About When On The Way
Hey, my name is John Klein, and this is about how one Camino evolved into When On The Way. I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Bowling Green, Kentucky. To this day, I still feel incredibly lucky that I get to call it my home. Part of what has made "BG" the place it is for me is my family. I have been extremely blessed to call myself a Klein. My mother and father have been two of the greatest mentors I could have ever asked for, and they are always pushing me to keep going. Additionally, being the older brother to three younger siblings has crafted me into the person I am today. I cherish the time I get to spend with them, which includes travelling.
Throughout my childhood, my family would travel quite a bit within the United States. Twenty one years later, and I have been to 47 states. There are so many magnificent sites within the United States that it can be tough to want to go beyond the border to explore more, but I was ready to expand my horizons.
Europe always fascinated me, but I never had any particular reason to go. Towards the end of my junior year of high school the COVID-19 lockdown began. Even beforehand, I always really appreciated travelling, and I knew it was a blessing to get to go and see other parts of the world. Being couped up inside definitely made me realize that even more. My dad (Dan Klein) talked about doing the Camino when COVID settled down, and I was completely game.
In 2021, my dad and I decided to do the Camino. I was fascinated by the Camino, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Little did I know that those next 36 days of walking would be as transformative as they were. The Camino has been a life-changing experience for me. Having that opportunity to go on a pilgrimage with one of my favorite people in the world is something I will cherish forever. We met people from around the world, experienced a new culture, and spent a lot of time together.
Additionally, the Camino was an incredible way to disconnect from the rest of the world. It was a time of discovery and evaluation for me. Coming to the end of our journey, I knew I wanted to return the following summer. I have been lucky to say I have done over 70 days on the Camino, which adds up to 1,000+ miles. Also, I am extremely grateful to the people who entrusted me with sharing the Camino to them, and I feel extremely lucky that they allowed me to do my dream job. I look forward to hopefully continuing that tradition.
Moving forward, I hope that I can continue to share the Camino with people who are wanting to do the Camino. It has been such an incredible blessing that I have done the Camino now three times, and I am excited to help and share what I know about The Way.
