I am now in a village called Carrión de los Condes. It is a very cool place and I am staying in one of the coolest albergues I’ve been to yet. However, the beds look suspect to bed bugs (here’s to hoping!). I ended up running into my classmate Vida and they informed me that a couple of others (Phil and Shiloh) are nearby. Thus, I am beginning to feel less lonely and even beyond running into Vida I am begging to open myself up more to fellow pilgrims. Vida gave me good perspective when they said that a good way to battle homesickness is to view each chapter of your life is a life of its own. It reminded me of a conversation that I got into with an Italian man (it feels weird to be mentioning everyone’s nationalities but I do so just because I am excited to be meeting people from all over the world) who was talking to me about how the Camino showed him the importance of constant arrivals. As his speech got more passionate he at one point picked up a rock and put it in my face and said “this, this is MY Camino.”

Also, I am battling the harsh reality of having to rest my torn quad from skating or else it will turn into something nastier. That one is hard because if I don’t skate everyday I constantly feel like I am missing something. Oh well.