By Kyle Muzelak

Even though we walked the bare minimum required of the Camino to get your Compostela, I still felt a sense of major accomplishment and appreciation for the history and landscape of Spain. The people we met along the journey all seemed happy and enthusiastic to explain their point of view of the walk and even when passing by people on the Camino, they would happily yell, “Buen Camino!” The attitudes of people walking and the landscape we passed and witnessed really made the experience that much better for me. Hiking up and down mountains, seeing such beautiful countryside was breathtaking. The land was beautiful and green. The small villages were so old and stunning in their own way. We would walk right through small villages and behind peoples’ homes and never worried about bothering them. The people were very pleasant and continued doing whatever work they were doing on their farms with no bother to the many pilgrims walking past them.

The picture for this blog posting made the most sense to me to explain how beautiful the walk really was. The landscape around me was stunning and the pose showed how much fun I was having hiking, regardless of the great distance ahead of me. Phil and I took many pictures like this to keep our spirits up, smile and laugh at ourselves, and enjoy the time we had hiking in such a stunning country.

By Daniel Woodhouse

I definitely under estimated how difficult the Camino would be. From the steep hill, to the rocky unpaved roads, to the blistering heat which caused me to become overheated and almost pass out at one point. Despite all this I loved the sights, sounds, and people we encountered along the journey. I was in awe of the endless rolling hills upon which numerous farms and villages sat upon. The many different animals we saw from oxen to an ostrich. I ate some many different foods I would have never thought to try before, such as the many lamb sandwiches, margarita pizza, and even a plate of chopped up octopus. On the Camino a few of the cafes even had their version of mac n’ cheese.

What I loved most about the Camino was the people we met. The pilgrims we talked to always had an endless stories to tell; tales of lost loves, and new love found on the Camino. People who walked for St. James or those who simply have the act of hiking in their blood. In addition to the pilgrims we also met a lot of interesting locals. Like the woman who was giving out free bags of berries or the guy who would stamp your pilgrim passport with a red hot seal.

By Phillip C. Boan

Kyle and I were walking along the Camino de Santiago — it was our first day on the trail and we were both feeling fresh and ready for the adventure when ahead of us we saw a large herd of cows. Not the pretty white and black cows you see on a Chick-fil-A advertisement, but the real-like brown ones covered in dirt, sweat, and flys (not unlike the average pilgrim). We had seen cows before, but what made this instance different was the lack of a human shepherd. Instead there where two large German Shepherds herding the 'pile' of cows. It was quite possibly one of the oddest things I have ever seen in my short life!

The dogs split the cows into two groups, with each dog controlling their own group of 20 or so. It was quite clear that the dogs where the brains of the operation, because the cows would walk in a straight line until the group ran into a fork in the road. Then they would stand there like an eighteen year old on his first day of boot camp, waiting for the dogs to come and show them the way. At one point a larger cow tried to pass a smaller one only to result in the two having a small fight. I was starting to worry about my safety do to my proximity to the beasts. Out of nowhere, one of the German Shepard’s ran up to the cows (both of whom where twice the dogs size and certainly three times his weight) and began to give them a death stare. The dog did not even need to open its mouth and bark. The cows seemed to know what the dog was thinking, and they "removed themselves from the situation," as my mother would say. After a while the dogs led their cows down a thin trail just off the Camino. The hour of the cows and dogs, was one of the oddest experiences of my life.

By Nick Norris

When one thinks of Spain, it’s usually a whole object. There’s a landmass we see on a map or globe, and we assume that it’s Spain. We can do the same to the United States, but what we know as residents of this country is that each State has it’s own culture, agenda, and differences in legal system. It wasn’t too long ago Texas wanted it’s freedom to separate. Parts of California tried to announce independence. Until very recently, same sex marriage was splitting up the country. Like our U.S., Spain is divided as well.

The parts we traveled through were Catalonia, Castile, and Galicia. Each one has it’s own culture and social constructs. Catalonia wants to be recognized by the powers of Spain as a region. It’s Catalan language is mixed with French. Right beneath the surface, there is talk of the area wanting to be independent.

While in León, a part of Castile, I saw graffiti that read “Espanol = Castile.” What I found out by a few locals is that Castile considers itself the center of Spain and the true Spain. I wasn’t able to collect enough stories and local statements to know if this is fact, but nonetheless it means some people believe it. The uncertainty is if it’s an agreement regionally.

Catalonia definitely had French influences. I saw influences of León in the traditional architecture from early period Florida such as Saint Augustine. Galicia, the last region to be visited, has a Celtic background. The accent is different, and the Spaniards there relate to Celtic backgrounds. On the coast is Finisterre. There is a shrine on the cliffs to burn a belonging. Celtic music plays from a nearby kiosk. The region sees that is so unique, and there are parties of people who want to see independence from the main mass of Spain. The Galiza Nova are a youth movement against a suppressive form of capitalism. While in Santiago, I witnessed parades around the town of youths rebelling against current social-political powers. I do not have the knowledge to properly ascertain the situation in its entirety, but the signs of change rest in the actions and words of people.

While traveling, I suggest learning about the places you’re going. Being caught unaware might be a case for disaster. It’s easy enough to look at pretty pictures and masses of land on maps and not think about the cultural elements of a place. The United States isn’t just one homogenous region, neither is Spain, and neither are any other places.

By Sarah Kim

The Camino de Santiago has ended for us — some of us went home and others have continued to travel on. We all can agree that we appreciated the journey, and have been enlightened in big or small ways. We pushed our limits, and made it to the very end, and that feeling of accomplishment is something we can never forget. Now that it is over, we have a better understanding of why people continue to travel along the multiple ways of St. James — some had religious reasons and some had spiritual or recreational reasons, but regardless of that it is time needed away from the daily stressors of life, just like they did during medieval times. A pilgrim will go through times of reflective solitude and also times being vulnerable with a complete stranger. Phil Cousineau, the author of The Art of Pilgrimage says, “Pilgrimage means following in the footsteps of somebody or something we honor to pay homage. It revitalizes our lives, reinvigorates our very souls.” The people in the past carved the path, and we people of the present continue to use the path in our own ways.

By Matthew Dent

When one walks 116km, it can challenge the way you look at your world. In my hometown, and many places in America, a walk of more than five minutes is considered a long walk. In Spain, in the cities especially, that was not the case. We walked everywhere out of necessity, and this is after already walking 15 miles from town to town. My feet held up well, but my illusions of distance did not. No longer will I lament a ten minute walk if I miss the bus. I know how far and, to be frank, how easy a thirty minute walk really is. I actually enjoyed walking — it brought prospective and easy time for reflection. Or, if you tire of yourself and your thoughts, some earbuds and an album always serves to keep you occupied. Plus, while you see the landscape from the backseat of a car, you FEEL the landscape when you walk it. Each hill becomes a journey, each stretch of open ground in the hot sun a gauntlet. I did not feel the elation that was reported upon seeing the Cathedral of Saint James, but I did when John and I scaled the hill to the hotel after walking forty minutes from the center of town. Do I regret walking? No, and my feet do not either.

By Cory Jones

The Camino for me was a pretty moving experience. I really got to know myself and what I am capable of achieving. Hiking the Camino, even for only 100 kilometers, was extremely difficult. We forged friendships and created lasting bonds together, but we all grew individually as well.

It took a lot of personal perseverance to achieve what we did and I look at my Compostela now, knowing that I am capable of more than I think sometimes. The Camino is a metaphor for life for me, it has moments of pure joy as well as arduous hills to climb, but every step of the way is an achievement.

‪By Matthew Dent

When it comes down to it, the Camino is about people. People walk to and from, up and down, but most importantly, in and out of our lives. The Korean man who walks by and gives you a thumbs up, the Briton who says “Buen Camino” through labored breath, the Spaniard who yodels as he bikes past — these are the true notes of flavor to the Camino. What forms the backbone is walking, the dominant mindless trudging through idyllic and stinking dairy country which every pilgrim must endure. However, the high and mid notes of this aromatic cocktail are the moment-to-moment, person-to-person encounters. In León, as we performed our evening crawl through downtown eating numerous and delicious tapas, I bumped into a man from Japan names Daiki. I lived in Japan for several years, so it took less time than a jackrabbit takes to leap off a hot griddle for us to become fast friends. Daiki was beginning the Camino the next morning at six o'clock. We laughed and joked, but we also discussed more serious matters like the state of his beloved home country and how he planned to go back home to his girlfriend and his family. If not for those human elements, like sharing a beer with Daiki over tapas and discussing his hopes and fears, we would simply be plodding along as sheep over hills and streams to a giant stone box. Instead, we build these ephemeral relationships that transcend the boundaries of normal friendship. We are bonded by our journey and our struggle, by our sore feet and our tired eyes. They say in the study abroad safety meetings, “be wary of "instant friends," but there should be an asterisk saying: *except on the Camino.

By Corey Jones

‪For me the best parts of the Camino are the quiet moments of reflection that I find as we walk. I breathe in the fresh air in the eucalyptus forests and am alone with my thoughts even as we file past groups on the trail. However, we have also met many other pilgrims on the road and that has provided its own kind of reflection.

‪One of the most memorable to me was a couple from San Francisco we met at the beginning of the Camino. They were an older couple and they had some interesting views on the experience. They were doing the Camino for religious reasons and they were extremely interested in the history behind it. Talking with them made me realize just how much I cared about this thing that we are doing and how glad I am that I have been able to experience such a historically significant place.

‪Of course then afterward, the husband told us that he didn't major in history because he wanted to "major in something practical," so that changed the way that I looked at them a little. However, they were the catalyst for a revelation that I am in an amazing place and seeing something truly important.

‪By Sarah Kim

I had this romantic expectation of the Camino being all about me. I was being selfish and only thinking of trying to find myself along the Camino, and have been ignoring the other side of the Camino, meeting people. There are times to be silent and reflect, but it is also important to balance that with time to be social and not remain in solitude the entire way. Some people come into our lives and may quickly go, but they all awaken a new understanding or perspective during the time they share with us.

‪I met this lovely lady named Cheryl, who came to the Camino with her daughter's youth group. She hoped to spend time with her daughter and take it slow. Her daughter though, believed the Camino was a race. As a result, Cheryl spent much of her time chasing after her daughter and worried that she was wasting her own pilgrimage. She was also disappointed that some French pilgrims accused her group of not being real pilgrims since they were only walking a small portion of the Camino and not staying in albergues. She found this criticism particularly upsetting because she was already pushing her limits. In her frustration she asked me what a real pilgrim is — a question I couldn't fully answer. Everyone has their own opinion on what a real pilgrim is.