Beyond Expectations: A Road Scholar Staff Adventure in Portugal
- Road Scholar employee Kerri shares how joining a small-group educational adventure in Portugal exceeded her expectations.
- Highlights include an intergenerational school visit where students sang happy birthday to her husband and asked about participants’ careers.
- Even “optional” stops like a Fado house performance and Portugal’s oldest university became unforgettable favorites.
- Her story shows how Road Scholar programs create authentic cultural connection and learning for travelers of all ages.
As part of our Road Scholar Recommends series, we spotlight staff who have experienced our learning adventures firsthand. This time, Kerri A. — a print designer in the marketing department — shares her journey through Portugal with her husband, Matt.
Kerri and Matt had long wanted to explore somewhere new together. “We were trying to go somewhere that neither of us had been,” she says. Matt’s interest in history and a program that promised exploration across several cities made The Best of Portugal: From the Age of Exploration to Today a natural choice.
Kerri, who had mostly traveled independently, was intrigued by the idea of a group learning adventure but wasn’t sure what to expect from a larger experience. “Choosing to go on a group program was probably my biggest hurdle,” she admits.
That concern quickly faded. “It ended up being amazing,” Kerri says. “There were so many different, fascinating, engaging people. Matt and I never sat next to each other at a single meal — not totally by choice — but we were happy it ended up that way.” She made a point to sit with everyone in the group at least once, discovering that “everyone was so open and also looked out for each other.”
The program itself exceeded her expectations. “Trying new foods and exploring a culture through cuisine is a huge thing for us, and I never expected the meals that were planned for us to be in such memorable places. We were very happy with everything. Nothing didn’t live up to expectations.”
Including a visit to a school that became the most moving part of the program for Kerri.
“The school predominantly served immigrants, and we met with teachers and students,” Kerri recalls. “It happened to be Matt’s birthday that day, so the whole class sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him — I was crying, honestly. Everyone on the program said it was their favorite part of the experience.”
The Road Scholar group joined the children in gym class, danced with them and answered their questions about life and work back home.
“They asked us what we all did, so we went around the whole group,” she says. “Most people are retired, but they talked about the careers they’d had. Just seeing the kids’ faces — ‘Oh my God! I didn’t know you could do that!’ — their excitement was incredible. That intergenerational exchange truly was priceless.”
Charming street with architecture and vibrant bougainvilla
Even the evening entertainment defied Kerri’s assumptions. “The Fado house we went to — I thought it might be just a typical tourist spot. Music’s my thing, so I was hoping it would be good,” she says. “It was amazing! Our Group Leader told us the singer had just been on the news that morning with a new album (she’s kind of famous). The meal was fantastic and everyone was saying, ‘I could come here every night.’”
And the academic stop she expected to skip? That turned out to be unforgettable, too. “We went to the oldest university in Portugal, and if you’d asked me ahead of time which stops I’d probably pass on, I would have said the school and the university — and they ended up being two of my favorites,” Kerri says. “The university’s library was unbelievable. You can’t take photos because it’s so protected, but it was like stepping into Harry Potter. It was absolutely breathtaking.”
The balance between group activities and personal time allowed Kerri and Matt to indulge their own passions, including local foodie explorations. “The ratio felt perfect,” she says. And like so many other participants, Kerri found herself inspired by her fellow Road Scholars. “So many people had been on multiple programs. They all said the food on this program was exceptional. I even booked a learning adventure in Cuba based on their recommendations!”
Obidos Castle
The experience also deepened her perspective as an employee. “I’m always telling people what a great company Road Scholar is, but I thought, how can I say that if I haven’t experienced the programs?” she laughs. “Now I can say a thousand percent this is awesome.”
For Kerri, Portugal was a vivid reminder of the transformative power of learning and travel — and of the unexpected friendships that form along the way.
