No turning back, no turning back

Essentially, we are leaving for the Camino in 3 days.  Despite my best attempts to find maladies that would prevent me from going on the trip, even insisting that I had a dental emergency (Dentist: "You really haven't been to the dentist in years? Your teeth are perfect! No, you don't have any cavities. You probably just had some food stuck in your teeth."), at this point, there really is no turning back. "No turning back" has been a fun Camino catchphrase since the beginning, and the song "No Turning Back" by Audrey Assad kind of sums it up. And it's a great song. Enjoy :)

This week has been filled with last-minute preparations, mainly trips to Target where I just walk around and leave with one thing, like a travel sized tube of toothpaste, as well as a blitz of sporting goods stores that included two different EMS stores, Dick's Sporting Goods, and the grand opening of LLBean at the Danbury Mall. I've been preparing for this trip mentally since I was in Santiago last year for World Youth Day, and actually and tangibly since January when we, in a fit of psychosis, purchased the plane tickets that sealed the deal. As my friends know, I like to research, plan, read, and make lists, especially when it coems to a big trip. I picked up on my Grandpa's love for creating itineraries and I've had a document on my computer called Camino2012 where I sketched out the potential itinerary with excitement. And let me tell you, it's a pretty awesome itinerary.

But the thing about the Camino is that all my planning and itineraries and research really can't do much for me once I start walking. I have the "recommended" guidebook and I've made the best decisions I can in regards to my gear (and some not so good decisions- ie. the Martin Backpacker Guitar that may or may not actually make it onto the plane), but from what I've read, heard, and from what I anticipate, the Camino is about simplifying life, focusing on the moment, reflecting interiorly, away from the distractions of the world.  I am looking forward to that so much, and I hope that I will be able to "turn off" my tendency to worry and plan and make adjustments and try to turn everything that I do into a youth group meeting. As I said in my previous post, the Polish Walking Pilgrimage really influenced my desire and my decision to walk the Camino. I love the simplicity of living in the moment, walking and talking and enjoying my surroundings, and fully appreciating a good night's sleep, even if it's not in ideal conditions at all.  All of my expectations aside, God has called me to this, and He's going to get me through it!

I haven't successfully walked any part of the Camino, but I thought I would post my packing list in case anyone is interested in what I'm bringing.  I based this on blogs, posts, and books that I've read and I think it's pretty solid. The philosophy behind packing is supposed to be as light as possible, ideally 10% of your body weight. That is not happening here, but I did my best.

Backpack

Gregory Jade Women's 34L (includes raincover)- 2lb 12 oz

You want your backpack to be as light as possible but to have an internal frame. It should also fit your torso, especially with the hip belt in the right position. The weight is supposed to be carried on your hips, not your shoulders. I looked specifically for Gregory because they have packs that are for a woman's torso and in different sizes. The size should be between 30-50. I wanted it to be smaller so I would be forced to pack lightly.

Clothing

1 pair zip pants (PrAna Monarch)

1 pair hiking shorts (PrAna Bliss)

1 skirt for the evenings (Royal Robbin’s Discovery Skirt)

2 Technical Shirts (Techwick- EMS)

1 shirt to wear at night (LLBean)

3 pairs wool socks (Smartwool)

2 sports bras

3 pairs underwear (ExOfficio)

1 pair Salomon trail runners

1 light zip up

1 Marmot Pre-cip rain jacket

1 pair Teva sandals

Hat

Sunglasses

Toiletries

Toiletry bag 

Glasses & Case

            Contact Lenses, case, solution

            Sun screen

            Lush solid shampoo (Lasts 60-70 washes!)

            Mr. Bronner's Magic All Purpose Castille soap (for body & clothes)

            Razor

            Chapstick

            Tooth brush, tooth paste, floss

            Hiking towel

            Nail clipper

            Tweezers

            Comb & hair ties

            Bodyglide (prevents blisters)

            Deodorant

            First aid kit- neosporin, bandaids, gauze, medical tape, ace bandage

            Ibuprofen (to reduce swelling & help with pain)

           “Products”

Other Essentials

           Passport, emergency contact info

           Silk sleep sack

           Head lamp

           Ecobag (recyclable shopping bag)

           Ziplock bag for credentia

           Moneybelt for cash, passport, IDs

           Brierley Guidebook

           Ear plugs

          Safety pins to hang clothes

          Waterbottle & Platypus hydration system

          Trekking poles (We'll see how this turns out. Apparently when used properly the trekking poles can reduce wear/tear & pain on ankles and knees by a lot, which will be important)

Miscellaneous

          Journal & Pen

          Guitar & Pick (Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar)

          Camera/charger/adaptor

Not me, but pretty close.

In addition to carefully crafting my packing list, I've been doing a series of training walks. We did a few hikes throughout the months leading up to this, and for the past three weeks I've been walking 7 miles a day, first without my backpack, then with my pack loaded as best as I could, and then through the woods on "hilly" terrain.  As I've been told, nothing can really prepare you for the Camino, and there is a big difference between 7 miles on flat ground in Trumbull, Connecticut, and 17 miles in the Pyrenees. At least I was able to test out my pack, shoes, and socks, as well as look incredibly cool while testing out my trekking poles. Thank God for YouTube and their helpful How-To videos. Mysteriously, my computer is refusing to connect to the Internet so I'm finishing this quickly on my phone. Hopefully, the next time I post, I'll be in Spain and there really will be no turning back. Pray for me! I will be praying for you!

Solvitur ambulando

Solvitur ambulando means "It is solved by walking." I've been searching for quotes about walking, journey, traveling, and while I can't claim to have much knowledge at all of Latin, I do think referencing it makes me sound cool and this phrase is interesting.  Upon further investigation, I found that the phrase is actually attributed to St. Augustine, a saint that I admire, and the patron of our very own Diocese of Bridgeport. Perfect.

The phrase "It is solved by walking" rings true to me, and honestly, I enjoy walking.  I like walking through new cities, old cities, parks, hiking trails, beaches, the mall, and Target.  I like walking alone and I like walking with friends. Walking provides an opportunity for uninterrupted conversation, and the constantly changing scenery provides topic for conversation, and the action of walking also allows companions to enjoy comfortable silence.  Walking is great!

So walking is an enjoyable activity, good for your health, and reportedly easier on your knees than jogging. However, over the past few years the action of walking has become for me intertwined with the idea of pilgrimage.  A pilgrimage, simply defined, is a journey made to a specific place with a particular purpose.  In a Catholic sense, the purpose is to honor God, atone for sins, or pray for an intention, and the specific place could be any kind of Church, shrine, or holy place.  The idea of a pilgrimage is a medieval one, but they still occur today, and for me they have been a very significant part of my Catholic faith and a way that I have grown in my faith and in my relationship with God.

The first few pilgrimages that I went on took place during my semester studying abroad in Austria.  The whole semester was a pilgrimage in and of itself, though I didn't realize it at the time, but it was a big journey for me that was made up of many little journeys.  I traveled to Rome for the first time and fell in love with the city, the churches, the art and the relics and the rich Catholic history that I had read about but never experienced first hand until that point. I was overwhelmed and thrilled, and I had visited for one of my first pilgrimages ever one of the major Christian pilgrimage sites in the world (arguably one of the top 3).  While studying abroad, I also visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland, another major European pilgrimage site, that is the home of a fantastic icon of our Lady.  I didn't truly come to appreciate Our Lady of Czestochowa until I went on another pilgrimage later that year to the American Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa.  That pilgrimage was different than the other trips I had made that year by the fact that I, and my companions, walked approximately 70 miles in the course of four days to reach that shrine. Those four days of sweat, blisters, sore muscles, and a much lower level of hygiene than one is accustomed to, I became hooked on pilgrimages.  It wasn't all about blood, sweat, and tears, though there was some of each.  The physical suffering of walking 20 miles a day opened me up to praying in a different way. My friends and I encouraged each other, laughed together, complained (only a little bit), and reflected later about one of the craziest experiences of our lives. I am so grateful to Father Paul Hrebenko for convincing us to go on the Polish walking pilgrimage in the first place, because it really opened me up to the idea of being a pilgrim, not just during those four days, but in my life.  Also, it made me want to go on more pilgrimages.

And I did.  I went back to Rome and walked many miles, including a 12 mile mini pilgrimage to different churches within the city. Aside from seeing the Holy Father, that was one of my favorite activities of the trip. I walked the Polish Pilgrimage three more times, and every year I would ask myself how I had possibly forgotten how hard it was, before eagerly anticipating the next year. I went to World Youth Day with a group from my Diocese, which included mini-pilgrimages to Avila, Fatima, and Santiago de Compostela.  Somewhere along my journey as a Catholic, I learned about El Camino de Santiago de Compostela or the Way of St. James.  The Camino (I should probably start calling it El Camino at this point) is a walking pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, a city in Gallicia where St. James (also known as St. James the Greater, one of the twelve Apostles) is said to be buried.  In the middle ages, pilgrims would walk to Santiago from their doorsteps, spending months or even years making this pilgrimage.  These days, pilgrims start in many locations and there are many different ways to reach Santiago (I guess you could say there are as many different ways to reach Santiago as there are pilgrims who make the journey), but a popular route is known as the Camino Frances and it spans from St. Jean Pied de Port on one side of the French Pyrenees across Spain to Santiago, a city in Galicia. The Camino Frances is about 500 miles long and it takes about a month to complete. 

   

I'm not exactly sure where I heard about the Camino, but I distinctly remember verbalizing my desire to one day walk the Way of St. James in 2008, during my last year of college.  After that time, whenever conversation turned to Bucket Lists or crazy dreams, I was quick to identify the Camino as my crazy dream, that thing that I wanted to do, or would someday do if I had the time.  Last summer, crazy talk about the Camino became a little less crazy and actually reality.  I found that many of my friends have wanted to dedicate a month of their time to walking across Spain with the primary purpose of growing in our faith and coming to know God in a deeper way. While the Camino originated as a Catholic pilgrimage, it seems as if a majority of pilgrims walk the Way for non-religious reasons.  However, I believe that every person is seeking the infinite, and "the happiness [they] are searching for has a name" (Pope Benedict XVI). I'm walking the Camino out of a desire to grow in my faith, to know God more, and to become more and more the person God has created me to be.  That's a tall order, and it's a lifelong journey. I believe, and I hope, that spending a month walking through Spain to the tomb of St. James will draw me closer to God, wear away some of my imperfections, my selfishness, my insecurities, and my fears.  I hope it will open my mind and my heart to the plans that God has made for me.

So back to solvitur ambulando.  What is it that I want solved by my 500 mile jaunt through Spain? I hope that after returning from the Camino, I will have a clearer sense of what God wants me to do with my life.  I know He wants me to love and serve Him. I want to be more grateful for the blessings that I've been given, and the things that I have.  I want to offer the physical difficulties of the Camino for the intentions of my family, my friends, the young people that I work with, and for the Church. I have a lot of hopes.  I have a lot of expectations too.  I think that I might have over-researched and over-planned. Nevertheless, as St. Thomas Aquinas taught, "Grace builds on nature."  God knows that I'm a worrier and a planner and I trust that He's going to work with that.