Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrimage Through History, Tradition, and Timeless Wonders

A marked trail on the Camino de Santiago

Introduction: 

'You don’t even know anything about the Camino de Santiago, so why do you want to do it?' My American-born daughter, Cintty, was puzzled when she heard about my impulsive Camino adventure.

After my memoir, From Tea to Coffee, was published, she has closely followed my past, present, and everything in between, and she's right about that. I had never heard of the Camino de Santiago before; in fact, I didn't even understand what those Spanish words meant until Father Kevin’s invitation appeared in my inbox.

I also shared the Camino idea with my Chinese friends. “What’s the point?” they asked. “You can walk the long, quiet, tree-lined greenway behind your house.” I was speechless because I knew my thoughts about the de Santiago way would sound absurd to them, which only made it seem all the more dubious to me.

However, my daughter’s inquisitiveness and my friends’ responses prompted me to start writing this series of articles, first with the question to myself: How does someone like me—born and raised halfway around the world, outside of Western theology and tradition—decide to cross the Atlantic to walk this inherently religious path?

In this series of personal narratives, I intend to explore my own mental processes—from receiving the invitation to rushing into commitment, and from anxiety to ecstasy--to share my excitement and doubts before departing, the insights or disillusionment I encounter along the way, and the possibility of transcendence when I reach the destination. At least, I hope to achieve the inner peace that I’m desperately searching for. If I do, it will make the pilgrimage truly one of a kind for me — and, hopefully, for others.

Whether you're planning an exciting adventure or simply inquisitive about this soul-stirring experience, my blog aims to offer an honest glimpse into its rich history, vibrant culture, and unparalleled charm—all through an outsider’s eyes.

 Part 1. Camino de Santiago: Pre-Departure Practice

Three weeks before our hiking boots hit the Camino (on Oct 19th), Father Kevin emailed us (a group of seventeen Notre Dame Inspired Leadership Initiative fellows) to highlight the importance of pre-departure thoughts. He wrote to us:

“An important part of making any cross-cultural engagement a learning experience is to name expectations and concerns about it in advance. Writing about your expectations can help clarify your intent in joining the Heart’s Desire Camino. Above all, note that pre-departure thoughts only determine one thing: self-awareness.”

Fr. Kevin’s Camino idea came precisely at the time I was seeking something—although I still did not know what it was I was searching for.

After exploring my Hakka roots in China, I wrote an extended essay, titled “Neither Here Nor There,” featured in the summer 2024 issue of Notre Dame Magazine. In it, I interrogated my past with the question: “Are you a tourist or a pilgrim?” Investigating my heritage sparked a new life-affirming journey, leading me to ask: What comes next?

Most amazingly, right after my essay went out, Notre Dame Global Center sponsored me to attend a six-day inaugural writer's retreat at Kylemore Abbey in Galway, Ireland, to write an article about Kylemore Abbey. 

During my stay at Kylemore Abbey, I had the opportunity to interview Mother Karol O’Connell, OSB. I recall the question I raised to her: “The world is grappling with moral dilemmas and deep flaws,” I began, posing a question that had long confounded me. “Our flaws arise from our insatiable desires for power, wealth, and fame. The truth is that none of these ultimately matters, even when people attain them. What might help us regain moral balance?”

“A monastic life will help,” Mother Karol said confidently. “Everyone should experience a monastic life. You reflect on the spiritual aspect as human beings to escape artificial material thoughts, even occasionally.”

Interview Mother Karol O'Connell in Kylemore Abbey

My brief and serendipitous one-week stay at Kylemore Abbey reflected how far I've come in just a few years. It opened a new path of growth that combines insights from both the West and the East, helping me overcome self-doubt while adding new meaning to my life.

I was determined to keep exploring this newfound path. But where was I to begin?

Opportunities often come to those who seek them. And it happened to me again. Coincidentally, providentially, and quite miraculously, the invitation to walk the Camino arrived in my inbox. I responded to Fr. Kevin with an emphatic “yes” that same day without much thought. The subject of Fr. Kevin’s email, The Heart’s Desire Camino, was enough to spark my imagination and stir my soul—this was precisely what I was looking for!

I could envision walking the Camino as my six-day monastic retreat. If only briefly, I want to step away from my friends and the communities I’ve been part of for decades. But most of all, I want to stop seeking validation from others (which is often fake anyway), stop folding to the will and rules of leaders, stop agonizing about the gnarly, finicky world, and stop feeling hopeless about being a cross-cultural messenger. I want to relearn who I truly am by turning inward. For once, I want to be that selfish jerk and focus on me. It’s about time!

My Eastern influence from the Daoist nature-centered idea that advocates for “withdrawal from daily routine through non-action” quickly comes to mind:

“A way of life is meant to be simple, unpretentious, and harmonious.” -- Daoist text.