My Camino Journey, Part 1: Preparing for the Journey

In the spring of 2023, I set out to walk the Camino de Santiago. Five hundred miles. Thirty-two days. Alone.

Upon my return, I would complete my PhD research, write the remaining chapters of my dissertation, and defend it. But first, I had a different journey to undertake.

I was meticulous in my preparation. During the winter, I traveled from Minnesota to Arizona for a month, hiking the rugged terrain around Phoenix with bags of rice in my backpack to simulate the weight I would carry across Spain.

I contacted American Pilgrims on the Camino for my pilgrim passport and packing list, immersed myself in John Brierley's Camino guidebook, and made several trips to REI. My military background taught me the importance of caring for my feet, so I developed a consistent routine to protect them throughout the journey.

I packed only the essentials: two outfits, layers, four pairs of merino wool toe socks with another four pairs of merino wool socks to wear over them, Teva sandals, On hiking boots, trekking poles, and rain gear. Everything I needed for 32 days would be carried on my back.

I downloaded an app. I watched The Way. But, I never asked anyone who had walked the Camino about their experience. I wanted to discover the journey for myself, without someone else's story shaping my expectations.

Although I would walk alone, I created two WhatsApp groups to remain connected. One included family and friends; the other included people I considered spiritual advisors. I wanted solitude, but also valued the companionship and wisdom of those who would accompany me from afar.

My husband and I flew to Madrid, where we spent a week, including Easter, before my pilgrimage began. It was a beautiful opportunity to prepare my insides for what I was about to undertake on the outside.

The day before I was to begin, we rented a car, and my husband drove me to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the small French town where my Camino would begin.

I had researched, trained, planned, and packed. I had prepared for nearly everything I could anticipate.

But I couldn't prepare for what the Camino would reveal.

And perhaps that is the beauty of stepping into something unfamiliar. We can prepare for the journey, but we cannot always anticipate how it will transform us.

Reflect. Reimagine. Rise.

Coming next: Part 2 — The Journey.