The Pilgrims
By Jim and Laurel
Despite completing an introductory Spanish class from the Varsity View Community Association and also receiving considerable praise from the cast of Spanish tutors on Duolingo, we were not well prepared to speak or understand the language of Spain. As Laurel reconciles the accounts and completes the registration preparations, I compose and rehearse Spanish scripts that I hope will prove useful. Each day I amend and expand my ad hoc phrasebook of folded loose papers that I keep in my back pocket.
I guess it is the Canadian in me that resulted in the memorization of lo siento (I’m sorry), gracias (thanks), and por favor (please) before any other phrases. Apologizing is a daily ritual for us. “Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish,” “sorry, there are no bottom bunks left in the albergue,” “sorry, we can’t take reservations,” “sorry, you can only stay one night,” and “sorry, you cannot use the washing machine.” Of course, these are all translated into Spanish and spoken with a halting tentative cadence that Spaniards find incomprehensible, yet Germans, Dutch, and Belgians seem to follow. Aqui (here) has proved to be a most useful word. I use it whenever I can. “Baño aqui (bathroom here), cocina aqui (kitchen here), desayuno aqui (breakfast here).” Naturally, this only works if I physically drag the person to the location I am speaking about. In a hostel spread over three floors, this accounts for tremendous step counts at the end of the day and dissuades most Spaniards from asking me where anything is. Language deficiencies aside, we have communicated to everyone that we are Canadian (not American) and 99% of all pilgrims are patient and understanding with us.
Since beginning our assignment, we have served 299 pilgrims representing 31 countries. One third of the pilgrims are Spanish, 11% are French, 10% are Italian, 10% are German, and 1.6% are Canadian (no one to talk hockey with). The average number of pilgrims each night has been between 18 and 19 with 3/4 of them being male. Walkers make up 78% of the pilgrims while cyclists account for the remainder. The most striking demographic of our two week window on the Via de La Plata has been age. Our youngest pilgrim was Diego, a 19 year old cyclist who called his mom after registering to let her know that he made it here. The oldest has been Jean, a 90 year old from France, who has been walking solo since Seville — over 500 km away. The mean age of our pilgrims has been 60 years.
The albergue is a veritable United Nations each night. Over half of the pilgrims choose to speak English after their mother tongue. This group includes Germans, Dutch, Belgians, and some Italians. The Spaniards stick to Spanish and the French stick to French with an incredible tolerance for our “baby talk dialect.”
Albergue de Peregrinos de Zamora by the Numbers
- Total pilgrims: 299 — representing 31 countries
- Spanish 34%, French 11%, Italian 10%, German 10%, Dutch 4%, Belgian 4%, Canadian 1.6%
- Average number of pilgrims at the Albergue each night: 18
- Male: 75% Female: 25%
- Walkers: 78 % Cyclists: 22%
- Oldest Pilgrim: 90 years old
- Youngest Pilgrim: 19 years old
- Average age: 60 years old
- Starting Point: Sevilla 48%
- Route from Zamora: Sanabres 76%
- Average donation for Bed and Breakfast in a clean albergue: €8.44
- Number of laundry loads: 65 loads of sheets
"Where there is not community, trust, respect, ethical behavior are difficult for the young to learn and for the old to maintain." Robert Greenleaf
To my knowledge, Robert Greenleaf was not a pilgrim but his thoughts on service and servant leadership could be a primer for Hospitaleros. Albergues help to build community within a transient, ever-shifting group of pilgrims. Sharing time and space in an albergue deepens the initial small talk of a first encounter on the trail and eases the transition from recognition through familiarity to trust. The Camino needs this sense of community because it is how we demonstrate and learn to be good pilgrims. As pilgrims of a certain age, we have an opportunity to maintain a thankful temperament and share this gratitude with those we meet. A Hospitalero’s aim is to nurture this community with kindness, compassion, and hospitality each and every day, while maintaining the Albergue. Considering our nearly 300 pilgrim encounters, 98% were positive interactions where our efforts were received with warmth and gratitude, even in light of disappointing news i.e. language, bunk assignment, length of stay, etc. However, the five or six pilgrims who could not get past this disappointment, could not accept our efforts, and then vented their frustration eroded this community in a noticeable way. The irony to all of this is that the albergues, especially the donativo albergues, need a community of ethical pilgrims to sustain them. In my opinion, the average donation of €8.44 is just too little for a bed with clean sheets, a hot shower, and a simple desayuno of fresh coffee, juice, toast and marmalade served on the pilgrim’s early morning schedule.
Our two weeks as volunteer Hospitaleros was exhausting and we were happy to see our replacements arrive at the end of this assignment. We joked with Franco and Patrizia that we needed to get back on the Camino for a rest. As we write this during our siesta after walking a stage on the Via de la Plata, we can say that this experience was worthwhile and most rewarding.
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By breakfast time many strangers have become friends
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Morning foot care rituals
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Jean, from Dordogne, France, was our oldest pilgrim at 90 years of age
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Mariel and Jose from Spain and Maria from Ireland were hospitaleros themselves and graciously volunteered to do the dishes or sweep up dormitories
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Just as we relieved Pam and Chris after two weeks (bottom), Franco and Patrizia took over from us (top)
