Contributors - Pilgrimage Past & Present

Group 1
Las Compostelas

Samantha A.
My cousin was a world traveler and told me that if I want to actually see the world, meet people from all over the globe, I have to do the Camino de Santiago, so here I am! I changed from a BioMed major to an International Studies/Business major due to the fact I want to travel and have a job abroad. I want to find myself, push myself to walk miles and miles each day, as well as to gain more knowledge on the Camino de Santiago’s history and overall pilgrimage. I have been in Europe for the past two months now, and am not at all tired of the new adventures. I am very excited to see the beautiful landscapes of Spain and to be able to learn through travel rather than through a textbook. I truly cannot wait for this new adventure to begin.

Nicholas I.
As a history major, my interests include studying ancient civilizations and studying the religions of the world. I hope to gain a better understanding of pilgrimage such as the significance of the act of pilgrimage and the ideals that pilgrimage represents.

Andrew J.
I am an Anthropology major and Photography minor. I’m also a Father and Marine veteran going through my college years a little later than most. I have not yet decided my focus within Anthropology because I enjoy every aspect of it. I’m hoping this trip will help me to take some time to focus on myself and my possibly figure out my path for the future. This will be my first time in Europe and I am looking forward to immersing myself in the surrounding culture and letting it take me where it wants to. I’m always up for an adventure and as a lover of art and photography I'm greatly looking forward to the history, scenery, and culture we are about to experience.

Group 2
Los Peregrinos

Alison B.
I'm an Anthropology major, I love sitting and reading or randomly dancing and singing. I hope to gain a better understanding of myself and strengthen my beliefs while also gaining field experience.

Madalin L.
Hello all! I'm Madalin, or Maddie. I am a double major in History and International Studies with a European Concentration. I'm currently looking forward to starting my senior year in the fall. I love traveling and this will be my second European study abroad with UNF. El Camino de Santiago has a reoccurring presence in my life over the past few years, thus I am beyond excited to finally experience this journey myself. On the trip I hope to gain a new preservative on many aspects of life and culture. Additionally, I hope this trip will become a reminder to myself in the future that the only thing which can stop me from reaching my goals is me.

Cogan R.
I am in my third year at the University of North Florida and am seeking a major in history along with a minor in professional education. A lot of my motivation for this trip is to experience history in the modern age. I have a fascination with medieval history and want to learn as much as possible about it whenever I can. My hope, is that I can learn as much as I can about pilgrimage by traveling it myself.

Group 3
Las Vieiras

Kalee F.
I am a junior majoring in anthropology. My interests include music, crafting and coffee. I love travel and exploring. I’m hoping this trip will be a time of personal growth, and an educational experience that will influence my future studies and experiences.

Andre S.
I am currently a history major and anthropology minor. Some of my interests include soccer, snowboarding, reading, and travelling. During this class, I hope to immerse myself in a different culture, as well as learn about an area of history I am very unfamiliar with.

Gloria T.
Gloria is a rising junior at the University of North Florida. She is majoring in history and minoring in philosophy and community leadership. Gloria was born and raised in south Florida. She has worked for the last six years as a competitive gymnastics coach. Currently Gloria is working within the university’s Student Government as project manager within the executive branch. After graduation, Gloria is planning on attending law school and hopes to one day practice corporate law.

Ian Z.
I am majoring in History and minoring in Political Science. I am specifically interested in Medieval European history and hope one day to become a teacher. As a history major, this trip is crucial to understand Medieval pilgrimage, society and architecture. I love traveling and experiencing new cultures and languages. This shall be a trip of a lifetime for me and will greatly impact my academic career. In my spare time I also enjoy running, going to the beach, watching documentary films and trying out new places.

Group 4
Los Pasaportes

Anastasia C.
I am a senior at the University of North Florida, majoring in anthropology and finally decided to minor in gender studies which I have found, apart from anthropology, to be another major passion of mine. From this experience I really hope to gain insight. I love travel and what it can do in terms of your individual growth and mental health. I believe it opens you mind and makes you a better person and helps you realize the things that you want out of life and those are some of the things that I'm very much so looking forward to receiving from this study abroad.

Lawrence L.
I am a history major at UNF. I am sports-minded but you’ll often find me getting lost in a good book. I am a huge history buff, obviously, and I love to learn about the realities of the past. I want to take on this journey for the spiritual experience that comes from the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

Graham P.
I am an International Studies Major and a Spanish Minor. I love to surf, travel, and lend a helping hand whenever possible. My main reason for attending this trip was to practice my Spanish and learn more about the culture of northern Spain. Buen Camino!

Group 5
Los Caminantes

Dillon D.
I am a Political Science major who enjoys history, politics, hiking and beer. I hope to have an enjoyable experience hiking on the Camino I will value the opportunity to experience nature and the culture so far from home. I believe it will be a humbling and awe-inspiring experience to visit Europe and witness the old cities and cultures that we just don't get to partake in very often here in Florida.

Chaselle M.
I am an anthropology major. I enjoying sunbathing and pulling weeds barefoot in my garden. I also find pleasure in art and napping. On this trip to Spain I am most excited to practice my Spanish in an environment filled with native speakers.

Zach P.
I arrived at UNF from Hawthorne, Florida, 15 miles east of Gainesville and 30 miles north of Ocala — Population: 1,305, Average annual rainfall: 54 inches. I am a history major, minoring in education, and look forward to this journey across Spain.

Group 6
Los Botafumeiros

William G.
I'm a history and political science dual major. I just finished my third year of school. My two main hobbies or interests are soccer, which I have played since I was a kid, and movies. On this trip my main goal is to experience something different. By that I mean different places and cultures. This seemed like a great opportunity to do so. I feel like this experience will help me learn something about the world as well as myself.

Jillian R.
Hello! I am a Florida native pursuing my bachelors degree in anthropology and religious studies at the University of North Florida. I recently took a one year hiatus from my studies to overland the United States, Mexico and Central America in a conversion van. When I don't have my nose in the books, I enjoy hiking, a good cup of coffee and trying very hard to be the world's best dog mom. We all have a story to tell, experience to share and love to give. We are born with the need for human connection pulsing through our veins and I hope to experience that on this pilgrimage.

Ian T.
I am currently a political science major with a history minor at UNF. I learned about el Camino de Santiago through Dr. Sheffler’s crusade class and have been interested since. I hope to gain a better understanding of the world and myself through our pilgrimage. This is my third time going to Europe, but I have not been since 2008 so I can’t wait to see how I will experience Europe as a young adult.

Ali S.
The Camino de Santiago is something that I had little knowledge of. After learning more about the spiritual aspect of the Camino, and the concept of connecting to your authentic self, that is what really appealed to me. My call to the Camino is about shaping the leader inside of me, and it’s about having the ability to lead from within. I am a leadership minor and the leadership component of this trip really appealed to me in terms of being able to overcome adversity and obstacles by having a positive outlook. I want to maintain a more positive lifestyle, and I want to have the ability to push through difficult barriers. I believe the Camino will help me achieve this goal.

Terry N.
Hola. I am an anthropology major, and the first genration of my family born in the U.S. My family were all born and raised in Spain or Portugal so this trip has a very special meaning for me. I will be the first one in my family to complete the El Camino pilgrimage.

Erika L.
I am an alumna from UNF’s Anthropology and Religious Studies programs, and currently an MA candidate in International Affairs. I have traveled quite a bit in my life, and I love it enough to make up for the fact that I hate to fly. I have never been to Spain so I am very excited for this trip and I am especially looking forward to the Cathedrals! On this trip I will be part of the leadership team and working on a study abroad program evaluation project with the faculty leaders. I am a mom of two kids — a 17-year old daughter and a 12-year old son. My favorite activities are talking and knitting and luckily I can do both at the same time.