Revisiting Scotland: From Study Abroad to Family Travel

Nothing makes the experience of traveling to a new place more authentic and fulfilling than ditching the tourist spots and finding the sites off of the beaten path: the restaurants that the locals visit, the hiking trails that aren’t swamped by tourists, and even the buildings in town that are used for everyday purposes. Exploring these places is not only less stressful, it gives you a feel for the everyday life of people in this place.

During their junior year of college, Kara (Kauffman) '18 and Ethan Masters '18 spent the spring semester in Scotland through Geneva College’s study abroad program. The program operated as a partnership between the College and Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church. It offered students the opportunity to travel, study, and be immersed in the daily life of the people there, specifically the church congregation. Though few in number, the congregants welcomed students like Kara and Ethan into their times of worship, church ministries, homes, and travel adventures. The Masters visited and explored many beautiful places alongside new friends who called Scotland home.

In July 2024, Kara and Ethan traveled back to Scotland for the first time since that semester in 2017, but this time with both of their parents, their 18-month-old daughter, and a baby boy on the way. They made the most of their two weeks there: hiking in the Quiraing and skipping rocks on lochs, walking among the standing stones on the Isle of Lewis and climbing the ruins of their clan’s castle in Dunoon. They toured buildings in Edinburgh that are older than our nation and visited sites where martyrs to the Scottish Reformation gave their lives, both in cities and in farmers’ fields. But the real treat of the trip was seeing old friends.

“I can genuinely say that my favorite days were the ones we spent worshiping and reconnecting with the members of Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church, who had such a profound impact on our lives in a relatively short time,” says Kara. “It was an encouraging and personal reminder of the unity we have in Christ that transcends the divide of distance, time, and culture.”

If you missed the opportunity for study-abroad travel as a student, it’s not too late to join a Geneva trip abroad as alum. Join Calvin and Amy Troup in September 2025 on an unforgettable journey through Scotland with Reformation Tours.

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

Feb 4, 2025

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