[Gocamino] Fw: Noticias desde Santiago

Wed Dec 29 09:10:31 PST 2010

Hi Bridget,
This is a dilemma, indeed. Of course we love the Camino and would like to preserve it as the historical and spiritual jewel that it is....... and then.
The daughter of friends of mine in Seville and three friends recently came to New York to visit. All four are multilingual and have graduate degrees, with honors, and have spent the last 18 months looking for a job...... Any job!
Their despair at their scant job prospects actually led them to go to the Brasilian consulate to inquire about emigrating there to find work (Brasil, at present, has zero unemployment, zero foreign debt and their national economy is growing and growing).  If, as reported, Seville is economically better off than other provinces in Spain I can just imagine the conditions in Galicia and other parts of the country.
This is a conundrum that begs the famous question: "What would Jesus do?".
In my view, the only action that pilgrims can take is that being advocated by the Associations: a careful vigilance to ascertain, as much as possible, that the pursuit of profit for its own sake does not sacrifice an irreplaceable human and spiritual heritage.
And then, didn't Jesus say: "Wherever you meet in my name there shall be a church"?  
Doesn't it follow that wherever a pilgrim takes to the road "Pietatis Causa" to the tomb of the Apostle in Compostela there will be a Camino?
Hugs!

-----Original Message-----
From: Bridget Highfill <highbell at sbcglobal.net>
To: gocamino <gocamino at oakapple.net>
Sent: Tue, Dec 28, 2010 10:24 pm
Subject: [Gocamino] Fw: Noticias desde Santiago

When you buy bread and cheese in Spain, that also helps the local economy.  In 
ome of the small towns, the stores and cafes need business just as the 
estaurants do.  There are enough pilgrims to use all of the modest amenities 
he Camino has.  Don't feel guilty.  It is always nice to travel, no matter how 
t is done.
ridget

----- Forwarded Message ----
rom: Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com>
o: ayoung2001 at yahoo.com; gocamino at oakapple.net
ent: Tue, December 28, 2010 10:28:19 AM
ubject: Re: [Gocamino] Noticias desde Santiago

 couple of related thoughts...
    As Ana wrote, most of us, the pilgrims, are indeed the privileged, and I am 
ure that many Spaniards consider us so.  But I also know that many of us on the 
Camino have made real sacrifices to be there.  Even though I, like many others, 
m on a very tight budget when walking the Camino, I still have the feeling that 
many Spaniards think of me as a "Rich American".  A person I met in Fisterra 
nce told me that she didn't think it right when she saw peregrinos buy some 
heese, bread, and other food and sit out on the beach or a bench and eat 
ecause they should be spending money in the local restaurants.  I did not 
ention that I was one of those types because I could not afford to eat very 
any times in a restaurant, and even then it was the typical "menu del dia".  
ut privilege is relative, and we do, after all,  have enough resources and time 
to travel to that beautiful foreign land and walk the Camino.
The Economic Development thing is a different issue.
    The graffiti that I saw on the Camino Aragon was spray painted on the walls 
y and for the local consumption, not the pilgrims.  I or other pilgrims did not 
know what it meant when we saw "NO YESA" scribbled and splashed about.  I only 
ound out a week or two later when I saw the petition that was for the pilgrims 
o sign.
   I worked for many years as a transportation planner and economic development 
is used as a prime reason for construction of infrastructure, but does not 
lways lead to long term employment gains.  There is a real boost during actual 
onstruction sure, but then, many times the unemployment problem just shifts 
rom one area to another.  There are a lot of "It depends" factors, and it is 
at least here in the USA) far from being a sure fire solution to prosperity... 
lthough a very few people will get very wealthy from these types of projects.
   It should also be understood that constructing an industrial park or major 
ransportation facility permanently changes the area.  So if you destroy areas 
f historical significance that are centuries or millennium old, you have to 
onsider that you will never get it back again.  When I was walking on that long 
stretch of Roman road between Carrion de los Condes and Sahagun, I wondered what 
have we constructed that will still be around and functional 2000 years from 
ow?  Modern economic development construction is by nature "short term".  Look 
t the ruins of the once great industrial city of Detroit, Michigan compared to 
hat it was just 50 years ago.  I recall reading that around the time of World 
ar One, when airplanes were increasing in importance, the British government 
onsidered dismantling Stone Henge because it was interfering with some air 
ield.  The question for Spain and us, in general, is what significance, what 
mportance, is historic preservation to all!
 of us as a species.
Happy New Year to you all  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glenn

 Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:13:04 -0800
 From: ayoung2001 at yahoo.com
 To: gocamino at oakapple.net
 Subject: Re: [Gocamino] Noticias desde Santiago

 Indeed it is sad news, but (yes, there is a "but"), I'm afraid that according 
to every expert opinion, the particular economic news we hear now is not going 
to be quite as short-term as previous ones. I will miss the unsurpassed beauty 
of everything I saw as well as anyone, but the concerns of millions -- and 
eventually billions -- of unemployed and desperate people will surpass those of 
>pilgrims -- now the privileged among us.

 Bless all this special season.

 Ana

 --- On Sun, 12/26/10, Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com> wrote:

 > From: Glenn Jilek <guha2005 at hotmail.com>
 > Subject: Re: [Gocamino] Noticias desde Santiago
 > To: "GASpangler at hotmail.com" <gaspangler at hotmail.com>, 
"saintjames at yahoogroups.com" <saintjames at yahoogroups.com>, gocamino at oakapple.net
 > Date: Sunday, December 26, 2010, 8:15 AM
 > 
 > While walking the Camino Aragone in 2009 I saw a lot of
 > graffiti condemning the expansion of the Yesa Reservoir, and
 > later signed a petition about it that was circulating
 > through some refugios.  Wasn't the construction of that
 > industrial park around O Pino halted a couple of years ago
 > because of the uproar of Pro Camino people?
 >  
 > With the bad economic times facing Spain, it will be a
 > battle of money and employment vs historical
 > treasures.  I hope and pray that this organization of
 > Camino advocates can succeed because the short term concerns
 > about the economy usually wins those battles. 
 >  
 > I will be on the Camino again for almost 7 weeks starting
 > in late April, and I will appreciate every step through this
 > beautiful land more than ever now that I know how threatened
 > it is.
 >  
 > Glenn
 > 
 > 
 >    
 >        
 >          
 >  
 > _______________________________________________
 > Gocamino mailing list
 > Gocamino at oakapple.net
 > http://mailman.oakapple.net/mailman/listinfo/gocamino
 > 

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