Living on the Camino dream

[Casserole]

My absolute, number one dream is to buy one of the abandoned villages along the Camino, preferably on the way to Finisterre. We would maybe have a small albergue with rooms and tents, a garden where we grow fruits and veggies, and take care of weary pilgrims. I'm an acupuncturist, so I would provide tune up treatments to help them get through the last days. When time allowed, I would take my daughter a week at a time to section hike thej other parts of the Camino.

This is all I've thought about since my first Camino 10 years ago, and the fire was stoked when I got to take my hubby and 2 year old from Sarria to SdC last summer.

This is the dream that keeps us going. I can't wait for it to come true.

 

[Former member 59618]

Well count me as your first patient! The stage between SdC and Finesterre was the most spiritual and otherworldly stage I experienced. I too, dream of a simple farmhouse with a garden in Spain hosting pilgrims and the like.

Cheers to dreams coming to fruition!

 

[nycwalking]

Hello,

alberguecasasusi@gmail.com

This woman, Susi, opened an albergue within last year or two; email her. Maybe, she’d be willing to give you some assistance with your goal.

You may also wish to contact @SYates on this forum as well. She too opened a pilgrim space within the past few years.

Pray your dream comes true!

 

[naplesdon]

You need to get in touch with Rebekah Scott, she and Paddy did this in Moratinos. She know the ropes.

 

[tomnorth]

Sounds like an exciting adventure.

 

[t2andreo]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. Dreams are very good. They can keep you going in difficult, boring or frustrating situations. Sometimes, life can deliver those characteristics. So, dreaming to a time or place beyond the 'now' can help.

My dream is simply to spend half the year at Santiago, doing what I have come to love through five consecutive years for volunteering. I help people. It's a simple as that. I do not feed them or house them. But, I help them to do what they need to get done. It seems to have become my niche.

However, family commitments and filial responsibilities prevent me from making a plan. So, until that day, I satisfy myself with a month-long stint working there each summer. I always plan to be there at the very busiest time of the year, as that is when help is most needed.

So I spend half of July and half of August there. It recharges my batteries for the coming year.

All this said, Don's advice above about seeking out Rebekah Scott is spot on. She is the resident expert at making this paradigm shift. She and her husband Paddy's personal experiences and advice would be priceless to you, even before you start making plans. You can trust both of them to give you the unvarnished truths about moving to the Camino and living in it.

Hope this helps.

 

[Laurie Bryan Larson]

Where do you volunteer, Tom?

I know EXACTLY how you feel. Dreams are very good. They can keep you going in difficult, boring or frustration situations. Sometimes, life can deliver those characteristics. So, dreaming to a time or place beyond the 'now' can help.

My dream is simply to spend half the year at Santiago, doing what I have come to love through five consecutive years for volunteering. I help people. It's a simple as that. I do not feed them or house them. But, I help them to do what they need to get done. It seems to have become my niche.

However, family commitments and filial responsibilities prevent me from making a plan. So, until that day, I satisfy myself with a month-long stint working there each summer. I always plan to be there at the very busiest time of the year, as that is when help is most needed.

So I spend half of July and half of August there. It recharges my batteries for the coming year.

All this said, Don's advice above about seeking out Rebekah Scott is spot on. She is the resident expert at making this paradigm shift. She and her husband Paddy's personal experiences and advice would be priceless to you, even before you start making plans. You can trust both of them to give you the unvarnished truths about moving to the Camino and living in it.

Hope this helps.

 

[elleley]

My absolute, number one dream is to buy one of the abandoned villages along the Camino, preferably on the way to Finisterre. We would maybe have a small albergue with rooms and tents, a garden where we grow fruits and veggies, and take care of weary pilgrims. I'm an acupuncturist, so I would provide tune up treatments to help them get through the last days. When time allowed, I would take my daughter a week at a time to section hike thej other parts of the Camino.

This is all I've thought about since my first Camino 10 years ago, and the fire was stoked when I got to take my hubby and 2 year old from Sarria to SdC last summer.

This is the dream that keeps us going. I can't wait for it to come true.

Love this idea! Hope you can keep the dream alive and I will come to volunteer! My question is about obtaining a long term visa as a US citizen. Is this difficult? Anyone know? Ultreia! elle

 

[naplesdon]

As a US citizen I maintained a Resident's Visa for 4 years in France. It is not easy and the rules in Spain and France are very similar. You must renew the visa every year with a pile of documents including paid utility bills for one's residence, proof of health insurance coverage and your source of income. In other words saying you are going to wander around looking for a job and place to live is not going to get you past first base. In Spain there are some "scams" around purporting one can buy a resident visa with the purchase of real estate between 300,000 and 500,000 euros but there are strings attached.
I finally let my resident visa expire and I am happy visiting France and Spain as a tourist with the restrictions of the Schengen Agreement.

 

[sillydoll]

Gordon Bell walked the Camino in 1999 and dreamed of opening an albergue in Galicia.

In 2002 he was a founding member of the Confraternity of St James in South Africa. In 2005 he made his dream come true by buying one of the oldest houses (a dilapidated ruin!) in Vilacha, near Portomarin. Being a contractor he spent the next 8 years repairing and renovating the house and in 2014 it opened as an albergue. Many people loved Casa Banderas (the house of flags) and it as often rated as one of the best on the Camino.

In 2017 Gordon underwent a quadruple bypass operation. A blood clot found its way into his brain causing a stroke, making it impossible to continue running the albergue. He still hoped that he could go back one day but the prognosis is not good and now he has to sell it.

The full story, with photos of the transformation of the old house is on his website:

Casa Banderas - House of Flags. Located in Vilacha on the Camino de Santiago.

 

[Tertia B]

My absolute, number one dream is to buy one of the abandoned villages along the Camino, preferably on the way to Finisterre. We would maybe have a small albergue with rooms and tents, a garden where we grow fruits and veggies, and take care of weary pilgrims. I'm an acupuncturist, so I would provide tune up treatments to help them get through the last days. When time allowed, I would take my daughter a week at a time to section hike thej other parts of the Camino.

This is all I've thought about since my first Camino 10 years ago, and the fire was stoked when I got to take my hubby and 2 year old from Sarria to SdC last summer.

This is the dream that keeps us going. I can't wait for it to come true.

If you can dream it, you can do it.

 

[t2andreo]

Where do you volunteer, Tom?

I work for a month each summer at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago. My preference is to work from mid-July to mid-August. This puts me there during the busiest time of the year, two weeks to either side of the feast of Santiago on 25 July.

There is a thread on the forum called, appropriately enough: “Volunteering at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago.” Search for it. There is more than enough information there to answer any questions you might have.

Hope this helps.

 

[David Tallan]

As a US citizen I maintained a Resident's Visa for 4 years in France. It is not easy and the rules in Spain and France are very similar. You must renew the visa every year with a pile of documents including paid utility bills for one's residence, proof of health insurance coverage and your source of income. In other words saying you are going to wander around looking for a job and place to live is not going to get you past first base. In Spain there are some "scams" around purporting one can buy a resident visa with the purchase of real estate between 300,000 and 500,000 euros but there are strings attached.
I finally let my resident visa expire and I am happy visiting France and Spain as a tourist with the restrictions of the Schengen Agreement.

I wish there were something for North Americans between the Schengen Agreement restrictions and a residents visa, say around 4 months, so I could do the Via Francigena without racing.

 

[lissie45]

I wish there were something for North Americans between the Schengen Agreement restrictions and a residents visa, say around 4 months, so I could do the Via Francigena without racing.

Looks like there’s is https://www.expatica.com/es/moving/visas/visas-and-immigration-102354/

 

[martin1ws]

Here is a thread about running your own albergue:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/so-you-want-to-run-your-own-albergue.21604/

As mentioned in this thread before, you can contact @SYates and @Rebekah Scott.

Good luck and may your dreams come true!

 

[David Tallan]

Looks like there’s is https://www.expatica.com/es/moving/visas/visas-and-immigration-102354/

I'm not seeing anything in between the 90 day Schengen requirements and a long-term resident/work Visa on the page. Which were you thinking of for something like 120 days?

 

[naplesdon]

David,
You are correct b/c there isn't anything.

 

[lissie45]

I'm not seeing anything in between the 90 day Schengen requirements and a long-term resident/work Visa on the page. Which were you thinking of for something like 120 days?

Under “after arrival in Spain” :This temporary residence permit allows you to stay in Spain for between 90 days and five years, and can be renewed.

 

[naplesdon]

I don't want to continue this debate but read on about the NIE requirements...........

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Under “after arrival in Spain” :This temporary residence permit allows you to stay in Spain for between 90 days and five years, and can be renewed.

Go prepared. (Funny)

 

[t2andreo]

I do believe the Don is correct. There are no options for non-EU folks. I also believe the information at this site is misleading and may be incorrect:

Spanish visas: how to immigrate to Spain

Find out if you need a visa or permit to visit, live, work, or study in Spain.

www.expatica.com

If there is an abogado or other person experienced with this EXACT procedure who sees this, please join in the dialog.

It is my long understanding that US and Canadian travelers can only remain in the EU or Schengen Travel Area (any country in the aggregate) for no more than 90 total days in any 180 calendar day period. The 180-day window is a sliding thing, calculated from the date of first entry.

It does not matter how the 90 calendar days are separated. Once you first enter any EU country, a clock starts. Over the next 179 calendar days, you can be resident in the EU for no more than 90 days. If your days "in country" total more than 90, you are in technical violation of the law. You could be banned from future entry to the EU without a formal nonimmigrant visitors visa.

Even if you enter the EU then leave for a few days or more, the clock starts again, picking up where you left off, when you re-enter any EU / Schengen area country. Unlike the US Visa Waiver Program, your 90-day clock DOES NOT reset to zero if you spend a day or two out of the EU / Schengen area. The EU corrected that procedural defect in the US program when they created their visa free travel scheme.

Hope this helps.

 

[Casserole]

Wow! Thank you for all your support!

The discussion over how long one can stay in the country/EU is good to hear. I’m coming from the US so I know I’m sure we will have some serious red tape to make it through.

This dream is still a long way off, but knowing that there are people to contact that have done this is very helpful.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I can't vouch for this website but I have read somewhere else that Portugal will ease visa requirements for those who invest in some higher priced property there.

Portugal

With over 1000 successful clients for the Golden Visa & over 10 years experience, La Vida are market leaders for the Portuguese Golden Visa.

www.goldenvisas.com

 

[RosieRose]

I can't vouch for this website but I have read somewhere else that Portugal will ease visa requirements for those who invest in some higher priced property there.

That is a good Idea! It is hard for me to get the technical law language they use on the official government websites so I usually get information where it is easier to understand.
I read here migronis-citizenship.com that is it possible to get residency by creating 10 job positions or by investing in real estate. Did I got it wrong and both of the conditions should be maintained?

 

[Anniesantiago]

Gordon Bell walked the Camino in 1999 and dreamed of opening an albergue in Galicia.

In 2002 he was a founding member of the Confraternity of St James in South Africa. In 2005 he made his dream come true by buying one of the oldest houses (a dilapidated ruin!) in Vilacha, near Portomarin. Being a contractor he spent the next 8 years repairing and renovating the house and in 2014 it opened as an albergue. Many people loved Casa Banderas (the house of flags) and it as often rated as one of the best on the Camino.

In 2017 Gordon underwent a quadruple bypass operation. A blood clot found its way into his brain causing a stroke, making it impossible to continue running the albergue. He still hoped that he could go back one day but the prognosis is not good and now he has to sell it.

The full story, with photos of the transformation of the old house is on his website:

Casa Banderas - House of Flags. Located in Vilacha on the Camino de Santiago.

Oh Sil, I hadn’t heard this sad news about Gordon. I’m just now reading this thread. I’m so sorry. Any update onhis condition?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I read here migronis-citizenship.com that is it possible to get residency by creating 10 job positions or by investing in real estate. Did I got it wrong and both of the conditions should be maintained?

I didn't check the website you posted but from what I saw on the goldenvisas.com website it is sufficient in Spain and Portugal to buy residential property only.

 

[RosieRose]

I didn't check the website you posted but from what I saw on the goldenvisas.com website it is sufficient in Spain and Portugal to buy residential property only.

Thanks. Wouldn't it be awesome to set 10 remote jobs with no spends for office. Oh well, just a dream for now.
Camino first!

 

[peregrina2000]

I can't vouch for this website but I have read somewhere else that Portugal will ease visa requirements for those who invest in some higher priced property there.

Portugal

With over 1000 successful clients for the Golden Visa & over 10 years experience, La Vida are market leaders for the Portuguese Golden Visa.

www.goldenvisas.com

My understanding is that anyone who spends 500,000 euros on a residential property can get a Portuguese visa. The system has ruffled a lot of EU feathers, because it is apparently the cheapest entry point to the EU and is used by people who have no intention of spending time in Portugal. There are many new large apartment buildings in Lisbon that sit almost empty. A friend and his family were able to rent one — it is lovely but like living in a ghost town.