Practical Consideration of WYD: World Youth Day flu

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Practical Consideration of WYD: World Youth Day flu

We have all heard of the flu. Have you heard of World Youth Day flu? It only hits once every 3 years during World Youth Day and like the pilgrims, travels to the host country.

On the physical level, there is what has been dubbed the 'WYD flu'. If you have not contracted something during that week, WYD flu is waiting for you at the vigil. Why, you may be wondering- remember you will walk many kilometres to the vigil site,  will sleep under the stars during the night with millions of pilgrims, with the change from heat in the day and cold at night. Then there is the final Mass.  By this stage in the week, pilgrims are physically exhausted, so the WYD flu hits hard.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, it is important to prepare yourself physically. I hope your walking and fitness plan is under way- if not, get started.  You need to build up your physical reserves, just as you are building up your emotional and spiritual reserves. You need to plant the seed and build up in faith on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.

So my WYD challenge this week is that you plan your 'WYD flu' offensive.You need to think about your worse case scenario in terms of flu and illness and consider whether your normal line of attack will be strong enough. Do you normally

·                     Have the flu injection- if not, what about having it in preparation for WYD?

·                     Use appropriate vitamins? You will need something to support your WYD journey.

·                     Suffer from sore throats easily- have your supply handy of throat lozenges- what is most effective?

·                     Easily pick up a 24-hour bug from others- it only needs one pilgrim in your group to get sick and many follow- Ensure it is not you that starts the WYD flu in your group or catch it in sympathy with others. 

·                     Start storing up sleep so that you have reserves to draw on during that week.

·                    consider your usual response to air travel- jetlag and nausea, ear aches and the like. For those pilgrims in the Southern Hemisphere, we have a long flight and different time zones to deal with.

The second practical consideration that I wish to highlight this week is as follows:

·            allow some time after WYD to recover physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I cannot stress this enough.

·          Plan your pilgrimage so that you do not go back to school, university or work the next day.

You have not got to WYD yet, but as part of your preparation, you need to allow some time after WYD to recover, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  

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Speaking from the experience of 2 WYD’s, I highly recommend that you plan for a week after WYD to recover, especially if WYD flu has been contracted at the vigil.

I am passionate about WYD and I desire that all potential pilgrims get as much from it as possible.  WYD is a life changing event.  However, do not allow your physical, emotional and spiritual stamina to fail you and spoil this wonderful experience.  Get started now and use the 12 months wisely in preparation.