Over the weekend of 10–12 April, in collaboration with the hosts, Marinella and Serenella, coordinated by Laura, the training coordinator, a group of 13 hospitaleros discussed and reflected on the centrality of the pilgrim and the transparency of the hospitalero – an essential pairing that forms the basis of our hospitality service.
The pilgrim takes centre stage whenever the hospitalero makes the pilgrim the focus of their attention and dedicates themselves to creating the conditions for the pilgrim to feel at home in the hostel, as if they were in their own home, and to feel listened to and understood. The other important point is: how do they do this? They do so without putting themselves at the centre, remaining invisible – ‘transparent’, in fact – placing themselves at the service of others whilst at the same time carrying out the essential work of ‘maintaining’ the hostel.
Starting from our personal stories, which allowed us to introduce ourselves and get to know one another, we identified some areas for further exploration: Expectations, Caring, Seeing Beyond, Responsibility, Stereotypes and Prejudices.
We split into small groups, each of which chose and then presented to the others a meaningful story capable of sparking a debate on the chosen theme. The stories presented featured pilgrims who, through their unpredictability, presented the hospitaleros with real decision-making dilemmas: misunderstandings, complex situations difficult to assess, and behaviour that is not always pleasant and can be exhausting to deal with.
This gave rise to a lively exchange of differing thoughts and perspectives, partly thanks to the use of the ‘devil’s advocate’ role, which often shed light on the less obvious aspects of situations and on the hospitalero’s own feelings or doubts. The range of considerations that emerged, whilst respecting differing opinions, was then distilled into a summary that we wish to share with hospitaleros who were unable to attend, as ‘tips’ that may serve as a guide to making our service as peaceful and enriching a human experience as possible.
- the way we look at things makes all the difference
- listening opens you up and enriches you
- participation: no hospitalero is an island
- trust in the universe
- before and after the encounter: we are no longer the same as before
- the other person is different from me and must be seen and treated as they are
- being aware of ourselves: thoughts, feelings, reactions
- Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about: be kind, always
- Every unexpected event, however painful, offers more possibilities
- We’re not all saints: let’s shake off the dust!
- intimacy creates a world: let’s enter it on tiptoe
- invest in light-heartedness
- ‘takeaway’ emotions
- tackling our sore points
- responsibility as a safeguard for pilgrims and the host
- inclusivity: respect for everyone’s space.
