Meet Jessie Chaucer

Hi, "Jessie" here. Welcome to my blog about another person's attempt to journey on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Let me introduce myself:

I’m a 33-year-old American-born but Europe-dwelling history teacher. I grew up in Austria where I attended public schools through grade 13 (yes, 13). After four years of college in the U.S., I’ve spent the last ten teaching in all kinds of settings and places. Among them are a Communications college in Quito, Ecuador, an elementary school in Taiwan, and now a 6-8 Middle school as part of a larger international school in Germany.

Things I enjoy are books that make me think, movies that make me laugh, football games that make my heart palpitate, peanut butter M&M’s, a fresh coat of snow, Gerber daisies, conversations about faith, and – fortunately enough – walking.

My goals for walking the Camino de Santiago are multifaceted, but I do think they can be lumped into at least two categories: historical and spiritual. I can’t wait to walk near the battlefield of Charlemagne and Roland, sleep in a monastery, visit thousand-year-old churches, and acquire knowledge that will enhance my teaching in the classroom. By itself, however, those are all meaningless. This journey is also about drawing nearer to God’s heart. Not that I believe he can only be found if I sacrifice my summer and do some kind of penance, but my desire is that carving out time to specifically walk and talk with him will allow me to hear him more clearly and know him more fully.

Thanks for reading. Check back over the next few months as I prepare.