Could You Be a Hospitalero? Yes, You Can!
Could You Be a Hospitalero? Yes, You Can!
by Daniel De Kay | Sebastopol, CA
Many of us, once we’ve finished our Camino, have a strong desire to keep the pilgrim experience fresh in our lives. We recall the time spent with fellow pilgrims in albergues along the way, the meals we cooked together, the often-emotional talks we had with people who but a few days ago were strangers to us. We think of the hospitaleros who welcomed us to this or that albergue. We wonder, “Could I do that”?
Well, yes you can. Most of us have stayed in a variety of albergues—some are run by a local Camino association, some are private businesses, some are parochial, some are looked after by religious or other organizations.
The earliest albergues were known as hospitals and were typically associated with a monastery or convent. There pilgrims could rest and recuperate, be taken care of if they were ill or dying from an illness or injury suffered along the Way. From the term hospital comes the word hospitality, the “generous reception of guests, visitors or strangers.” Hence the hospitalero is the person who looks after the albergue and the pilgrims who shelter there.
Most of us remember a particular hospitalero. Perhaps it was their welcoming smile, the glass of cool water they offered, the lower bunk they found for us, or a memorable meal they provided. An hospitalero is all this and more. We keep the albergue clean and stocked with necessities, we welcome pilgrims, we provide information, we listen to their stories and concerns; we are there, simply, for the pilgrims. And yes, you can do it. The American Pilgrims on the Camino hospitalero training courses are put on by a dedicated team of volunteer trainers.
Our courses are modeled after those provided by the Federación Española de Asociaciones de Amigos del Camino de Santiago. The Federation provides volunteer hospitaleros to almost two dozen donativo albergues along the Camino Francés, Aragonés, and Via de la Plata. A donativo albergue is one where reservations are not taken, pilgrims are provided a place to sleep and sometimes a meal, and no specific fee is charged. The albergue runs on donations that pilgrims leave in thanks for the shelter and hospitality they have received.
If you are interested in training as an hospitalero or hospitalera, please consider taking one of our courses. They are offered four times per year in different regions of the country. The courses often fill within the first few hours of registration opening, so it’s wise to be online and ready to sign up the moment registration opens. Learn more about the American Pilgrims hospitalero training program here.
