When a Dream Becomes a Legacy: The Story of Pilgrim House with Founders, Faith & Nate, as They Pass the Baton

Endings deserve as much care as beginnings. We invited Faith and Nate, founders of Pilgrim House in Santiago de Compostela, to reflect on eleven years of offering a soft landing for pilgrims who have just completed the Camino—and on the bittersweet move back to the United States after nearly eighteen years in Spain. Their journey started with backpacks and a love for traveler culture; it matured into a vocation to practice simple, excellent hospitality where it matters most: the threshold between a long walk and the return home.

They share how a dream of opening an albergue evolved into creating a Pilgrim center instead when circumstances didn't go as they had originally imagined. Yet, that pivot proved to be better than their original idea as it unlocked a deeper and wider impact in the Camino community as a whole.  Without beds to manage, Pilgrim House could stay open to everyone, not just those with reservations. That choice created time for real conversations, quiet rooms for reflection, a kitchen that hosted shared meals and impromptu lessons, and a staff of experienced pilgrims ready to help with both blisters and big questions. We discuss the early, scrappy days, grants that shaped the space, and the teammates whose fingerprints are everywhere.

We also look outward. Santiago’s season is longer, the pilgrim tide is higher, and the city has grown more global while holding onto its slow, walkable rhythm. For would‑be expats, Faith and Nate offer grounded advice: test a 90‑day stay before committing, learn the language with patience, build local friendships, and find a purpose that outlasts novelty. And for pilgrims nearing the finish, their counsel is clear—don’t rush. Linger in Santiago, use resources like Pilgrim House and Camino Companions, and let your ending become a thoughtful transition.

As Pilgrim House continues under the creative leadership of Gabe with Jessica and Emily, its DNA stays intact: warmth, presence, and the spirit of the Camino made tangible. If Santiago is on your horizon, stop by Pilgrim House and exhale. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves the Camino, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Stage In Santiago
• 0:24 Why Faith And Nate Became Pilgrims
• 2:16 Choosing Hospitality As A Calling
• 3:10 Preparing To Leave Spain
• 5:24 Origin Story Of Pilgrim House
• 7:04 Pivot From Albergue To Day Center
• 9:05 Opening Day Memories
• 11:36 Learning, Teams, And Growth
• 13:26 Best Memories And Human Stories
• 16:05 Life After Santiago And Next Roles
• 18:15 Advice For Moving To Spain
• 21:03 How Santiago And The Camino Changed
• 23:09 What They’ll Miss And What Awaits
• 25:06 Pilgrim House’s Core Service And DNA
• 27:25 Hopes For The Future And New Leaders
• 30:05 Gratitude And Closing Reflections
• 39:17 Postscript: Pilgrim House Thrives

Transcript

Leigh: 0:02

Today I am excited to bring to you a final interview with the founders of the Pilgrim House. This iconic landmark now in Santiago. It's been here for 11 years. Pilgrims are delighted when they stumble upon it. And there are pilgrims I know that have walked multiple Caminos that they say their Camino doesn't end until they've stopped at Pilgrim House. So let's hear directly from Faith and Nate how this whole thing began. Faith and Nate, I think you have been on the show probably more than anyone. And I think that's a testament to the importance of the Pilgrim House and what you guys have done over the past couple of years. So I want to go back to the very beginning. And what inspired you to, first of all, even become Camino pilgrims?

Nate: 0:49

I did my first, and I would call it a pilgrimage now. I didn't have the language back then, but I backed back to Europe as a college student. And that was in the end, it was personal and spiritual development, growth, um, getting to know the world and getting into traveling subculture. And that was our entry point. Even before knowing the Camino, before walking Camino, that was the space that we entered into. And we both had done it and had great experiences. And I think ultimately that to keep a long story short, led us to the spot where when we were looking to get back in Europe and try to find a place to live and work. The Camino came on the radar and it was everything we loved about travel. Uh, you know, the fact that it is kind of inherently spiritual, that that people who are away from their home for a long time uh are just in a really great space. Uh and um and it, you know, obviously proved to be true. The Camino is all those things. It's such a lovely space to meet and engage with people at this time in their life. So that's a very short answer.

Faith: 1:43

I don't know if you would put concrete details on that, but um, yeah, I just love Nate says that every stranger is a friend I just haven't met yet. And um, I just love meeting new people. And I think one of my favorite experiences was working after we backpacked Europe and graduated from college. We worked in um youth hostels in Amsterdam for six months. And I really loved being able to welcome people in, um, be that first person that someone sees. Because, you know, that first person makes such a difference if they're smiling, if they're welcoming, or if they're cold and kind of ignoring you. And so I just loved having that kind of role, like role and responsibility, really, because it is responsibility. And um, like Nate said, when we heard about the Camino, you know, at that point we were a bit older. Um, and we found out that people walking the Camino, 50% were between 35 and 65 years old. And that just seemed like such a wide range of people. And, you know, then we started to walk the Camino. Nate's first was in 2008, and my first was in 2009. And I think there's just such a great feeling of, you know, everyone's just the same and you can relate and have so many different connect points and conversation points. And um yeah, it was just it was it felt very natural for us to step into um providing hospitality for other travelers because we had been travelers ourselves and we just love that subculture.

Leigh: 3:09

Yeah. Now your time in Spain is getting ready to come to a close, and you guys have been there. Is it 15 years?

Nate: 3:16

It will be nearly 18 by the time we leave.

Leigh: 3:20

18? I mean, you've raised your kids there.

Faith: 3:24

Yeah.

Leigh: 3:25

You've said your goodbyes, or you've worked your last shift at Pilgrim House. Um, how is it feeling at this moment? You you leave in about another month. How how are you? I'm imagining it's kind of bittersweet. And what's going through your minds right now as you think about making this big change of moving back to the US?

Nate: 3:47

I would say for me, there are some parts denial, right? It's it's been such a large part of our life. We made plenty, plenty of big trips back to the US. And so it almost feels like that, but obviously we know it's different. There is mixed feelings, right? There's loss, there's grief, there's joy, there's gratefulness. Um there's yeah, kind of a really big mixed bag of all of that.

Faith: 4:09

Yeah. And I think everywhere we look, there's just change. You know, a couple of our kids graduating um from high school and college, you know, big birthdays come up this year for Nate and me. Um, and just yeah, leaving this house and packing up and just all the change that comes with it. So I think everywhere we look, there's change, and and sometimes it's overwhelming. And sometimes, you know, you're like, I need to take time to process each change, but I don't have time. And so I think we do need to make time this coming week. We're actually going to go uh away for a week and do some debriefing with another organization, which I think will be really good. But um, just being able to take the time and not rush through goodbyes or processing or reflecting, you know, the things that we all try to tell pilgrims when they're done with the Camino, we kind of need to take those lessons to heart right now.

Leigh: 5:05

So yeah, that book ending of this amount of time that you've spent in Spain and with the Pilgrim House. So last year we were there with you when you celebrated your 10th year anniversary of Pilgrim House. So it will be 11 years, uh, very shortly. And I wonder if you can take us back to how the whole idea of Pilgrim House emerged specifically. Uh, obviously, you had been travelers and backpackers and had worked in Amsterdam, but what specifically how did this idea of Pilgrim House get born?

Faith: 5:39

Um, that's a good question. So we left Amsterdam and we um we connected with this organization, international teams. Now it's called One Collective, which is our organization. Um, but international teams had a team in Santiago and they ran a cafe. And um, the or when we met with the organization, they were like, Well, you've done hospitality ministry in Amsterdam, you know, would you like to open up a hostel in Santiago and provide a place for pilgrims? And we said, sure, but we have no business experience. You know, we were on staff at a hostel that was well run by managers, like we don't have business training or experience. Um, but we thought, and the organization thought that if we connected with the the team that was running the cafe, that we could do something for pilgrims and they would keep on with the cafe because it was um going well. And so we thought, sure, we'll try it. And then um, long story short, by the time we finally made it to Santiago, the cafe had closed down and the team had uh left. And um we had through wise counsel and through just different formulations of ideas, we had decided to downsize the vision from providing an albergue in Santiago to a day center, like a welcome center. And at that point, Nate and I had three little kids. And you know, if you run a hostel or an albergue, you really should have someone on duty at night. And it would have just been Nate and that not me, you know, I'm not gonna do that. So I think Nate, um, I think the whole idea just felt a little bit um too big, too overwhelming. Plus, the places that we were looking at in Old Town Santiago to purchase and maybe turn into an albergue were like 2.5 million euros, and we just weren't gonna be able to um do that. And so um other people around us gave us very wise counsel like, why don't you just do something smaller, do a day center, don't have beds, just have like a drop-in center where anyone can come, not just an albergue guest. And so um we thought that was a good idea. It was actually wisdom that you know we didn't come up with ourselves, and so it took a long time. I think on our first podcast interview, we we mentioned it took seven years from the time we landed in Spain, and at that point we were in La Coruña, um, to 2014 when we finally opened a pilgrim house. And little by little it just worked out. And the great thing about Spain is that you have to chip away at all the paperwork and documentation and all the legal stuff, but once you have everything ready, you have everything ready. And so and we did like we like to say that God really gave us the luxury of time to plan things out really well because once we opened, we kind of hit the ground running, and there was nothing lacking as far as paperwork goes, which here is kind of a big win. And so um everything just was, I mean, it wasn't smooth and it took a while, and there were definitely roadblocks and road bumps along the way, but um looking back, uh it was a good process.

Nate: 9:00

I think I would add too, like when we made that adjustment to a welcome center, it was we saw it at the time as a temporary thing. Well, let's just do this, we'll get some experience, we'll get known in the community, we'll learn things, then we can kind of expand at some point to this Albergue. And the more we did it, I think the more we realized, oh, this is kind of everything we wanted to do in the first place.

Leigh: 9:19

Yeah.

Nate: 9:20

And we have time to spend with the pilgrims who are coming in. Like, you know, we're not just busy running a business. We can actually provide hospitality and be present and and engage with people who are there. And so got to the point where like, I think this is what we need to be doing. This is it's exactly what we want.

Leigh: 9:34

Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, I don't know if we've ever talked about that specifically, but I think after, you know, living near the pilgrim house for a couple of years and um being in there so often, I feel like really that wisdom was so good because what that had you been an albergue, it would have just been another one of the albergues, right? And the only people that would have experienced it would be the people that spent the night. But instead, what you ended up creating was this beautiful space for anyone to come in and experience. And I know many people, you know, are coming, they look forward, you know, repeat people uh on the Camino look so forward to coming back and to seeing you, or first-time walkers that have heard about it, where if you had been an albergue, you know, they they would have been one of maybe 14 that could have spent the night. So you really did end up providing a much wider scope of services to many more pilgrims than what would have happened had you been an albergue. How many people do you think have walked through the doors since that first day?

Nate: 10:41

We we keep very vague stats of what we think happens on a daily basis, and even that has changed over the years, so it's absolutely not scientific. But last year alone, I think that we figured our count was around 4,000 visits visits, and some of those visits are the same people, right? Um and so that's probably that's probably the most we've ever had. But you know, let's say you do, you know, two to three thousand for 11 years, you know, it's 20 to 30,000 people maybe have been through the doors, and so hard to guess. That may be overshooting it, but um wow.

Leigh: 11:15

Okay, take us back to that day when you first opened the door. You know, like what was that like?

Faith: 11:24

Well, we had been waiting because we didn't know that we were going to open that day because we had been waiting for one more flooring piece, and we had been waiting for the internet company to come and finally install Wi-Fi. And so we we kept saying maybe next week we'll be able to open once they those guys get here. Maybe, you know, maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow. And finally, um, both things had happened, and we were going to open the next day, which was July 24th, which just happens to be, you know, Saint the eve of St. James Day. And so we opened with it with our team, I should say, you know, big shout out to all of our team teammates who have all left uh wonderful fingerprints in Pilgrim House. Um, but we at that point were a team of six people, and um, we opened up and um, you know, people trickled in, started trickling in, and it was just very exciting. But now you look back on the pictures of Pilgrim House, it was very not bare bones, but just simple, you know, like the back room was a multi-purpose room, not the nice reflection room that our teammates helped put together. And um, you know, you you just look at some things. We didn't have a dishwasher. So every day, if people cooked in Pilgrim House, we were taking all those dishes back to the storage room and hand washing them and drying them and then bringing them back out. So, like there were a lot of different things that over time we got to see how, you know, organizations like American Pilgrims or Canadian Company of Pilgrims gave grants to help us really build out the space. But back to the first day, I just remember our first pilgrims were a Korean pilgrim and a German pilgrim that had walked together and then just made their way in.

Nate: 13:16

Yeah, uh I remember um kind of this is looking backwards now because we actually found when we were you know going through our last day, someone found we we kept a a paper log basically from the maybe the first year or so because of the way we did shifts. We wanted to make sure we could communicate from staff to another what's been going on, who's been in, what are concerns. But to reread that early log of what we went through and kind of recognizing, like, oh, we just knew nothing. You know what I mean? Like we were like in a good way, we were making stuff up as we went along because it was brand new and we're learning how to do this and how to do it better. And so it's been fun to look back and see from that first day truly like, is this gonna work? Let's try it. You know, open the door, and we don't know who's coming in to you know, a decade of repetition and and refinement, right? And the teammates face mentioned, like that's critical, right? I mean, we probably I don't know if the number is 15 or 20 to people that have actually lived here, you know, and become part of this team and have left their imprint on the space. Um, it isn't like we have been there the whole time, but it isn't just us, right? It it wouldn't be nowhere near this good if it were just up to me. Like it would have stayed that simple to kind of bare bones. Um but you know, just all the different personalities and gifts and and the things that people brought, both physically as well as just how we, you know, kind of relationally shape the space. All these people had impacts on that. Um, and it, you know, I think it reflects the Camino that way a little bit. And we're excited to not just switch gear, but to think ahead, like you know, the the staff we have in place now to keep it running in the future, it's the same idea, right? They continue to to have that DNA and then they know what Pilgrim House is, but they're they bring who they are to it and they will affect the face space physically, they will affect the relational space, and it'll be shaped by them. Uh that's fantastic. Like it's really fun to see how that grows, you know.

Leigh: 15:06

Yeah, and I know that was very important to you guys about the you know, can the continuation and the growth of the Pilgrim House to continue that you guys have been kind of steering the boat, but you've had this wonderful team, and luckily you have great leaders in place that are going to be well already stepping in and leading it. So let's talk a little bit about um for you guys. What would you say if you, you know, looking back right now, what what's been your best memory at the Pilgrim House during your time?

Nate: 15:39

I'm I'm gonna general, I know you probably want a great personal story, but I think I'm gonna generalize it because there's a sense where so many of the great memories are are versions of the same thing, right? Is the um the joy of sitting down with somebody you've never met before and hearing their story, right? And kind of hearing about their community, hearing about their life, whatever they're willing to share with you. There's there's a gift in that you're receiving a gift from somebody uh and the the space to just be able to be relational and be humans together in that space. Uh and there's a you know a million, a million, but you know, hundreds of stories that we we experienced on a regular basis where we got to do that. Um you know, so I I could try to you could probably think about individuals better than I could, but uh that that dynamic I'm just gonna miss. Like I just love that space.

Faith: 16:26

Yeah. Um, yeah, I would say some of my best memories have to do with me making a snap judgment of someone when they walk in. Uh-huh. And I think they're something or that they're rougher around the edges and than they actually are. And then I start talking to them and I find out that they are such like wonderful, warm people, totally different than what I thought they were, you know? And um, because pilgrims are just scruffy and you know, they some of them, well, yeah. Anyway, um, but and that's just been convicting for me, you know. Like I remember some of those where like some one guy had tattoos all over his face, and I was like, oh no, you know, but um, and that's just my own judgmental, you know, first impressions. But then he came to debrief, he was sharing, he he wrote in the the pilgrim house guest book, like he was just a total loving puppy dog, you know, and so those things are great, and then also things where like Nate touched on, um, pilgrims have been able to give gifts to us. Henry Nowen, I don't know if you're familiar with him, but Henry Nowen has a book on hospitality called Reaching Out. It talks about how strangers love giving gifts to receptive hosts, and they've been the benefit of that so many times, you know, where once people feel comfortable and feel at home in Pilgrim House, they start um bringing who they are. Like we've had a Korean uh pilgrim come in and cook for us a couple of times, and that has just been so great because she's a teacher by heart, and so she's enjoyed teaching us how to cook Korean food. And then I remember watching my teammate learn backgammon from another pilgrim. And so just things like that. Like as people feel comfortable and able to be themselves in Pilgrim House after going through this journey, they really want to share more of who they are and what they're good at and you know what they're gifted in really or the things that they're thinking about and are interested in. And um actually we're hosting Nate's nephew right now, and I've been walking into the living room watching him and his friend watch sumo wrestling, and they're like, we're all caught up now. And I'm like, okay, but they know all the sumo wrestlers and are following this tournament, and so I'm learning along with them, and so even then it's like a quirky gift, you know, that that they're bringing. So things like that, just getting to know the the pilgrims individually and what they're bringing to the table.

Leigh: 18:59

Yeah, it sounds as if being at the pilgrim house has just been one big expansion of you guys as pilgrims.

Nate: 19:08

I think to some degree, right? Because it's we get to be in the pilgrim community and interact with pilgrims on a daily basis without going through the effort of walking all the time. It's not still not the same as walking because we go home at the end of the day, you have your house, like you have your daily life. But at the same time, like every time you're on shift to pilgrim house, you get to be part of this pilgrim community in this moment when people have had the full experience and are wrapping it up and trying to make sense of it and planning to go home. And so it is.

Leigh: 19:38

So when you head back to the US, um you know, are you going to be working? Like, how are you going to replace this um constant activity uh that you've lived in for the past 11 years at the Pilgrim House?

Nate: 19:55

I think with tears. we know right that's that's the that's the question you face as you're heading back of like what's it gonna look like i i don't know that you replace it right i i think um we were talking a little bit offline before we started like there's this there was a question of how are we gonna meet our our next group of people who's our next tribe how do we get into that space uh so that's an open question uh you know ask us in a year and maybe we'll have some answer um had you always plan that with them back i think so uh it we eventually i don't think we ever wanted to retire in spain yeah yeah we didn't have a real clear plan for multiple reasons yeah yeah but we we kind of came here with a very open-ended I think we had hoped to maybe get all of our kids through school at least and then see what happens. We got close uh we our youngest has got three years left but um no we hadn't always planned to stay here uh but we were ready to be here for a while I think uh to your question and just very specifically about work um I I I personally have a a job lined up already and then I'm already doing a little bit with our same organization. So I mean if you're working with one collective I I we really value and we wouldn't Pilgrim House wouldn't exist without one collective with that support of an organization. And so I'm stepping in a role that allows me to provide some care and support for other people who are doing work one collective around the globe. And so that feels good too because we've been recipient of that support. So I'll be able to support so it's not the same as Pilgrim House but it's people care in in in in a very basic level that is I'm looking forward to yeah and and how's the family reacting the kids are they excited about this move I think it's mixed you know there's things about Spain that they'll miss and then things about the US that they're looking forward to.

Faith: 21:41

And slowly our kids have been in the US and so you know we're kind of making a move towards the older ones as well. But yeah it's it's definitely a mixed bag.

Leigh: 21:55

There's a lot of news in the press about you know with the world situation that a lot of Americans are thinking about moving abroad thinking about moving to Spain. And I would say of all of the expats that I knew in Santiago, you two were two of the most successful expats um as far as how you integrated yourselves throughout the last several years. What kinds of tips would you have for people who are possibly considering moving to Spain?

Faith: 22:24

What would you tell them make sure you do these things if you want to be as successful as possible I would say definitely move over and get a taste for where you want to live before making the permanent move. You know, because you get 90 days here anyway without a visa like just come and try it out. You know, try out Santiago or try out different cities around Spain or Europe and just before applying for a visa and making that permanent move just see if you can do it and enjoy it for three months especially if it's raining in Santiago. And because it rains here 70 inches a year you know which is kind of a lot if you're from California or you know New Mexico or something. And so I would just always counsel people if you can try to get a taste for living here first before moving because that'll give you more confidence as well because then you'll know yourself better and know the city you might want to live in better and the processes even for getting a short-term rental you know how that went and groceries and stuff like that.

Nate: 23:33

Yeah yeah I mean that's there's a lot to you can read out I'm sure you can anyone can Google and find tips and things like that. And there are basic ones like learn the language right and that's easier said than done in in all genuineness. And so to do it purposefully but also without giving yourself too much stress or pressure but like be be work at it. You know try to try to get the language because that will help you build local friendships and building local friendships is generally the the the best if you want to stay long term the best way to help you stay long term is by building that kind of local community. And that's more I think I've seen that observationally especially of watching expats come and go and it it might sound judgmental from someone who's been there a while and it I don't feel it in my heart but just a sense that you know I you you can kind of see if someone has something to keep them focused or have a job or or or it's some purpose it helps that longevity. I think without that it's fun for a while it's challenging but after some time you know you're like well this is great but I'm also I can have some of these things at home or I'm missing things back home and you you make that call. And so um having something to do whether it's an actual job or just a you know it uh something you're passionate about that you get to get engaged in and then really helps. And that you mean locals, right? So that kind of goes hand in hand.

Leigh: 24:57

Yeah I totally agree. I mean you know it sounds like a very glamorous life to just go to coffees and lunches and you know live what um you know from a ex well from a vacationer's perspective what people are doing in Spain. But when you're actually living there day to day I I do think you need to have more to do right you need to have a purpose still um and and yeah I think but all the things you're saying are great advice.

Nate: 25:23

You know I'm curious during the time that you've lived in Santiago and in Spain how has it changed during these 14 years you know compared to the time when you first arrived I mean Santiago itself is busier with pilgrims and tourists than it was when we got here it's and it's busier for a longer season right uh it you know the the quiet off season is shorter than it used to be um I think there there are more I don't know how to put this I guess I I feel like it's easier for us to get more familiar comforts here now to us. It's become a little more global that way than when we first got here like when we first like like what? Just like a good hamburger you know or like you know or tortillas products that you're familiar with are easier to come by now. You know Amazon's here now and then you can order almost anything from Amazon like it's it's just a bit more like the rest of the globe in some ways than it was when we first got here.

Faith: 26:29

Yeah yeah there's a lot more international food like international restaurants international food in the stores um when we first moved either to Santiago or to Spain I think the amount of pilgrims was only like 1720 a year and now you know it's almost 500,000. And so the Camino has really exploded in popularity with Americans breaking records. I remember when the number of Americans surpassed 1000 for the first time and broke the record and I remember that and being like oh that's that's significant. That's big um what else? Just more expats here to support the Camino like the pilgrim's office which used to be in Rua do Valinho right and now they have a bigger pilgrim's office with Camino companions and the Dutch organization and German organization like and Johnny's work with the amigos and you know his own work and you and so there's just a lot more support for pilgrims I feel like which isn't has been necessary for sure.

Leigh: 27:37

Yeah what do you think the two of you are going to miss the most if you had to think about foods and activities and just in general you know like what are you like oh man we're gonna miss that yeah there will be a good amount of food right that that we will miss.

Nate: 27:52

And ironically enough like you were saying earlier like when you live and work like it's not like we go out for tapas every day. Right. It's not like I I eat all those things but at the same time the fact that it's available in here when we want it to not have some of those those food options cheeses and the wines and I've I've gotten into Vermouth the last year or two as well and some really miss that but beyond those simple things and miss the prices on some of those items. That too that too I think I'm gonna miss the you know the simple things like the pace of life the walking culture right that we've lived on one car as a family of six for all these years. You know it's that I can walk to work and um yeah just have that that rhythm of life that comes with living in kind of this compact Spanish city right um gonna miss that.

Faith: 28:41

Yeah I will miss um all the water that's in Galicia because there's rias and ocean nearby and you know just a lot of the towns are built around rivers or oceans and uh Nate and I like to go out and explore and I will really miss that.

Leigh: 28:58

So yeah because you can you'll you'll be in the DC area so very different.

Nate: 29:03

You're gonna you're not gonna have quite as much rain correct yeah a lot more humidity a lot more humidity especially humidity yeah when you think of I know you guys have visited uh the US a lot over the years um but you know in and thinking about this move what are you looking most forward to like are there foods that you've missed that you haven't been able to get are there parts about the American lifestyle that you're feeling like oh you know it's it might be nice to get back to that yeah there's always something I mean when we go back it's always fun to go back right and enjoy some things there that we just don't enjoy here right because it's your whether it's the ease of getting things done uh you know the the finding the things that you miss right and some of it's you know really crappy junk food and some of it's you know regional food like Chicago deep style pizza like you know I'm not gonna get a lot of that in DC but we'll be closer right we'll get it more often um and I think broadly speaking the the optionality of food in terms of we have such a wide variety of types of food in the US we can eat from and there it's better here than it was but it's still not the same as we have in the US I'm looking forward to that um and and obviously being close to family much closer to family is still great.

Faith: 30:16

Close to family I think we're looking forward to um getting back into sports as much as we can American sports because Nate follows you know Chicago Bears and I follow the Baltimore Orioles. And we we just haven't been able to access that here for the last few years, which is fine. And then yeah I would say some food um definitely seeing some friends and just being able to reconnect with friends and family and be part of their daily life because that was one thing that we really missed when we moved here was being able to be present for milestones for people. We missed so many milestones you know birthday parties and just um weddings or birth you know people having kids um and so I think it'll be nice to be back where we can easily travel and be with family and friends for those milestones.

Leigh: 31:06

So yeah so when you look at Pilgrim House um as it is today what would you say is the best service that it provides I would say hospitality you know that's been our overarching theme and our overarching value to be able to provide excellent hospitality excellently like excellence is also one of those values that we have um and I think just really being able to have people feel comfortable and at home and if they need to talk to someone we're available to talk if they need to have solitude you know if they can go to the back room and have solitude and when we train people when we have orientation for new teammates or volunteers um we always say you know you're here we are here for the pilgrims if they need us but we don't need to follow them around or you know make sure they talk to us like whatever they need is kind of the first point of reference and they're welcome to use the space however they want um and so that's that's what I would say just the the hospitality that um cares for and welcomes in hopefully each individual pilgrim.

Nate: 32:19

So I think when you say that I think of encapsulating in the word it's kind of the spirit of the place right so it's not any one service but it's kind of the the spirit of the Camino that is still kind of alive and well in Santiago. I think that's the kind of the core and there are other services and they all kind of feed into that and come out of that but just what the space is I think and it's not just physical right it's also relational and and connected to space.

Faith: 32:43

So and I think if I can add one more thing um pilgrim house requires all of the people who work there to have walked the Camino and so I think in that too there's a a connection of I know what you've been through you know I if you need to talk about blisters we can talk about blisters you know if we need to talk about deeper things we can talk about deeper things whatever so I think there's inherent an inherent um connection there which helps yeah so now when you guys come back to visit in five ten years what are your hopes for how the pilgrim house evolves it's a great question.

Nate: 33:25

I I mean I simply put I I just hope it retains its you know kind of its DNA its spirit but that it you know has evolved according to the staff that is here right that whatever gifts they're bringing you know some of the some of the the folks in SAF now are really gifted artistically that they have a chance to kind of expand that part of who we are as as Pilgrim House and that um you name it whatever future staff bring along that they will maybe create a new service we provide or you know like that it that it evolves with the people that are coming through.

Leigh: 33:57

Yeah yeah and let's talk a little bit about who's going to be spearheading um Gabe is one of the folks that will be doing that so can you tell us a little bit about who will be uh filling in for your shoes and seeing this pilgrim house forward.

Faith: 34:12

So Gabrielle is the next pilgrim house leader the new pilgrim house leader current yes um yeah I mean she's one of those artistic creative you know full of ideas people and who gets things done as well um and I think she has a lot of great ideas for even staff care and pilgrim care. She's probably the one on staff who has walked the most and been able to walk the most you know both in distance and frequency. And so I think she just really understands what pilgrims um what the pilgrimage is like and you know what it's like um out there. And she's been with you for a number of years. I mean almost four years four years now yeah yeah and she's great so everyone go in and meet Gabe. Yeah that's and then we have Jessica who's been with us two years um and she is also creative right so this week Jess this has been her passion the last two years it's international tea day today and so Jess has set up you know a tea station in Pilgrim House. She did it last year and this year and this year it's for the whole week um so she was excited about that. So um yeah Jess is one who will do a deep dive and research and then you know create something that has been really um attractive and nice for the pilgrims. And then Emily has been here for about a year and she's just a very deep thinker. One of her first contributions to Pilgrim House was to put a book of questions on the coffee table. And so you can pick it up and there's like a hundred questions in there and you can kind of write in um what you want you know the question that you want to answer. So um I think they're just a great team right now we had to leave them so we're very sad you know um but I think they'll do a great job.

Leigh: 36:05

So yeah well Faith and Nate um I know for certain that you two are going it almost makes me cry you two are going to be missed you're going to be missed in Santiago you're going to be missed by the pilgrim community um you've made such a contribution and you really are leaving a legacy. And I I just wonder you know I know how many pilgrims come in and they would say to me oh I got to go see Faith and Nate you know I got to go to the pilgrim house. I mean that it was just that was just part of their Camino for returning pilgrims. So I know you're going to be missed and I wonder uh do you have something you want to say to the Camino community um as you get ready to part I know you'll probably be back.

Nate: 36:50

You'll probably walk again I'm assuming um but um do you have any any words that you want to say to to folks that are out there I would just say thank you for you know being a part of our lives and being allowing us to be part of the the Camino life it's it's been delightful right for those that come back regularly we have built relationships and we will miss seeing them as frequently as we have been able to see people. But uh then hopefully we'll it is like you say hopefully it's not the end hopefully we get to walk some more and we'll we'll spend some more time here and be part of still the communal world from a distance.

Faith: 37:24

Yeah yeah I would say we're just really grateful for the years we've been able to meet so many pilgrims. It's been really fun for us and very rewarding for us. I would also say um you know this is one big lesson I've had to learn because I'm more of a type A person and living in Spain for 18 years has kind of beat that out of me because you can't be a type A person in Spain. But you know just don't rush like don't rush through the Camino if you can spend some time in Santiago at the end um take advantage of the resources that are there like Ivar is there, you know, the the Camino Companions, Pilgrim House, other places like just take your time in Santiago and try to reflect and close out your time well before going moving on. I guess that would be my big tip um but it's just been a pleasure and a privilege and an honor to meet so many uh wonderful people through the Camino. So we will really miss it.

Leigh: 38:22

Yeah greatly yeah yeah well you too as you said earlier you have left your fingerprint on the Camino in such a brilliant way you've been nothing but kind and humble and generous uh in what you have created and I just want to thank you on behalf of all the people that maybe don't have the opportunity right now to be here to thank you but thank you for what you've done for the Camino what you've done for all the pilgrims that have walked through your door and for all the pilgrims that are still going to walk through Pilgrim House. So thank you so much. We wish you the best of luck as you go on and create I know probably amazing new things and and build a new life in the United States. So thank you so much for coming back to the show today.

Nate: 39:04

Pleasure thank you so much.

Leigh: 39:05

Yeah thank you well pilgrims that's a wrap for today's show but I do want to just give you a little update I spoke with Faith and Nate recently and they are doing great adjusting to life back in the U.S. after being away for almost 18 years. So be sure the next time that you are in Santiago that you stop by and visit the pilgrim house it is still there and thriving and Gabe will be there to greet you. Well pilgrims I'll see you next week with a new show until then please take care in la vida stanaki las cosas key necessito in la vida I am free, free as a bird now with my feathered wings. I am free free as a bird now with my feathered wings.