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<P>Russ, Ana, Howard</P></DIV>
<P>I believe we are on the same path and I haven't been on the camino, yet! <STRONG>Getting started </STRONG>for one...Happiness is in the journey, not the destination. Ana, we may meet up in Spain, for living abroad is my dream too. Howard, I know now that I can do things that I thought were impossible, thank you. Russ, you're a cool dude.</P></DIV>
<P>We shall meet someday soon in our travels or maybe in our dreams!</P>
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<P>Rae<BR><BR></P>
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<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Ana Young <AYOUNG2001aYAHOO.COM>
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<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
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<DIV></DIV>>To: GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu
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<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: Post Camino stuff
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<DIV></DIV>>Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 04:22:08 -0700
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<DIV></DIV>>
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<DIV></DIV>>Russ, I second the congratulations for your first
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<DIV></DIV>>skydiving experience as an ex-pilgrim (the first of
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<DIV></DIV>>more?). Welcome home, yes, it is a very disorienting
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<DIV></DIV>>experience. Take advantage of this down time to
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<DIV></DIV>>reflect on it, write your diaries, communicate with us
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<DIV></DIV>>and plan the next one. Trying to "force" it out of
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<DIV></DIV>>your system if it just won't leave makes no sense to
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<DIV></DIV>>me.
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<DIV></DIV>>
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<DIV></DIV>>I was whisked off to Japan almost before I had a
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<DIV></DIV>>chance to breathe when I got back from my first
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<DIV></DIV>>Camino, and it has had a strange effect on my
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<DIV></DIV>>experience here. It's only now, almost a year later
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<DIV></DIV>>and almost time to leave, that I finally feel like
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<DIV></DIV>>tuning in a little to the touristic wonders around
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<DIV></DIV>>here. A pilgrim needs the down time in a non-stressful
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<DIV></DIV>>environment, as I have not been able yet to
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<DIV></DIV>>internalize it all.
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<DIV></DIV>>
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<DIV></DIV>>I have a lifelong dream, too, and this pilgrim may
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<DIV></DIV>>have a chance to try it soon. It has to do with Spain
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<DIV></DIV>>and it has to do with my staying there. We'll see ...
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<DIV></DIV>>meanwhile, best wishes on your planning for the second
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<DIV></DIV>>Camino. My second comes, most likely, next spring (if
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<DIV></DIV>>not this fall ;-)
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<DIV></DIV>>
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<DIV></DIV>>Besos,
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<DIV></DIV>>Ana
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<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> > ----- Original Message -----
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>> > From: "Russ Irwin" <RIRWINaUSAOR.NET>
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<DIV></DIV>> > To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
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<DIV></DIV>> > Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 8:58 PM
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<DIV></DIV>> > Subject: Post Camino stuff
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<DIV></DIV>> >
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<DIV></DIV>> >
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<DIV></DIV>> > > I've been feeling the need to share this here and
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<DIV></DIV>> > I apologize if it may
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<DIV></DIV>> > seem not relevant to some,
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<DIV></DIV>> > > but from much of what I've read (and experienced
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<DIV></DIV>> > myself) there is a
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<DIV></DIV>> > disorienting feeling once one
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<DIV></DIV>> > > gets back home and into everday life again. Also,
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<DIV></DIV>> > I'm one of the ones who
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<DIV></DIV>> > didn't make it the whole
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<DIV></DIV>> > > way even though it had an impact on my life that
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<DIV></DIV>> > will endure for the rest
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<DIV></DIV>> > of my life (and beyond
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<DIV></DIV>> > > <G>).
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<DIV></DIV>> > >
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<DIV></DIV>> > > Anyway, since I've been back I finally fulfilled a
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<DIV></DIV>> > lifelong dream. I've
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<DIV></DIV>> > always "wanted" to go
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<DIV></DIV>> > > skydiving, and two weeks ago I "chose" to do it!
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<DIV></DIV>> > (there's a big difference
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<DIV></DIV>> > between those two words)
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<DIV></DIV>> > > That means that at age 53, after about 6 hours of
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<DIV></DIV>> > ground training, I
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<DIV></DIV>> > jumped out of a perfectly good
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<DIV></DIV>> > > airplane at 13,500 feet! It was FANTASTIC!!
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<DIV></DIV>> > >
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<DIV></DIV>> > > Did the Camino in some way lead me to this? I
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<DIV></DIV>> > don't know, but I know that
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<DIV></DIV>> > I still can't get the
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<DIV></DIV>> > > Camino out of my mind and will most likely be
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<DIV></DIV>> > going back next year to pick
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<DIV></DIV>> > up where I left off.
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<DIV></DIV>> > >
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<DIV></DIV>> > > Russ
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<DIV></DIV>>
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<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>__________________________________________________
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