All future trainings are cancelled

Hi all,
This will come as no surprise to anyone when I write that all planned hospitalero training sessions must be cancelled. Saskatoon and Kelowna were going to happen this spring, but nothing will be planned until the all clear is given concerning the COVID-19 virus. We all hope that we have an all clear in this country so that we can continue with training in Halifax in October.

For those of you who are unaware, the Camino, and that includes all routes in France and Spain, is closed. The albergues in Spain are closed as are the hotels, hostels. Everything. One or two albergues stayed open for a week after everyone else closed, so that they could help pilgrims return to their homes. These albergues have now also closed.

There were many of you who had flights booked to go to Spain and France to serve in albergues. We know you must be so disappointed, as are the many pilgrims who had planned to walk and stay with you.  We thank you for your intention and do hope that all of you will be able to serve next year if that is still your wish and the Camino is open. Spain is in a terrible state right now and we pray that soon, with the lockdown they have imposed, that they will be able to flatten the curve.

Please stay at home. Please stay safe.

More training in Saskatoon and also Halifax

We are delighted to be able to offer more trainngs both in the west and east of Canada. Tom Friesen will be leading the training in Saskatoon on the weekend of April 24-26. The registration information is on the sidebar. Please contact Tom at tomfriesen@hotmail.com if you have any questions. 

Also Halifax will be hosting a training session on the weekend of October 23-25. Again please contact Tom if you are interested. 

Update on training weekends

The London Training weekend is now FULL. 

The Kelowna training weekend has been moved from April 17/19 to June 5/7. Please contact David at Kelowna@santiago.ca or Mary Virtue at mary@victoriacamino.ca fo more information and a registration form. Information on the course can also be found in the sidebars. 

Training also offered in Kelowna BC

Training will be offered the weekend of April 17-19. For mor information and a registration form, please contact David at kelowna@santiago.ca. 

Information about the course, the schedule, seeing where Canadians are posted this year and other trainings, can be found further down in this blog or on the sidebar. 

Training offered in London, Ontario

We are pleased to let everyone know that as well as the Training in Calgary in April, there will be another training session in London Ontario. Please contact Tom Friesen. Please see the registration form below. If you cannot print the form, please send Tom the information by email. Thanks

Camino de Santiago
Hospitalero training
April 17-19, 2020
London, ON
                                                                                     

Thank you for your interest in training to be a hospitalero/a.  We guarantee that it will be a weekend of fun, learning, and reinforcement of all those things you learned and felt on the Camino.  Some folks will be coming from out of town and will require accommodation.  If you have room to billet a single or couple, please indicate below. You will have great fun reliving the Camino!

Please complete this form and return it with a cheque for $125.00 or your donativo (what you feel you can afford) payable to Tom Friesen, 1403 – 22 Picton Street, London, ON N6B 3R5 (or return by email and send the cheque separately). E-mail tomfriesen@hotmail.com  Any money left after the expenses for the weekend will be donated to an albergue or hospitaleros voluntarios which staffs many albergues on the Camino.

Name:

Address:

Telephone:                                                email;

Will you require billeting for the Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights?

Can you provide billeting for the Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights?

Any food restrictions we should be aware of?

When did you walk/cycle the Camino?   Month and year(s) please.

Why do you want to be a hospitalero/a?

Are you prepared to volunteer for 15 days in 2020 or 2021? (The Federation assigns volunteers from the 1^st to the 15^th of the month of the 16^th to 30^th/31^st . You should show up a day early to “learn the ropes” and for a smooth transition at the albergue.)

Thanks, Tom Friesen,  Darlene McKee

Training offered in Calgary in April 2020

In preparation for helping out in Spain for the Holy Year 2021, we are training more volunteers. 

Calgary will host another Hospitalero Training Course on April 24 - 25 - 26, 2020. So, if you are interested in volunteering on the Camino de Santiago, this course is for you! It is comprehensive and fun and it is required by the Spanish Federation of the Friends of the Camino to be placed as a volunteer in their hostels.  Criteria for course acceptance are that you must already have been a pilgrim and stayed in volunteer run hostels supported by donations.

To enhance the learning experience, registration is limited to 16 people. 

If you do not live in Calgary you can be billeted by former pilgrims in their home. 

Complete the registration form and don't miss out!

Monique Rigole 

Course Coordinator 

Calgary Chapter, Canadian Company of Pilgrims                           Hospitalero Training                             April 24 - 25 - 26 2020 Calgary

If you have walked a camino and are interested volunteering as a hospitalero in a pilgrim’s hostel, this course is for you! Please complete this registration form and return it with a cheque made payable to Calgary Chapter, Canadian Company of Pilgrims in the amount of $125.00 by April 15, 2020. Unfortunately e-transfers can not be made therefore, mail your cheque to Monique Rigole #306, 4 Hemlock Crescent SW Calgary AB T3C 2Z1 (or, e-mail the registration form to Monique and mail the cheque separately). 

We promise a weekend of fun, learning and, reinforcement of all those good things you valued and felt on the Camino. Participation is limited to 16, don’t miss out by being late!

Training begins on the Friday evening with a Spanish dinner and ends on Sunday at 4pm.

Name:

Address:

Telephone:                                                      email:

If you do not come from Calgary do you require billeting Friday and Saturday? 

If you are from Calgary, could you provide billeting Friday and Saturday, for out of town participants?                                                   If yes, for how many?

Are there any food restrictions we should be aware of?

Which Camino(s) did you walk/cycle and when? (Month and year)

Did you stay at Municipal or parochial albergues? 

Why do you want to be a hospitalero/a?

Are you prepared to volunteer for 15 days in 2020 or 2021? 

As soon as your registration and payment are received, you will receive confirmation that you are registered. In early April, participants will receive a detailed training schedule, addresses of training venues and a pre-course assignment which you will bring to the course. 

Contact me with any other course questions. 

Meanwhile, the training team is looking forward to seeing you.

Monique Rigole

Hospitalero Training Coordinator, Calgary

Calgary, April 2019