Our first day was a training day. When we arrived we were able to see the system for checking in the pilgrims and taking the money, doing the accounting and reporting and closing out the day. All very easy and simple. In the morning we cleaned the albergue together and then the former hospitaleros left. My compañera and I took over as the hospitaleros. For all intents and purposes that means it is now our house and that with in the framework of the organization rules we can set our own policies.
Our albergue has a kitchen where pilgrims are allowed to cook their own meals. We have a cooktop, microwave and refrigerator. On the counter in the kitchen we have bins of leftover dry food, spices, pasta, bread, sugar, oil and basic items necessary for cooking. As pilgrims buy things they cook what they want and leave the rest as they don’t want to carry it with them. The new pilgrims are welcome to use anything that is left unless it is specifically something that the hospitaleros have purchased for themselves. In the refrigerator there are 3 shelves for pilgrims and they are welcome to anything that has been left from the previous days. it is a great system.
One of the first things we did was to keep the kitchen open for cooking until 9pm. The old hospitaleros closed it at 8 but that made it difficult for everyone to have the opportunity to cook. Many pilgrims join as groups to cook communal meals. It is one of the most amazing things about these types of albergue. On the first night we had a Chef from Italy make Carbonera for a big group of pilgrims many Italians but also Spaniards and others. Camino families are a big thing and they just form almost naturally.
The second thing we did was to make sure that all of our beds were available. We hold 4 beds for emergencies or those with special needs. However, the old hospitaleros were saying that we were full / completo once all but those 4 were full. We decided that we would fill those 4 last but would make them available to pilgrims rather than leave them empty.
The first night we had 39 pilgrims, the second night 30 pilgrims.