wasn't exactly top of the line. I brought a garbage bag that I used as a liner inside my backpack. I put everything inside the trash bag and wrapped it up inside the backpack. This kept everything dry for an entire day of walking in the rain... Except me, but that's okay. When we got to the checkpoint for the day I decided to separate from the others. You see, they send their bags ahead to a hostel and I am free to go any one I want because I have everything with me. I wanted to meet new people and be on my own. I had met some of those I stayed with before. However, to not have my core walking group was a nice change. And this morning I was totally on my own. I walked 21km solo and it was awesome. The scenery today was really cool and different then it has been.

About 5km into the walk I came to the wine fountain. Along the route there are water fountains to fill your bottle, and today there was a fountain of wine- AMAZING. After that, it was farm land, old village with a sweet cross from the 12 century, and lots and lots of farmland. Everyone talks about what is growing but I am clueless. I just see bunch of green stuff and yellow stuff. When I came to Los Arlos I was pretty excited to be stopping. It was only 1ish, but I was exhausted. The heat was a lot. It's funny having everything in Kilometers and Celsius. I never have any idea of how far I'm going or how hot it is outside. And I am okay with that...

People from home have been asking if I got lost yet. They are curious of how I know where I am going. Well, it's actually quite easy. It's not very crowded so I can't just follow someone. There are many times I don't see anyone for hours. The guidebook is great but it doesn't go turn by turn, it goes town by town for the most part.

The symbol of the camino is the scallop shell. I knew this ahead of time because everyone ties one to their backpack. The scallop shell also is used as an arrow. All along the route, on signs, the street, trees, buildings, etc. there are yellow and blue scallop shell logos pointing you where to go. Occasionally, there are yellow arrows instead of the shell. Really, no guidebook is necessary. Except for the fact that I enjoy knowing what is coming up as well as reading about each place which the guidebook does offer.

When you are walking for almost 13 miles a day... You see a ton of scallop shells as arrows. It was on the first day when someone explained it to me, and ever since I can't stop thinking about it. When you look at a scallop shell, there are a bunch of lines all heading to one point. The lines represent the different caminos that all lead to Santiago de Compestela, Spain- the finish line. No matter where we are coming from- our goal is the same. Just like in life... We are all coming from different places, situations, backgrounds, etc. etc. But for the most part, we are all heading in the same direction. We are living our lives to reach heaven, to come face to face with God. How many people think that it has to be a certain way of life? You have to do THIS if you want to get to heaven. You have to believe or worship in THIS way if you want to get to heaven. I think we have a lot to learn from the scallop shell. There is more than one right route to that common goal. Who is to say which one is better? Is one better than the others? As long as you have your sights on the finish line and you know what your goal is in life, I think it's safe to say you will get to your destination. And on the almost 500 miles of this walk, I am thankful the scallop shells are pointing me in the right direction.


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Puente de la Reina

This morning we woke up at 6 and hit the road. It was really cool and overcast which was awesome. Sebastian from England, Adam from South Korea, Marcus - professor at Notre Dame-awesomeeee, and myself stuck together for the most part of the day. We went past windmills, beautiful scenery, and pretty flat minus a few climbs. The highest climb of the day ended on top of this mountain. It was sooo windy and had a pretty cool iron depiction of pilgrims on the camino. My picture is at this point. We rested up there for awhile taking in the view and the wind. I met a guy from the hostel we are staying at tonight up there. He was taking bags from pamplona to his hostel for those who cant or dont want to carry their backpack.. Yes that's an option but i have carried mine everyday. Anyway, the guys name was Wander... Just like WANDER WOMAN! He is from the DR, did the camino and deckded to move here amd work flr the hostel. When I found out his name I knew I wanted to stay here. The weather stayed enjoyable all day as we walked through old villages and towns, stopped for lunch at a sweet restaurant along the route, and we ended in Puerta la Reina. The hostel we are staying at is WANDERful, it is pretty new. Its only 2pm and I'm looking forward to just chilling for the rest of the day. Blister update: an old lady who ran the hostel we stayed at yesterday totally hooked me up. She had a hospital in a bag and when I showed her my feet she knew just what to do. She disinfected, took like a shot thing and reversed it- sucked out all the puss, and put some stuff on it with a gauze cover. As for my shoes- I ditched my boots (literally left them in Pamplona) and am just wearing sneakers. The old lady is such a genius she also fixed my sneaks for me. I now have a new way to lace them up with less pressure on the toes, anddddd a new way to soak up the moisture which causes the blisters. Don't be grossed out but she took female pads and put them on the insoles of my shoes, absorbs moisture and pads my feet. It was really funny when she told me but I mean... After my 22km walk today, my old blisters are looking better and no new ones. WA-HOOO!

I feel like I'm finally into the swing of things with the camino. I am into a routine of walking, hostels, eating along the way, and things like that. Meeting new people along the way is super fun. Everyday new people, from new countries, from young to old, on bikes and foot, and all doing the same thing you are. Sometimes people stop and walk with you for minutes, hours, or just pass by. It's exciting and makes the km/mi/whatever go by quickly. The guidebook I have is awesome. It gives a detailed map with descriptions of water fountains, directions, hostels, bars/restaurants, everything. It lays out about 19-30km days for you, but you are free to go as far as you would like to go. I have stuck to the book for the most part minus my day off to rest my feet and knee which after today I can say was the smartest thing I have done so far.

Everyone asks you why you are walking the camino that you meet- fellow pilgrims or locals. I feel bad because I don't have my answer yet. I mean I have ideas but nothing set in stone. I think about it each day but I just don't know exactly. I will let you know as soon as I work out an answer that I like enough to share. Good thing walking the camino from 6am-3pm gives you plenty of time to think. Today was the first day I took out my iPod during the day (it blocks out the snoring at night). My walk was awesome today and I went much faster with the music. Something about DEFYING GRAVITY as I went up the hill and DON'T STOP BELIEVING as I took in the scenery provided for a overall, awesome day.


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Pamplona or bust...

Well, it's 10:30 on Saturday night and I've just finished some tapas and sangria here in Pamplona. It was a loooong day, but my goal was Pamplona and here I sit on the front steps of my albergue(hostel) in downtown Pamplona. With that said, it was not an easy walk despite the flatness. Compared to the first two days of walking it was extremely flat, only a couple of ups and downs and nothing compared to the Pyrenees. Sebastian from the UK and myself decided to wake up at 4 to start walking early and beat the heat. We woke up, got all ready, laced up the shoes and headed to the door. Unfortunately, we were locked inside and had to go back to sleep. He woke me up at 545 ready to roll and said it was open so around 6am off we were to Pamplona- 22km away. We walked through cute small towns, passed cafes, cows and horses, and ventured through a lot of woods before coming to the suburbs and busy roads outside of Pamplona. Unfortunately, my blisters were in full swing but the worst was at abt 8am just an hour or so into our walk I twisted my knee coming down a steep gravel incline. I feel like such a complainer with the blisters and now knee so I sucked it up and kept walking. With every step I felt it give way a little bit and a stinging pain shot up my thigh but I kept on going. I was not giving up today's walk.

We arrived in Pamplona just about 2pm after basically crawling because I was at such a slow pace. However, we made it. We passed through awesome landscape and even over a roman bridge which was pretty awesome. The coolest part of the day was about 3/4 of the way we came across a small church. There was a nun outside with a brochure about the history of the church and full of smiles. Despite her lack of English, I managed to hold a pretty good conversation with my Spanish. You all know I love nuns, but she was just amazing. The church was incredible with religious statues and paintings from Renaissance Europe. And she gave me a tour, talked, and provided an amazing break from the journey.

When we got to Pamplona we ran into Christian from Denmark and Kari from Illinois. It was great to see them again. I needed a nap so I slept for about 3 hours before going out with the whole crew for tapas and drinks. We had a lot of fun... Quite the worldly group... Representing Illinois, Virginia, Canada, south Korea, south Africa, Italy, England, Denmark, and some I'm forgetting. It's so sweet. Tomorrow I won't walk but stay in Pamplona for another day and night. I want to explore the old city, bull ring, and see the sights. But most importantly, i want to give my feet a day off.

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Camino de Santiago Day 1

Holy. Good. God. The past 2 days have been pretty surreal. I'm going to try my best to recap it for you. I met a girl from Illinois on the train to St. Jean Pied de Port. She was pretty cool and kt was really nice to have her to figure out where to go, how to get our pilgrim passport, where to stay, etc. etc. Kari (IL) and I had gone to dinner with Christian (Denmark) after arriving in St. Jean Pied de Port (SJPDP), and so we discussed waking up at 7 to begin. The lady's hostel we were in had dogs barking, cats meowing, and yes even a chicken in the kitchen making a ton of noise. We got up, got ready, and we were off on the trail a little before 8am. We filled stopped in a small church tithes way out of town and my prayer was something like... DEAR GOD, PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIE LIKE EMILIO ESTAVEZ IN THE MOVIE. The 24 km we walked was straight up hill. I mean this hike was insanity. I almost died like 500 times from exhaustion, crazy high speed winds up in the mountains, and wild animals. I was in so much pain, so tired, and yet... I kept going. It was crazy the stuff I was thinking about for support. I wanted it to be like a marathon where you have people with signs and cheering along the way... But that wasn't happening. I had to look elsewhere for support and encouragement. I thought about someone's email to me about 'going in peace to love and serve God'. As much as I wanted to complain or quit, I thought about Jesus on the cross and how THAT was pain... Compared to that this was just a stroll in the park. That got me pretty far before I passed some wild horses and immediately thought of one of my students Kimmee. I just went to her horse show before I left for Spain and I figured... I bet I can steal and ride one of these bad boys like she does and that would make these steep mountain climbs much easier. Then I figured that that probably wasn't the best idea. You see, I knew the first day's hike is the most excruciating and so somehow, someway, I just kept going. Kari and Christian finished around 2... Sebastion and I rolled into roncevailles around 5. When we got there Kari welcomed us with the news that they wanted to walk to the next town, another 4km for fun. At this point I was physically drained, back was hurting like I was hit by an 18 wheeler, and my feet were blistered. I was so relieved to be at the first finish line and then BAM! Let's go another mile or so which may not seem like a lot but good lord it was tough. Even though Sabastian stayed put, I decided to go. We ended in this quaint little Spanish town called Burguete or something like that. We found a cute little hostel and had a good dinner. The extra 4km were horrible but thinking that is 4 less tomorrow is sweet!

Over all, I pushed myself physically... I'm sure I'll be in pain tomorrow. But it was so worth it... The views were the most amazing ever. I was loving every thing about the French/Spanish country side in the Pyrenees. I can say this now because it's over.. but yes throughout the entire hike I was thinking WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING?! The cows, sheep, and horses just roamed about freely, and the rain was just a couple of days ago and everything was so green. I think the picture gives you somewhat of an idea about what I was looking at all day.

Today is Friday, day 2 of the walk. My blisters are horrible. I actually skipped the last 6km or so. You see, I spent the night in Burgette with Kari, Christian, and Simon. I knew they were going to walk faster than me because of my blisters so I let them go around 7:30. I starting walking at 8 and it was awesome. It was relatively flat and through green pastures/countryside passing lots of horses and cattle. It was painful on my feet but I thought I would just keep trucking. I didn't pass anyone and no one passed me for almost 2 hours. Finally, after passing through like my 3rd town of the day, about 8 miles into the walk, I decided to take my shoes off and look at my feet. I knew they hurt but I didn't realize how bad they were. I had blisters on top of blisters. The blisters I drained last night were back plus some on top and around them. Sorry to explain this... But it's bad. I was on the side of that road with my shoes and socks off, and other pilgrims were stopping and telling me no more walking. I pushed it a little bit further but with about 4 miles left I couldn't go on. I thought about getting a taxi but thought that would be cheating. So I looked around for a place to stay and couldn't find anything except a stable with animals and well... I'm not Mary, so that was not happening. I managed to use my Spanish (thanks Jay-Z!) to convince a School bus driver to take me to the closest bigger town along the route. I was struggling about the cheating factor, and realized that this isn't for anyone but myself. I just needed to accept the fact it was okay to ditch a little early today. After all, we still got another 30 days of walking and these blisters need to heal. With that, I'm in this town at 1:20 in the afternoon, flip flops on my feet, and free wifi. Yeaaaa! I am hoping to continue tomorrow... It's about an 8hr walk to Pamplona. If the blisters are still bad I will take a day off there.

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San Sebastian, Spain to FRANCE!

First night in a hostel was surprisingly great. I have nothing to compare it to but pretttyyy sweet. I took a nap after my last post and woke up around 8:30pm. I went on Facebook and Laura was on again. We planned to meet at 9pm for dinner and drinks. We met at the Sol station which was super close to my hostel and about a 30 minute walk for her... She was awesome once again. We had an awesome dinner and then we walked around Madrid at night. It was super cool to see all of the beautiful buildings all lit up. I know I would have never seen so much if it wasn't for her, so I am pretty darn lucky. I think the highlight was drinking a tinto de verano or something like that... Fruity iced wine I guess is the best way to describe it... While watching the prostitutes try to pick up some classy gentlemen. I didn't get home until around midnight. I was so tired I felt like I swam across the ocean not flew just hours earlier. However, I decided to get the guy working at the hostel to help me with me train ticket to San Sebastian. I printed my eticket for an 8am train, passed out, and at 630am this morning I ventured to the Madrid metro for the first time. It was pretty easy to navigate and found myself on the right train and arrived at my destination with time to spare. I bought a chocolate pastry thingy ma bob that was super good and wandered until I found the train station. Trying to match up my train, gate, and what on earth I was supposed to be doing wasn't too bad. I am now sitting on my train waiting to depart in about 8 minutes. When I get to San Sebastian I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do. I arrive around 1pm and hopefully I can see some cool stuff and figure out if it's best to head to St. Jean pied de port this evening or tomorrow morning to start the walk. This involves crossing into France... First time there -hopefully it's sweeeet!!

Hello from France! I am currently waiting for my train in Bayonne to take me to st. Jean pied de port which is the starting point of the camino. I hung out in San Sebastian for a couple of hours today before catching a train into France. It was a beautiful city. Really cool, clean, fun beach, and the people were really nice. I wandered around and took some pictures of sweet stuff. I stink at the language... I was speaking english while in Madrid, forgot anout basque being different than spanish in the north and now I'm speaking Spanish while in France... It's a lost cause. I just said gracias like 10 times to the cyber cafe guy in France.... Oh well.

Hopefully I can find a hostel in SJPDP tonight... And then I'm starting the walk tomorrow! Woo-hoo!

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Madrid!

Made it to Spain safely! My mom dropped me off at the airport around 330pm and I flew out a little after 5. The flight was cool... The plane was awesome with it's shamrock on the tail- GO IRISH/air lingus. I didn't sleep much because of the guy sitting next to me. He was cool but in some religious cult thing- kinda weird but he couldn't have been any nicer. He invited me to stay in San Sebastian along the northern coast of Spain whenever I would like. I hear it's beautiful so i might take him up on it. I landed and got my backpack and headed outside the airport. Taxis cost like 25euro so I did the bus option for only 5euro. It dropped me about a mile from my hostel so I just walked and looked up a lot. Madrid has some beautiful old buildings. It's a little weird being in Europe- and not Ghana. I feel like every time I go anywhere outside of the country it's Ghana. Even on the airplane map thing in the back of the seat I kept thinking I was going to see the plane drop down over the Sahara. Walking around Madrid I've noticed myself looking for gutters or giant holes to avoid and oranges to buy, before I realize that I am not in Africa. They look nothing alike, but for some reason that is my mind set. Hopefully pretty soon I will be looking for tapas and other spanish things. When I got to my hostel it was too early to check in. But they let me store my stuff and use the wifi. I met a cool kid from New Zealand who is leaving today unfortunately. He would have been fun to hang out with. I'm hoping to meet up with a friend of a friend from college who is living in Madrid....
...I am exhausted. Thank goodness Spain likes naps just as much as I do! After being in the country for just a couple of hours I met up with Laura, a good friend of my freshman and sophomore year room mate from college. I had messaged her on Facebook a while back when I knew I would be coming to Madrid. She is an au pair over here and didn't need to work until 330. We met at puerto del sol or something and off we went. She knows the city super well and is fluent so it was awesome. We went to get some breakfast where I ate some bread with olive oil and tomato. I drank tea. It was actually really good and I wanted to have it again for lunch. But I am getting ahead of myself. After a great breakfast, catching up, and reminiscing about when she visited Saint Mary's, we were off exploring. She showed me some sweet places, drank a beer, ate some ham (this country is obsessed... Pig legs are hanging everywhere) before we went to plaza mayor where I wanted to join this free walking tour of Madrid. She hung with me for a while before heading to work, and shortly after that I ditched the tour to do my own sightseeing. I saw lots of cool stuff, not 100% sure what it all was- but I saw it! When I was at the Palacio Real I was trying super hard to take some sweet selfies(pictures of myself). After many failed attempts, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted... KENTE CLOTH! I knew he had to be from Ghana so I went up to him and said AKWAABA! I am not sure why I welcomed him but that was the first word that popped into my head. Indeed he was from Ghana- and we talked for awhile. I thought this was awesome since earlier in the day I was missing it. I walked around Madrid for almost 6 hours and was ready to start sleep walking. I headed back to my hostel which is where I am right now writing this. I'm planning on just a power nap but if you know me you know that easily turns into 14 hrs of sleep. I am thinking of meeting up with Laura again this evening and figuring out where I need to go tomorrow to catch a bus/train to northern Spain to get closer to my starting point for the camino. So far so good... Hard to believe I just arrived this morning.

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Goodbye America!

I am leaving for the airport in less than 2 hours and so far so good. I got everything done on my to-do list, and as far as I know I am ready for this adventure. I ended up getting a Eurail pass this morning as well as a teacher ID card. So this means I have prepaid for at least trains to 5 different countries after the walk and I'll get some discounts on hostels and museums and things with the teacher card. I had to go into DC to the STA travel office and the guy thought I was pretty crazy doing this the day I leave. Better late than never, right? My hostel for tomorrow night is booked so the next time I write I will hopefully be at my hostel in Puerta de Sol, the main square of Madrid and close to everything... Or so I'm told. The plan is to stay there for a night or two- catch my breath, see some sights, and map out my route to the starting point of the Camino in St. Jean Pied de Port, France. With that said, thank you for all the well wishes, texts, Facebook comments and messages, and phone calls. My cell is staying here so it's all about Facebook and email from here on out. I'll take all the prayers I can get, and I will be praying for each one of you during this journey. See ya later America- I'll be back in September. Don't miss me too much.