Hospitalero Training Schedule for 2015

If you had a wonderful time on the camino and are looking for a way to give back, we are again offering hospitalero training. What could be better than greeting pilgrims, making them comfortable, and helping them on their way the next day. It's a very rewarding experience and well over 100 Canadians have returned to Spain and France to volunteer. If you'd like to read a little more about this extraordinary experience, just scroll down the blog. Reports from the 2014 season have come in from Foncebadon, Pieros, Zamora and Nájera to name a few.

To register for the training in Calgary, March 20-22, you will find the registration form here. For Toronto March 27 - 29, click here.  And for training in Halifax from May 1-3, 2015, click here. There will be no training on the west coast this year until the autumn. Dates will for this will be announced later.

Tom will be conducting the training this year with help from experienced hospitaleros so there will be new stories and we guarantee and great experience. The weekends run from Friday evening, including a welcome Spanish dinner, to the closing on Sunday with members of the local community joining in.  Do not hesitate to contact Tom if you have any questions. His email is included on the registration form.

Canadians are going to Spain again!!

This is always an exciting time of the year as the hospitaleros voluntarios are posted to albergues in Sapin and France. So far, we have three people posted to Rabanal for Canada fortnight.....June 15 - July 1. Ingrid has been posted to Miraz and Sally to Zamora. You can keep up to date with postings by checking here. And please, if you receive a posting let me know and I will add your name to our list. You can contact me at maryvirtue at shaw . ca

Hospitalero Rap Song from Santa and Roslyn

After we hiked the Camino Portuguese and then volunteered out 2 weeks in Najara, we flew to Santa’s sister in South Africa. When we landed in Cape Town SA, and met her sister, we immediately, in the airport, started singing our rapsong, swinging “Najara umbrellas”, with back packs and  hiking boots on, doing prepracticed actions in sync with each other.  Everyone stopped to watch, so fun. Here are the words

The Peregrino Rap

We came a long way

To do this play

Our trip was hard

The leaning played a big part

 

The walk was sometimes strenuous

For people like us two geniuses

And the “carrot” at the end

Was this new fashion trend

Of boots made for the road

And everything we need in this load

 

So when you take us to Franshook

You better get used to this look

In Kruger it will be the norm

When we walk like this at dawn

 

New friends were made the whole time through

Now we are here to stay with you.

We trekked through Portugal and Spain

We even tried to like the rain

Soon toilets and showers became our reality

Any longer and it would be our fatality

What we need now is care and fun

After this whole charade is done

 

Roslyn and Santa