A Teacher on Adventure Frank's Pilgrim Journey

Not all members of the ‘ATLAS bubble’ stay inside it. Some break out to do something completely different. One of them is our teacher Frank van den Berg who will soon start a bicycle journey to Santiago de Compostela.

Frank had this idea for over fifteen years now: “I have had this idea for a long time, but I always postponed actually doing it. At one point, I decided that it would be something to do when I turned fifty. Now I am fifty years old and I am finally realising my plans.” Most people that partake in this special Pilgrims journey have religious reasons for it. Not Frank, he simply thinks it will be fun to do and he ‘just’ wants to do it. “I want to experience it. Many people tell me how beautiful the experience must be. Even though I am not going for religious reasons, I still feel like a pilgrim. I will even bring a shell and I bought a pilgrim’s passport to collect stamps at churches on the road. I am looking forward to the journey and just being concerned with where you will sleep and where you can get your food.”

This trip cannot happen without the right preparation. Frank has bought a good bicycle 1.5 years ago and for a few months, he has been training by biking several long distances. This week he has bought the latest necessary goodies and prepared his bike. “All the materials are well prepared and I am as well. It is quite intense to leave your family behind for 5 weeks, but luckily they stand behind me and support me in my trip. My wife will even join me for the first two days. Of course, I am a bit nervous, but I am relieved that it is finally coming this close. I finished my work and can now really focus on the journey.”

Frank will leave coming Monday after which he bikes approximately 2700 km to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. He returns by plane on the 22nd of July after which he will have a vacation with his family. We will feature another story with Frank’s experiences when he returns to ATLAS and wish him all the best on his journey!

University College Twente offers a unique bachelor’s programme, Technology, Liberal, Arts and Sciences, to top students. Visit the University College Twente website for more information about the college and Technology, Liberal, Arts and Sciences website for more information about the bachelor program. Or visit us during the open day, a student-for-a-day or an insight-day.

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