Traveling Tips?

[jesusalright4me]

Perhaps this is the wrong thread…but I feel I need to share this.

I have wanted to travel ever since my early college years. I keep feeling this inexpressible desire to travel to Europe, to see the beautiful cathedrals of France, Spain, Italy, especially Poland and more. Especially France. I want to go to the Holy Land too, but I think I want to go to Europe more.

The problem is, I’m graduating in 2018. When mission trip leaders or study abroad programs used to approach me and say “you may as well do this now because you won’t have time after college” I used to to think they were trying to make a quick buck. But now that I think about it, they’re right! I’m beginning to fear that after college if I start settling down, getting a job, and starting a family, I won’t have anytime for a pilgrimage to these beautiful sites.

But of course, money is tight, so I thought I’d ask on CAF, do any of you know of any good programs focused on bringing people to other countries for religious pilgrimage? Any tips on raising money? This is such an ardent desire of mine, it almost feels like God is calling me there (I’ll have to start praying about this). Otherwise, I’d love to hear your stories of travel if you wish to share

 

[ShrodingersCat]

Perhaps this is the wrong thread…but I feel I need to share this.

I have wanted to travel ever since my early college years. I keep feeling this inexpressible desire to travel to Europe, to see the beautiful cathedrals of France, Spain, Italy, especially Poland and more. Especially France. I want to go to the Holy Land too, but I think I want to go to Europe more.

The problem is, I’m graduating in 2018. When mission trip leaders or study abroad programs used to approach me and say “you may as well do this now because you won’t have time after college” I used to to think they were trying to make a quick buck. But now that I think about it, they’re right! I’m beginning to fear that after college if I start settling down, getting a job, and starting a family, I won’t have anytime for a pilgrimage to these beautiful sites.

But of course, money is tight, so I thought I’d ask on CAF, do any of you know of any good programs focused on bringing people to other countries for religious pilgrimage? Any tips on raising money? This is such an ardent desire of mine, it almost feels like God is calling me there (I’ll have to start praying about this). Otherwise, I’d love to hear your stories of travel if you wish to share

OK so I don’t know of any religious programs, but a quick tip is that I travelled around Europe a bit after college. I’m Irish so flights were dirt cheap. Central and eastern Europe are really cheap. You can live comfortably on 40 euro a day including hostel accommodation. We got the train between major cities.

There are tricks, like stay in Bratislava and get the train to more expensive Vienna from there.

Western Europe is more expensive. Scandinavia is really expensive, especially Sweden and Norway.

There is one non religious program I know of called AIESEC. I did that. I taught English in Hungary for 4 weeks in a summer camp but they have a tonne of programs that they need volunteers for. I think you pay for flights and then accom is provided.

 

[CRM_Brother]

I would definitely suggest the Camino de Santiago if you are willing to do a little work. It is the ancient pilgrimage route across Spain from the French Pyrenees to the tomb of St. James the Greater in Santiago de Compostella.The modern route is a little more than 800km and is usually done in about 33 days but you can spend any amount of time to do the walk and start from any place on the trail. The good thing about starting at the French border is that it is only 50km from Lourdes so it is easy to make the pilgrimage before you start. The Camino is extremely safe, even if you travel alone because all the other walkers watch each others backs. You meet people from all over the wold. I became friends with people from England, France, South Korea, Ireland, Switzerland, and Italy when I was on the Camino and would do it again in a heart beat. As long term pilgrimages go, it is one of the cheapest since the Spanish government runs hostels, known as albergues along the Camino specifically for pilgrims, which are nice and clean if a bit basic. Almost all the state albergues run for 10 euros or less a night. Private albergues can go for up to 15 and some albergues are run by the parishes as ministries and operate solely on donations. Some monastaries and convents even open their doors to pilgrims and I know of one that even conducts 2 day silent retreats for those who wish spend time in prayer.

All in all, you can probably get by on 30 euros a day or less if you buy your food at a market and cook it yourself in the albergue kitchen. Sometimes these are the best meals you will eat because you usually end up pooling your resources with the other walkers and come out with an excelent meal and good company for the rest of the night. Language barriers usually fall away over food and cooking can turn into a game of charades, which usually is good fun.

You go through some amazing cities like Pamplona, Burgos, and Santiago. It is also very easy to go down into Portugal from the endpoint, Santiago de Compostella, as there is a bus that goes directly to Fatima and it is very easy to either go north to Porto (which I highly reccomend) or go south to Lisbon by railway. Sadly it is nearly impossible to get from Santiago to Portugal by train due to the different sizes of the tracks.

If you are interested, there is a good movie that was made by Martin Sheen about the Camino which, believe it or not, is very similar to the real Camino journey. I actually met the albergue owner the character “El Ramon” was based on.

Either way, I don’t think you would regret it if you did the Camino.

God Bless,
Br. Ben

P.S. Please excuse any grammar mistakes. I’m trying to type this on my phone.

 

[GEddie]

Good tip about the Camino.

A friend and I are thinking about doing that. However, as we are in North America, this would be anything but cheap.

I also did not know that about Portugal and the train tracks.

ICXC NIKA

 

[CRM_Brother]

If you are looking at the Camino and want to try and reduce the cost, you may wish to look into a volunteer worker program through the various Camino associations. There are programs where you work at one of the albergues or the pilgrim facilities in Santiago for a month or two and they help to relieve some of the cost. Some of the volunteers had stated that they have had part of their travel expenses paid by the associations. I know that they are frequently looking for help. My friend and I were even approached by one of the leadership of the Americans on the Camino group to see if we would be willing to help after we had talked with her at the Compostella office. Unfortunately both my friend and I were entering our respective Orders that coming year and were unable to take her up on the offer. I have even heard of some members of the Camino associations donating money to something like a scholarship fund to belp those who wish to go but are not financially able to. People bend over backwards to help others while on the Camino. Many also take this attitude back with them into their daily lives.

I’ll be praying for you!
Br. Ben