camino times two

“A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.”

– Seth Godin, Tribes

This week, almost 300 members of my own special tribe gathered at the YMCA Camp in Black Mountain, NC. We are the American Pilgrims on the Camino, pilgrims and future pilgrims from across the country. At the National Gathering, there were 3 days of seminars, meals, dance parties (!), bagpipes (!!), and conversation. Speakers shared the history of the Camino, the different opportunities for trails, advice for how to come home, and more.

I had the privilege of sharing one of the talks, specifically about what it’s like to walk the Chemin du Puy, also known as the Via Podiensis or simply the Le Puy Camino. Introducing more Americans to the unique experiences of France has always been one of my goals, so this was a dream opportunity. (In fact, preparing this talk made me start dreaming about a return to Le Puy…maybe a 5-year anniversary trip is a good idea for next year?)

They say it went well.

If you’re a member of the American Pilgrims on the Camino Facebook page, you can watch the video of the livestream here.

If you attended and are looking for the slideshow I promised, here it is:

(Click the image above to see the whole thing on Slideshare.)

Once I get home and have a chance to decompress a bit, I’ll have more to say about the whole event, which was put together by an incredibly organized, talented, and patient group of volunteers.

Until then, bon chemin!