Road Scholar’s Adventures Online Transport Karen Henry Around the World
Imagine yourself at home alone, newly retired, during the pandemic. And on top of that you have cerebral palsy, making an electric scooter your only way to get around. Road Scholar Karen H. of North Carolina found herself in this situation not too long ago. After a busy career in IT, Karen was thirsty for an exciting activity she could do from home while the world was in lockdown. She had always dreamed of traveling, but she thought it wouldn’t be possible.
“I remembered looking through Road Scholar catalogs at my mother’s house, thinking at that time I would never be able to participate in a program, because travel is too difficult for me,” says Karen. Then, serendipitously, she discovered Road Scholar had launched the new Adventures Online programs in the summer of 2020.
Karen’s life was about to change. Without leaving her house, Karen’s first Adventures Online, The Art and History of Italy, transported her to a technicolor world of beauty.
“I recall the interior of the Pantheon, with that gigantic domed ceiling,” says Karen. “I had never seen the Pantheon before, and I was amazed at how flawless it looked and how well it had held up after thousands of years — it’s quite a feat of engineering!”
Through Road Scholar At Home, this live online program let her interact with her instructors, Julianne Miller and Elaine Ruffolo. Together these experts brought the Pantheon and the Colosseum to life for Karen through beautiful photography and videography.
Karen Henry
“I told Julianne and Elaine that I thought Rome would be difficult for me to get around in a scooter,” says Karen. “Yet, there I was, looking at the Pantheon and all these spectacular places that I couldn’t get into, just as close as if I were there in person.” Navigating the Pantheon’s Classical Roman marble floors was not a worry for Karen.
“Julianne and Elaine devoted one three-hour session to an overview of Michelangelo’s life and art — including the Pietà, David and the Sistine Chapel ceiling,” says Karen. “I love the idea of armchair traveling; it takes me to places I could never go in person.”
“I was addicted to learning online with Road Scholar after my first experience,” says Karen. After Rome, she found herself on Easter Island off the coast of Chile. One of the most isolated and mysterious places in the world, Easter Island is home to approximately 900 massive stone figures or moai. “During the pandemic, this remote island was on lockdown, yet I was able to experience it,” says Karen.
Karen continued to seek faraway places with Road Scholar At Home, “traveling” virtually to Machu Picchu, the Arctic Circle and Antarctica. “These adventures were so realistic, especially wiping my boots in an antiseptic solution so I wouldn’t spread anything harmful into the environment before boarding the Zodiac boat,” says Karen. “There is a zero chance I will ever get to do this in my lifetime, but I was there in this live online group!”
Montreat, North Carolina
Karen’s online adventures inspired her to try a Road Scholar program in person. In May of 2022, she traveled solo to Montreat, North Carolina, for a week-long program about the Scots-Irish settlers. “That was the first time I had gone on a multi-day trip alone,” she says. “I was initially nervous in a group of 30 people I didn’t know. But my nerves went away within the first hour.” She credits the group leaders and participants for making her feel so welcome.
In the spring of 2023, Karen took her second in-person adventure to see the Chincoteague ponies in Virginia. On the last morning in Chincoteague, Karen remembers thinking: “This is the first time I’ve ever traveled without a friend or family member at the other end to ensure nothing goes wrong. Then I looked around and realized that I wasn’t alone. There was always a Road Scholar staff person nearby to make sure that I was ok,” she says. “My family is astounded because I’ve never traveled alone!”
Chincoteague pony
“Road Scholar’s Adventures Online are for people who, for any reason, can’t travel — you have no one to go with, a disability makes travel difficult, or you care for someone at home,” says Karen. Participating in Adventures Online was a real eye-opener for her. “It’s live; I could ask questions and interact with experts in the field. It’s not passive.”
After two good experiences with Road Scholar, Karen is considering a solo trip to the Grand Canyon next October. “I’m traveling for the first time in my life at age 59,” says Karen. “Road Scholar’s Adventures Online programs were invaluable. They’ve opened new horizons for me.”
Experience Road Scholar At Home, including multi-day Adventures Online, One-Hour Online Lectures and Free Online Lectures — all from the comfort of your own home!