But why? Why would a young urbanite leave the comforts of home and walk 65 days through rain and hail and scorching sun? So begins A Way, the recounting of a young woman’s pilgrimage along the Camino di Santiago from France through Spain, with nothing more than the bag on her back and her husband by her side. It tells of the people met (the quirky ones, the lost ones, the kind and unforgettable ones), the physical discomforts endured (and oh, how many there were) and of the road travelled (all 1065 miles of it). It reveals how a sacred pilgrimage can bring about the most unsacred of experiences. It is a memoir, intertwined with reflections from the walking and lessons learned on the road about time, about the body, and about community. But most of all, it’s a story. The story of a long walk.

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About the author:
Jenna Smith was born and raised in Montreal. She holds a masters degree in theology from Université de Montréal and was awarded the Dean’s Prize for her thesis in 2011. She is the founding director of Innovation Youth, an inner city centre for teens and their families, offering education, life skills and community development services. When she’s not leaving a trail of cookbooks and yarn behind her, you can usually find her biking on her way to the community garden.