This Time, the End is the Beginning

The end is now the beginning. It’s time to close my chapter of limiting beliefs and feeling stuck and begin writing a new chapter on a blank canvas.

I find myself writing from Santiago de Compostela, the famous ending point of the Camino de Santiago. Those who have followed my journey know that I’ve walked numerous Camino de Santiago routes across Spain, Portugal, and even my home state in Wisconsin (the Wisconsin Way).

I’ve had the privilege to be a pilgrim and arrive in Santiago de Compostela only to collapse and cry in front of the Cathedral in the energetic plaza of Praza do Obradoiro. It has been an honor to be surrounded by fellow pilgrims who walk to seek healing, closure, or maybe even a celebration of something grand.

Walking the Camino de Santiago for the first time in 2022 changed my life and the way has called me back numerous times since then.

Today I walked to Praza do Obradoiro not as a pilgrim with my backpack but as a quick passing to simply say thank you as I begin navigating this exciting journey of temporary residence in Spain. My dream is to hopefully make this move a permanent one.

Nine months ago I began my visa application with NALCAP (North American Language and Culture Assistants Program) to teach English in Spain. I started the journey before I boarded a plane to walk the Camino de Invierno. Like all big decisions in my life, I find the Camino the perfect place to reflect and a safe space to walk with my thoughts. So I gathered all my paperwork, set-up my account, started the long visa process, and went on a long walk.

Morriña – The Calling

While walking the Camino de Invierno this past winter I knew I wanted to set up roots in Galicia. I stayed at a lovely Albergue towards the end of the Camino de Invierno, Albergue – Casa Leiras 1866. While I was gushing my love for Galicia to the kind owner, she informed of the word Morriña. The word is said to be the most beautiful word in Galician and I began to delve into its meaning.

The literal translation of Morriña is to be homesick. It’s a melancholy word that Galicians have when they miss their homeland, but I found a beautiful article that explained it best (which I can no longer find online). The article said, it was simply to “miss her.” This definition shook something in the depths in my soul and it clicked as to what the power of the word Morriña meant.

I have walked many Camino de Santiago routes, all which twist through and end in Galicia. As soon as you cross into Galicia, something changes.

In Galicia, the air is different, the culture and language are different, the weather resembles something more like Ireland. It’s so green, always. There is something noticeably different yet special about Galicia. Every time I walk a Camino, I can’t wait to reach Galicia. Not because it’s the end of the journey, but rather it’s because I want to walk alongside her. I feel connected to something deeper in “her” presence.

People always say that walking the Camino is walking home to yourself. For me, I find this the most comforting in the quiet corners of the Galicia countryside. She offers magic in her enchanted forests, there is something refreshing about her rivers, there is an ancient connection to the land from the druid cultures who lived here far before the Romans arrived. Her seas can be rugged, but oh so inviting and her green hillsides roll for as long as the eyes can see. You can’t help but be moved by her allurement. She allows us to be enchanted with her selflessly. It’s almost as if she lifts a veil and I am connected to something greater in the universe.

So when it came time to submit my application, I knew where I wanted to call home. I picked Galicia as my first choice because she had been calling me time after time again.

The Long Road to a Visa

The visa process is long with lots of unknowns. I came home from Spain with a more powerful drive to call this place home. I did something I hadn’t done in years and picked up a serving job for the summer to provide some cushion on moving expenses, because moving a four-legged kid across the pond is more expensive than you think.

I worked as much as I physically and mentally could. My website took a back burner, but it didn’t matter, my eyes and heart were set on my end goal. Finally, in the middle of July I got my acceptance letter to begin my visa process. The cherry on top, I had been assigned to two small villages in the Rías Baixas, one of my absolute favorite regions of Galicia.

I will be next to the powerful sea with rolling hillsides as a backdrop. There are numerous hiking paths, dog friendly beaches, and I’m a short distance from the windswept protected landscapes of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. I’m also helping to teach pre-college students, so to say I was placed perfectly is an understatement.

My visa application went smoothly and more quickly than I expected. I had my visa in my hands by mid August and booked my one-way ticket to Spain for the first days of September.

Donaji

My goal is to bring my pup Donaji to join me on this next adventure. I have arrived in Spain to seek out a place for both of us and get all the kinks out before she lands. She has definitely changed the way I travel and this visa acts as a gift to slowly integrate her into my lifestyle.

My little rescue pup from the mountains of Oaxaca has spent the last three years in US and in the coming months she will have a European Pet Passport. I hope she finds as much peace and healing here in Galicia as I have.

She is currently staying with my parents until I find a flight that works for us both. I am also thankful that my parents are caring for her and taking the long and might I say rather inconvenient path to have her join me.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful family who offers so much love and support for me to follow my dreams. They have provided a safe and caring space for both Donaji and me while I navigated through a tough period of feeling a bit lost and constantly out of place. They encouraged me to follow my heart, even though it meant I would be farther away and everyone would see us both less. For that, I am extremely grateful and recognize what a gift this is.

No matter where I land, it is a blessing to have such a huge support system from my parents to my sister. My little family is a fierce foundation.

The Next Steps

So now, I will do what I know best. I will take one more long walk before the school year starts. I plan on spending time walking in the mountains before I come back and set up “temporary-permanent roots.”

I’ve lugged all that I own in four bags totaling 100 pounds. I gave away everything but the necessities. The truth is, we don’t really need much at all and I still feel like I overpacked. 😉

This walk already feels different. I have no fear, anxiety, or doubt in my next steps. I am not seeking healing or guidance. My steps are not weary and my footing is not unsure. These two weeks in the mountains is a celebration of my hard work over the past months and gratitude to writing a chapter that feels more than right. I walk with confidence and trust, knowing that the best is yet to come.

After my times in the mountains I will return to “her” where she will be welcoming with arms wide open at the sea. She will offer me a space to grow and maybe one day, I will have the honor to finally call her home.

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