In this blog post, I’d like to share my experience walking the Camino de Santiago and what that journey meant to me.

Camino de Santiago

I am an introvert. I prefer sitting indoors, quietly listening to music and reading a book, to running around outdoors, and I prefer maintaining close relationships with one or two people rather than getting to know a wide variety of people. While people generally think that travel is something active and extroverted people enjoy, I, as an introvert, also love to travel. However, the kind of travel I seek is different from what they seek. Rather than a craving for new people or environments, I prefer trips that offer quiet, secluded spaces and a serene atmosphere—a way to escape reality. I enjoy walking and strolling quietly, taking in the local scenery and reflecting on life.
After entering college and gaining some financial freedom, I began traveling frequently. Starting with a trip to Nae-il-ro with friends before college, I took a European tour through France, Italy, and Spain during my freshman year. After that, I joined a travel club and explored various domestic destinations such as Jecheon, Gongju, Daegwallyeong, and Seokmodo. Then, I happened to hear about a pilgrimage route called the “Camino de Santiago.”
“Camino de Santiago” means “the Way to Santiago” in Spanish and refers to a pilgrimage route that starts from various points in Europe and ends in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It is known as the site of the tomb of James, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, and pilgrims have been walking this path for a long time. The journey typically begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in southern France, and pilgrims must walk a distance of over 800 km to reach their destination.
From the moment I first heard about it, I was captivated by the allure of this path. Although it is a grueling journey—taking over 40 days to walk a distance of just over 800 km, which is farther than a round trip between Seoul and Busan—the sense of accomplishment I imagined feeling upon reaching my destination, step by step, was enough to lift my spirits. Another major attraction was the opportunity it offered for self-reflection during the long journey. I suggested to a friend I’d known since high school that we go together, and he readily agreed—and that’s how my journey on the Camino de Santiago began.

The End of My Wandering

The greatest appeal of the Camino de Santiago is the opportunity to reflect on oneself during the long journey. At that time, I was wandering aimlessly at a crossroads in my life. The major I’d chosen based on my test scores didn’t suit me, and my grades had hit rock bottom. The more my grades dropped, the harder it was to focus on school, and as my interest waned, my grades fell even further—a vicious cycle that repeated itself. Eventually, with my parents’ permission, I decided to take a leave of absence to take a break from my chaotic academic life, which had continued through the second semester of my sophomore year.
Contrary to my expectations, the leave of absence wasn’t the solution. The respite I finally found after so much suffering was so sweet that I became complacent, and it led to a life of debauchery. It was during this time that I embarked on a spontaneous journey—the Camino de Santiago. In the early days of the trip, it was so grueling—walking about eight hours a day on bumpy roads and rugged mountain trails—that I found myself wondering, “Is this what it feels like to be a refugee fleeing a war?” I was so mentally drained just from the physical exertion that I couldn’t think of anything else. At that time, despite my earlier resolve to reflect on my life, I focused solely on walking, my mind completely blank.
But as I began to get used to walking, I was finally able to reflect on myself. I asked myself over and over again: What do I want to do? What am I good at? Although I didn’t find complete answers to those questions after the trip ended, I was at least able to find a direction for which path to take. The Camino de Santiago was a journey that put an end to my long period of wandering and allowed me to make a fresh start.

Buen Camino

A typical day on the pilgrimage is very simple. Around 5:00 a.m., I’d wake up to the sounds of other pilgrims setting out, get ready to leave before sunrise, and around 5:30 a.m., breathing in the still morning air, I’d begin walking quietly toward that day’s destination. Since this was the quietest time of the day, I’d often walk while reflecting on why I’d set out on this path and what I might gain at its end.
By around 10 a.m., the sun is already quite intense, and I keenly feel how exhausting the walk has become. At times like this, I would suddenly wonder, “I wonder if this is how people felt when they set out on their journey of refuge.” When I met fellow pilgrims walking the same path, we often exchanged the greeting “Buen Camino,” which means “Have a good journey.” Having said and heard this phrase countless times along the way, even now—more than two years after my journey ended—I still can’t forget that greeting.
Sometimes I walk until as late as 3:00 p.m., but I usually arrive at my next destination around 1:00 p.m. Once there, I find a place to stay, check in, do some laundry or take a shower, and have lunch. Afterward, I enjoy some alone time, either chatting with other travelers at the same lodging or reading a book. Around 6:00 p.m., as the sun begins to set, I savor a leisurely dinner, and that marks the end of the day.
At first glance, this might seem like a monotonous routine, but it’s anything but. That’s because every day, new and breathtaking natural landscapes await us. We’ve crossed mountains while passing herds of freely roaming cows, pigs, and sheep, and in some villages, the thick fog created a landscape that looked as if clouds were spread out beneath our feet, giving us the illusion of walking on clouds. We’ve gazed longingly at the red dawn sky, and at night, we’ve marveled at the dazzling night sky, filled with an unimaginable number of stars and the Milky Way.

As the Journey Comes to an End

If the weight of life ever begins to crush you, I urge you to set out on the Camino de Santiago and leave everything behind. By the time you’ve walked this path and arrived in Santiago, you’ll have shed the worries that once weighed you down and will be moving toward tomorrow with a lighter step.