Pilgrimage report from Sara
I can still remember a story about little Jakob, who walked the Way of St. James to Santiago in 2010. His story of this distant, mystical and enchanting world fascinated me straight away. Walking 800 km on foot? I wonder what that must be like?
Due to my curiosity for this “world”, I made the decision: I want to experience it one day!
I had never thought about the Way of St. James before; walking it had never been a goal in my life.
But Jacob’s stories and the name Santiago (even if it wasn’t Compostela) filled me with a feeling that I had to go there.
It was as if something drew me strongly to this place.
Three years later, the time had come.
I made this decision spontaneously and without much thought. I knew that this trip would not be a classic vacation, but something in my heart was stronger. I didn’t know exactly what this “something” was, and I set off on my journey to find out.
I can still feel the uncertainty and inner hesitation from back then, before I finally decided to set out on my path. I imagined myself walking the path one day, meeting different people, experiencing days with rain or sun and feeling cold or warmth. With these thoughts and a lot of emotions, my rucksack and a pilgrim’s staff, I set off on “my path”.
After arriving at the first hostel, I received the first of many stamps in my pilgrim’s certificate.
The stamps would confirm the route I had traveled and allow me to stay in hostels.
The hostel was packed and, like for me, the next day would be the first day of the journey for most of the pilgrims. You could clearly feel the euphoria and also the tension that night.
Most of them tossed and turned restlessly in bed and the light of their watches shone through the room from constantly reading the time.
Despite all the tiredness, I found it difficult to fall asleep myself – I was too excited too
The many emotions I experienced over the next 29 days were unique in the way they were felt and experienced.
Characterized by like-minded pilgrims, the majestic churches, the humble chapels that make the villages so special, the sound of the wind and the invigorating chirping of the birds.
The poignant magic of Gregorian chant, the long and flat paths that only seem to reflect the sky around me, the countless stars that illuminated so many nights of this fascinating trail.
It’s like in real life, sometimes you go on pilgrimage alone, sometimes in groups and often you find a real companion.
I still remember well all the faraway countries from which other pilgrims came and of which they spoke. From South Africa to Peru and India. But even more often than other people, my thoughts alone were my companions.
Those moments when I was surrounded by nature, not a soul to be found for miles around, surrounded by mountains, feeling the wind on my skin, I felt time come to a standstill.
The melody of this environment was a composition of my breath, the thud of my pilgrim’s stick on the stony ground and the click of the camera with which I tried to capture the uniqueness of these moments for eternity.
Happiness, wholeness, harmony and inner peace.
These were the moments and feelings that I tried to capture.
One day I spotted a village on the horizon.
Smoke rose from the chimneys of the houses, and as I got closer I smelled the unmistakable smell of burning wood.
A flock of sheep grazed in a nearby pasture.
When we talked to the inhabitants of the village, their eyes lit up when we told them about the simple beauty of their village and the good taste of their water. They don’t realize how much they warmed our souls, how much they taught and taught us. Without them, the landscape is meaningless, a path without conversations and contact with people is unimaginable.
Through talking to people, I realized that almost everyone is looking for the same answers and has similar ideas.
I met pilgrims coming from different routes (some followed the French route and others the Portuguese route) on my way and talked to them about life.
This creates a bond, even though each of us walks a different path.
In fact, we often wander along different paths in search of happiness and contentment.
But even if another path doesn’t match ours, it doesn’t mean that one of the hikers was lost.
It doesn’t matter what our surname is, where we come from, what profession we have or how much money we have in the bank. At first we were equal in our differences, now we are all equal as pilgrims with a backpack and a pilgrim’s staff in our hands.
Regardless of their past, they all showed me support, friendship, camaraderie, strength and solidarity. They were all part of my journey and I could recognize my goal of Santiago in all of them.
Even though fatigue and thirst were great, the beauty of the path and the company of friends with whom to reflect on life were greater. These new friends helped me to discover my innermost self, to feel the joy of simplicity, to overcome thirst and to forget tiredness.
We know that there is no heaven without storms and no roads without accidents.
Just as there were stones in my path, our life is often a rocky road, but every obstacle I overcome teaches me something and makes me stronger
If new friends mean happiness, if the yellow arrows stand for the destination, then the hostels are a safe haven. The security of the hostels gave me strength and energy for the journey ahead.
I often found accommodation in simple hostels with cold water and old beds and sometimes in hostels where the furniture still smelled new. But the special thing about all the hostels was the unique atmosphere, which I wouldn’t trade for any luxury in the world. Night after night, when I found accommodation in a new hostel, my soul was warmed by the sincere smiles, the warmth of the fireplace and the gathering of other pilgrims sharing their adventures.
Night after night, I wrote my impressions in my diary. But there are not enough diaries for all the emotions, nor are there suitable words to describe these feelings.
As the 28th day dawned, I began to remember everything that was behind me, and without realizing it, I started to cry. I was longing for the road and homesick for my family at the same time.
Nevertheless, I was determined to achieve my goal.
When I finally reached Santiago, I took a few days to relax and recover from my backpacking trip. There were simply too many impressions, an infinite number of feelings, new insights and friends, and a path… My path.
The path reflects the ideal dream world. The world of solidarity, of striving for the same goal.
In a world where less value is placed on material things, it is easier to follow this path.
When I packed my backpack before the trip, I couldn’t imagine doing without so many things for such a long time. But in the end I had to decide to leave some clothes and accessories at home. We are used to accumulating unnecessary baggage that we then carry through our lives. Through my journey on the Camino de Santiago, I have learned to live only with the essentials.
Along the way, I also embarked on a journey through my life. I reflected on everything I had achieved and done up to that point, all the missed opportunities, the search for answers to unanswered questions. Although I didn’t find any answers, I recognized the importance of these questions and kept them in mind. Many of the situations I experienced along the way are deeply anchored in my memory. For example, it was easy to make decisions on my path because I was guided by all the positive emotions.
I had the feeling that everything would be different as soon as I got back to reality. But was it really like that? I assumed that after the trip it would be difficult to get used to the hustle and bustle of the city again, to the superficial conversations with people and to organizing my life according to a schedule again. But it turned out that my reactions to these situations were more controlled and less impulsive because I now had a place of inner calm within me.
Since then, this inner space of calm has helped me to make decisions and better distinguish between the important and the unimportant.
After the road to Santiago, I not only changed inside, but my whole life changed.
The road to Santiago has no end, it continues in our everyday lives.
I could have written much more about all the unique places, the indescribable impressions and the many new acquaintances… but the truth is, this path cannot be described…. you have to experience it yourself… and you have to live it.
Sara Leonor Duque de Carvalho
