VT Camino de Santiago Study Abroad

Monday memes on Tuesday. After a long day on the trail, we all know this feeling.🙃What was your toughest day?

The Cathedral of Santiago is a landmark you know quite well if you have walked the Camino. This beautiful structure holds centuries of history, and has greeted tens of thousands of pilgrims for centuries at the end of their journey. Legend says that the tomb of the apostle St. James was rediscovered in 814 AD, where the cathedral now stands.

Construction of the cathedral went through many phases, including the original being burned down shortly after its construction in 997. Luckily, the reconstruction of the Cathedral we know today started less than a century after the accident in 1075, with even more additions added to this giant church until the 18th century.

When making your way to Plaza Obradoiro, the last few steps of the Camino are filled with a mix of excitement, exhaustion and euphoria. You’ll hear the booming sound of the Gaitas (bagpipes) filling the air and carrying you to the final stage of your walk.

Staring up at this large construction for the first time brings a sense of peace and accomplishment. You’ll see many people in the square of all ages, nationalities, and walks of life celebrating the same thing: The completion of their Camino journey.

Many people along The Way decide to take this adventure for different reasons. For everyone, the Cathedral of Santiago acts as a North Star, guiding every pilgrim who steps foot on the Camino to the same destination, and providing the same comfort of looking up at the spires at the end and saying, “I did that!”

This post is dedicated to the Iron Cross. This is a landmark you will come across on your travels. The purpose here is to leave your burdens at the cross and literally walk away from them. I wrote my troubles on a rock and my fellow peregrino left his Viking hat. But a special moment that happened here is an interaction I had with a stranger.
Earlier in the day I saw an older gentleman hiking with a beautiful yellow scarf. I thought to myself how lovely the scarf was and went on my way. Later in the day I saw him at the cross. I put my rock down with my troubles written on it when the man taps me on the shoulder as I’m walking away and asks me to take a picture of him and his “darling dearest wife” holding up the yellow scarf. I took a picture of him and his beautiful wife represented as the yellow scarf. He told me his wife passed away and he is leaving her scarf behind to let go of the sadness and grief he has been harboring and will now continue to live a full life the way his wife would have wanted him to. He was doing the Camino for her. It was one of the most beautiful moments I experienced on the trail. I think of him often and hope he is living a big beautiful life in his wife’s memory. 💛 (you can see the scarf in picture # 2)
Let this be a reminder that you never know what people are going through and to be kind always. 🫂

Got a post card today from a former peregrina who is now off hiking through Europe. I loved the card because she said how the Camino gave her the confidence to go hike in Cyprus the Swiss Alps and Turkey. The Camino is your springboard to see the world. Join us this summer!

Some little (and big) friends made along the way! 🐮🐌🐈🐕🐎🐐

First stop on our itinerary is Madrid! We flew in to Madrid and got to spend a few days here before we took the train to Léon to start the Camino! 🇪🇸
Here are some highlights:
1-4: the Royal Palace of Madrid! 🏰 the Current King and Queen, Felipe VI and Letizia, got married here and there are over 3,400 rooms!
5-7: Puerta del Sol! ☀️ Meaning “the Suns Gate” this is the exact center of Spain known as Km 0 from which all roads are measured from. You will find these historic landmarks
5: The bear and the strawberry tree: make sure you touch his tail for good luck! 🐻🌲🍓
6: Tio Pepe: iconic symbol for Madrid
7: Equestrian Statue of Charles III
8-10: Reina Sofia a famous art Museum in Madrid 🖼️🎨ft.
9: Picasso’s Guernica
10: Salvador Dalí painting
11: Parque de El Buen Retiro where you can rent boats and enjoy hanging out in nature! 🛶🌸

What is up people!!?! My name is Maddy Burke, a 2023 Pilgram, and I will be taking over the Camino Instagram for the month of November!!🤘🏼Heres a little bit about me so we can get to know each other better… I graduated from Virginia Tech in 2023 with a B.S. in Human, Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Scince and completed the VT Camino right after I graduated! Now I’m currently getting my M.S. of Athletic Training at Hofstra University on Long Island and graduate in May 2026! But will be coming back to VT for to complete my clinical immersion in athletic traing for the 2026 spring semester! I love to workout, run, paint, hike, cook and read. I take a lot of selfies and slay is in my everyday vocabulary. I love new experiences and living a whole lotta life!! The Camnio changed my life in more ways than one and I am so excited to share my experience on here! If anyone has any questions or wants to chat about my experience please reach out! Hope you all enjoy my takeover!! 🌄🥾🪻🍁🇪🇸💛⛰️

The application portal is still open to apply for Camino ‘26 - you’re only a few clicks away from the trip of a life time 😄💖 - APPLY HERE: https:// sa.globaleducation.vt.edu/_portal/tds-program-brochure?programid=11502

We can’t often discern what truly matters until we feel the weight of a backpack that’s too heavy. :-)