Learning can occur beyond a classroom’s walls—and a group of BYU students learned this first-hand on a centuries-old pilgrimage path in Spain.
This past spring term, BYU students in the Spain: Camino de Santiago Study Abroad program traveled 470 miles across northern Spain—on foot. Their destination was Santiago de Compostela, a site believed to hold the remains of the Apostle James. Instead of heading to the same classroom every day of the week, students walked along ancient roads and visited historical and religious sites where they learned about Spain’s history and culture, making the journey a transformative, faith-building experience.
A Traveling Classroom
Brianna Hardy (Spanish Teaching ’27) enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the international study program, especially how she got to visit and learn about cathedrals and chapels along the Camino. For course credit, Professor Douglas J. Weatherford (Latin American Literature and Film) required students to write weekly reflections, complete literary and historical readings, and visit cultural, historical, and religious sites along the pilgrimage route. Hardy was able to reflect on her experiences: what she learned, her language growth in Spanish, and how her perspective grew and changed. “It enriched the experience in every way possible,” Hardy adds.
Secular topics weren’t the only thing students studied along the Camino. Their journey revolved around spiritual reflection through interfaith experiences. Each day started with a short devotional before setting off on the pilgrimage. The class also practiced as a choir and sang hymns in public places, among each other, and in sacred spaces. One day, the class visited the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos to observe religious services conducted by Benedictine monks. Weatherford says the monks welcomed the class and that the students had a beautiful exchange of faith.
Because this program was built on the concept of “holy envy,” which is an admiration for another person’s faith, Weatherford says the students were able to develop gratitude and respect for other faiths while strengthening their own. “We can build our own faith through seeing belief in God and religion through the eyes of others,” Weatherford says.
Keeping the Tradition Alive
Despite its modern-day popularity, traffic along the Camino began to decrease in the late Middle Ages. It wasn’t until the 1980s that Father Elías Valiña, the Catholic priest credited with reviving the popularity of the Camino, invented the use of yellow arrows to guide travelers along the way.
To honor Valiña, who is buried in O Cebreiro, Galicia, Spain, Weatherford enlisted Nick Hawkins, a project lab manager in the BYU Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with students in the BYU Prototype Manufacturing Lab of the School of Engineering, to create a plaque commemorating Valiña’s impact on the Camino. Weatherford presented the plaque to Valiña’s nephew during a ceremony where the students sang in front of Valiña’s memorial where the plaque now hangs.
The End is Only the Beginning
Over the course of 52 days (32 of which were walking days, averaging 15 miles each day), Weatherford taught students about the history and culture surrounding the pilgrimage tradition. However, when the class reached the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, he stood back and let the students bask in their accomplishment and enjoy the meaningful moment.
When Hardy entered the square, she recalls, “We turned the corner, and there’s a cathedral, and this giant square with pilgrims from all over the world just sitting there, staring and looking up at this cathedral like they had finally made it. It was very special.”
The emotional and transformative experience walking the Camino has helped Hardy broaden her understanding of the world, as well as of people—their experiences, faiths, and the various stages of life they go through. “It showed me that everyone is so unique, and you have to embrace that, and that’s what makes you special,” Hardy says. “I feel like I saw that from every person that I met there.”
Learn more about study abroad opportunities in the Spanish & Portuguese Department here.