What do a centuries-old pilgrimage path in Spain, a worldwide chief in networking expertise, and $54,986 have in frequent?
Properly, earlier than I reply that query, let me again up a bit … The Camino de Santiago, established within the ninth century, is a community of pilgrimage routes resulting in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.
Did you catch that key phrase? A community of paths — a solution to join folks.
You most likely already know that Cisco is a worldwide chief in community expertise. There’s that phrase once more — community.
At first look, Cisco and the Camino de Santiago seem to have little in frequent. But, each symbolize advanced, interconnected methods that thrive on a community of connections.
I lately accomplished my second pilgrimage alongside a piece of the Camino de Santiago. Like final 12 months’s journey, I devoted my stroll to Medical doctors With out Borders, elevating funds to make sure they’ve the instruments, assets, and help wanted to supply lifesaving medical care, and walked using Cisco’s Time2Give profit. Time2Give is a worldwide providing at Cisco offering workers with 10 days of paid break day, along with our common trip break day, to volunteer at non-profit, non-governmental, and faith-based organizations and colleges of our selection.
Final 12 months was my first fundraising try, so I began with a conservative purpose of elevating $2,000. I used to be blown away once we surpassed that purpose, elevating a complete of $16,501 for DWB. This 12 months, I set a extra bold purpose of $20,000. As of November 27, the Medical doctors With out Borders web site exhibits we’ve raised $38,485.
My giving alternative closes December thirty first, however in whole, over two years, we’ve raised $54,986 and counting with the help of many Cisco workers and the generosity of so many others. Cisco additionally matches each worker donation greenback for greenback, as much as $25,000, amplifying our impression.
As I walked 10-15 miles a day on the Camino, I mirrored on my life experiences, my household, mates, religion, and sure, work. Surprisingly, I discovered myself musing on the similarities between the Camino de Santiago and Cisco.
On the Camino, folks from all around the globe come collectively, ranging from varied factors throughout Europe, touring a community of roads and thru cities and communities that welcome them, providing shelter, meals, and encouragement. You’ll hear languages and see folks from all around the world strolling and speaking in concord. Sharing a easy greeting of “Buen Camino” is a standard thread, connecting pilgrims and the community.
Equally, Cisco builds and maintains digital networks which can be excess of a group of routers and switches. It’s a residing system via which companies, governments, and people can talk and collaborate. Cisco fosters group via its applied sciences, connecting folks throughout the globe and enabling groups to work collectively seamlessly. Cisco makes human expression doable no matter distance or circumstance.
Nevertheless it’s not simply the technological side of Cisco that creates connections; it’s the group inside Cisco itself. The supportive surroundings, collaboration, and shared targets all contribute to a tradition that conjures up workers to construct and strengthen our personal networks.
As an example, I used to be impressed by a bunch of greater than 400 Cisconians, relations, and mates who walked the Camino, elevating cash for most cancers consciousness in 2022. Although I couldn’t be part of them then, they set an instance for my pilgrimage and inspired me alongside the best way.
Though I’ve traveled this path twice and exceeded my fundraising targets, I did nothing extraordinary. All I did was observe my coronary heart, and put one foot in entrance of one other, for an excellent trigger. I’ve come to understand that point is a valuable commodity, and what we select to do with time, can decide the trajectory of our lives and others, and that we must always use it properly. Worker advantages reminiscent of Time2Give and fund matching assist us, as Cisconians, achieve this. They permit us to seek out one thing we’re enthusiastic about, use our and Cisco’s networks to step out onto our paths, and proceed to assist make the world a better place and energy a extra inclusive future for all.
My very own Camino journey was over 10 years within the making. Possibly I used to be such as you, working at a desk, sitting behind a pc, content material studying about different folks’s adventures. There comes a time to cease studying and begin doing.
I’m grateful to Cisco for the chance to step away from the enterprise for 2 weeks on this unimaginable journey and for matching the donations. I’m extremely grateful for the generosity of people that supported me in my journey financially and spiritually. I recognize the number of methods I obtained help from Cisco. This sense of group is what makes Cisco greater than only a office — it’s a community of people that help one another in making a optimistic impression on the world.
On the coronary heart of each Cisco and the Camino de Santiago is the notion of group. It’s right here the place we discover a frequent thread: the facility of connection. These are the connections that assist convey our world’s world residents nearer. Certainly, these are the connections that make $54,986 doable.
I’m in awe of the connectivity that binds us collectively, and within the networks of each the Camino de Santiago and Cisco that flip an concept or a risk right into a actuality.
Buen Camino.
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