DU Abroad

This past week, I walked the infamous Camino de Santiago. Throughout the Camino, we walked 104 kilometers all the way across Northern Spain; with nothing but a backpack containing: 1 change of clothes, my camera, a sweatshirt, a towel, and a blanket. On Wednesday, October 11th, we took a 3 hour train to madrid from Alicante, and then a 5 hour train through the night to Ourense where we arrived early in the morning and began our journey.

On day one of walking, we discovered a small house with food inside. We stopped in and introduced ourselves to the man inside, whose name was Caesar, and offered to buy some of his food. He insisted that we eat for free and try his homemade wine. It turns out that Caesar’s house is infamous for Camino travelers, and he had photographs with nearly 6,000 people who had walked the same path. He was so friendly, and provided us with some much needed food and water.

After leaving Caesar’s we continued walking to our destination for the day: Dozón, which was roughly 28 kilometers of walking for day one. In Dozón, we stayed in a small hostel where we met many other individuals from around the world who were also walking the Camino. We hand washed our one change of clothes, hung them up to dry outside, ate some dinner, and passed out in our room of bunk beds.

The next morning, we awoke at 7:00am, grabbed our clothes of the drying rack, laced up our shoes, and headed out onto the trail once more. We walked an average of 25.5 kilometers a day, which is about 16 miles. We stayed in a variety of small towns such as Río Ulla, Silleda, and Estrada. In these towns, we stayed in remote hostels along the trail and tried many local foods and Galicia wines.

Along the trail, we picked fresh apples and grapes for snacks when we got hungry, and swam in rivers when we got too hot and sweaty. As each day passed, it became harder to continue walking at such a fast pace due to soreness, blistering feet, and all around exhaustion, but we persevered as a group and finally made it to the renowned city of Santiago de Compostela.

In Santiago, we stayed at a ministry where they provided us with a room full of beds, because, after all, the Camino de Santiago was originally a religious pilgrimage to the holy city of Santiago. In the city, we toured cathedrals and got our certificates proving we

walked the entire Camino.

The Camino de Santiago was a tough, week long journey, for the body and the mind. That being said, it was an incredible experience that taught me a lot about the beautiful region that is Northern Spain, and a lot about myself. I would absolutely do it again, and recommend it to anyone who is considering it.

I am a shy and anxious person. I prefer being quiet in class and spend my downtime between classes eating by myself in the cafes. I like getting my chai latte or iced mocha and doing homework in solitude, listening to calm music with headphones.

I am indeed an introvert and keep my circle of friends very close to me. It takes me awhile to get comfortable in new situations and around new people. Studying abroad was an odd choice for me because embarking on such a huge journey was a shock to my comfort zone. I am way out of my comfort zone, which is nerve racking, but impressive all in the same. However, being a new situation, especially in a new college that promotes social activities within housing, your academic department, may be something that is too much to handle. It is for me, especially being in a new situation.

From my journey so far, here are some tidbits of advice for maintaining your introversion abroad.

It’s okay not to go to parties, socials, etc., There are plenty of social gatherings within my housing, English department, the International Office, and all around campus. It may seem overwhelming at first to want to go to the events and try to “fit in” and talk to people. Getting to know people is fun and it is a great way to network, however, if you have trouble in large crowds (like me), evaluate yourself before you go out to the gathering. Do you actually want to go to this event? Is there someone you know there? Is there anything that you could be doing instead of going to this event? Often times, I skip out on events because I have homework or I’m not interested in the event. These are all valid reasons and no one should try and force you to go to something. This is YOUR study abroad experience and you can make it into whatever you want.
It’s okay to do things by yourself. I have fond memories of myself during freshmen year freaking out that I couldn’t get dinner because no one would go with me. People have different schedules and times to hang out. If you want to do something, don’t let the stigma of being alone stand in your way of exploring your surroundings. For me, I like to visit the city around me on my own time and by myself. You may be missing out on the city around you waiting for other people.
Make your space your own. I do spend a lot of time in my dorm reading, writing, and watching Netflix. Feel free to dress up your dorm in things that makes you feel happy and secure. I have my favorite blanket with me to keep my comfortable and warm. Things like pictures of friends and family or any decorations that make your space a visual representation of you can definitely turn your dorm into a sanctuary of sorts.

This experience has been an interesting one for me so far. I have 67 days left, which is seven full weeks and one week off. The time here is starting to speed up and frankly, I cannot wait to come home.

Till next time!