According to tradition, the Apostle James (Santiago in Spanish) evangelized Spain and later was buried in northwestern Spain at what is now Santiago de Compostela. For a thousand years, pilgrims have made their way along various routes from across Europe to venerate the remains of the saint. Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (el Cid) made the journey, as did St. Francis of Assisi, Isabel and Ferdinand, and hundreds of thousands of others throughout the Middle Ages. They shared stories, songs, architectural designs, religious feelings and language, and for many (including the great German writer Goethe) it was on the Camino that the ideal of European identity and unity was created. Over the centuries cities were built on the road, cemeteries filled with pilgrims who died en route, and churches provided spiritual and temporal sustenance. Consequently, the 250,000–300,000 people who now walk the Camino each year experience an unparalleled sequence of historical, architectural, and artistic landmarks that tell the story of Spain and of Europe. At a time when that story is being challenged, the cultural importance of the Camino is more important than ever.
But the Camino was (and is) also a spiritual journey: a journey of self-discovery, of penance, of service, and of brotherhood. Modern-day pilgrims learn about themselves as they enter into the conversation of mankind by learning about those who have for centuries walked the same roads and doing so in company with modern pilgrims from around the world.
Our plan will be to walk most of the 790 kms of the road known as the Camino Francés, and move along other sections more quickly on bike. On rest days, we will bus to locations like the Monasteries of Suso and Yuso (the cradle of the Spanish language), Cantabrian caves decorated with Paleolithic cave art, the famed cloister and chanting monks at Santo Domingo de Silos, and the Roman gold mines at the Médulas—in the process coming to know two millennia of Spanish history and culture. Arriving in Santiago we will present our credentials and receive the compostelana, the certificate awarded to those who complete the pilgrimage.
DATES
26 April–17 June 2021 (approximately)
HOUSING
During our initial week in Madrid (Alcalá de Henares) we will stay in the Residencia de Lope de Vega, a new student residence in the heart of the University of Alcalá campus. Once on the Camino, we will stay in modest hotels, hostels, and albergues.
COURSES
Students will register for 6 credit hours during the program from the following courses:
SPAN 346R Special Topics in Iberian Culture (3 credit hours)
SPAN 449 Special Topics in Spanish Literature (3 credit hours)
Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
COST
$3,900-4,400
Includes Latter-day Saint, undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non-Latter-day Saint students), housing, airfare, transportation within Spain, admissions, and international health insurance coverage.
Not included: meals and personal expenses.
TRAVEL
Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.
BYU Travel
280 HRCB | (801) 422-6293 | travel@byu.edu
PREPARATION
Prerequisites: SPAN 321.
All students must provide certification from a licensed physician indicating that they are in excellent health and able to withstand the rigors of walking for a month across northern Spain. Students must commit to a minimum training regimen in order to be prepared for the physical demands of the trip.
Students who are accepted into the program are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201, 1 credit hour). This evening course will be taught during the second block of winter semester 2021.
Accompanying spouses must be accepted on their own merits and fully participate in the program.
FUNDING SOURCES
Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.
Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a study abroad scholarship and may be considered for other scholarships. They must indicate on their original online application that they want to be considered for financial aid.
Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants. Limited scholarships are available to Humanities majors.
Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
APPLICATION PROCESS
Students must be 18 years-of-age or older to participate.
Complete the online application at kennedy.byu.edu/apply. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required.
Applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.
Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program.
The first payment is due upon acceptance.
Please refer to the 2021 Payment Information document (see kennedy.byu.edu/isp-forms/ISPpayments2021.pdf).
Deadline: 30 November 2020
FACULTY
Program directors are Professor Lin Sherman of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and Professor John Rosenberg, Associate Academic Vice President for Undergraduate Studies.
Lin Sherman
(801) 422-3107
alvin_sherman@byu.edu
John Rosenberg
3179 JFSB
(801) 422-9797
jrr@byu.edu
SCHEDULE AND TIME COMMITMENT
Students should plan to be with the group in Spain from 26 April and remain with the program until its conclusion on 17 June.
INTERESTED STUDENTS SHOULD CONTACT
International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
kennedy.byu.edu/isp
PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS
International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost. If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account. ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
