Selecting the Dates

I have my dates pretty much in place, but I’m still having a hard time hitting the “purchase” button on my plane ticket.

It looks like I’ll leave Germany around June 18 to train to St. Jean Pied-de-Port. That means my trek will start June 19! Due to time constraints and a wedding on the back end, I most likely will not walk the whole thing. From all accounts, it could be done if I walk 30 km at least per day and have no days of rest built in. So … I’ve decided I’m going to bus across a middle section. Thus, my stages will looks something like this:

1. Walk from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to Burgos in roughly 10-11 days.
2. Bus from Burgos to Leon on a day of rest. 
3. Walk from Leon to Santiago de Compostela in roughly 11 days.
4. Walk from Santiago de Compostela to Finesterre in 3 day.

#4 is a little bit up in the air since I have not yet booked my ticket home and also because there might be a friend joining me for the last legs of #3 and into #4. At the latest, I’ll fly home July 18. Thrilled to be nailing down details! Now time to actually commit online ….

Preparation: Just Walking

Not too much is happening on the preparation front at this time. I'm trying to get mount the kilometers by getting as many walks in as possible, which can be a challenge at this time of the school year. March is wild.

Mid-February, however, I did manage to squeeze in a lengthier walk on a Saturday morning: 23 kilometers from my hometown in Kandern, Germany to visit a friend in Basel, Switzerland (the wonderfully brave Laura). The first half of the walk saw me on several woodsy paths as I left the foothills of the Black Forest and entered the Rhine valley. The industrial parts of Basel of the second half couldn't quite compare. The best part of it all was being surprised by this sign:

A Camino sign! I had to look it up when I returned home, and yes, apparently an off-shoot of the German Jakobsweg does pass from Freiburg down through Basel. Now I have a bit more wandering to add to my preparation here.

(It was a bit of a chilly day, thus the red cheeks.)

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.