Reflections:
We have been home for just over 3 weeks. We voluntarily isolated ourselves to be sure we were Coronavirus free. While inconvenient, this does not prove to be particularly challenging in that in our lives in the NorthEast Kingdom of Vermont, not seeing others is kind of normal for us. But, we do admit that nasty, rainy, windy and cold weather which keeps us indoors tends to "dampen" our spirits.
As we were processing the news of our suddenly shortened voyage, contemplating re-entry to a world we were not yet ready to return to, I remember sitting in our cabin, gazing out the window at "The Big Blue", writing the following in my journal.
How to describe my Semester At Sea experience in a nutshell. The elevator speech, from which the questioner can choose to ask further questions, but which gives a genuine response to, "How was your trip?"
Well.......
It was 2 1/2 months on a beautiful ship - a floating university - crossing the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean with a community of +/- 800 culture-curious, academically engaged, food-fanatic, adventure-loving sea-farers of all ages from 3 to 83, (university students, professors and their families, staff, crew and life-long learners),
-learning about and observing the Impossible Hamster of Consumerism as it destroys our planet's resources from sea to shining sea;
-learning about and observing the devastating effects of war on the land, those who fought them and those who lived them and the future generations of both;
-asking bigger questions, like
- how are world religions like a layer cake? how are they like a tree?
- how can we focus on how the human condition is world-wide, and finding commonality amongst various cultures, rather than focusing on how cultures are different?
- how can we make it about ALL of us, not separating US from the other?
- how can we stop single storying history...and current events?
- how can we work together to save our planet in a respectful way - without consuming more than our share, without stealing from those climbing out of poverty, without imposing western world, white middle class mindset on others, while at the same time collaborating and providing appropriate assistance when asked?
I have to agree with a student who said that her favorite port was not Hawaii, Kobe, Ho Chi Minh City, Port Louis or Cape Town....it was the ship. Being surrounded by the beauty of the vast blue ocean and the big blue sky, for days on end, not seeing another ship or an airplane filled us with a sense of awe. Being disconnected from the constant barrage of news and social media filled us with a sense of freedom. Both together makes one aware of how small and unimportant the individual really is - in a good way.
Despite the craziness the COVID-19, the voyage was one of many lessons:
-learning how to successfully navigate in unfamiliar situations and cultures (connecting with strangers over a glass of wine or the shared experience of beauty, achieving somewhat accurate communication despite language differences, appreciating the kindness of strangers who went out of their way to help);
-learning how to keep our balance (literally, when the ship was a rockin', and spiritually, benefitting from yoga, Tai Chi, mediation and support of friends)
-learning how to savor (each sunrise, sunset, rainbow, sighting of the Southern Cross);
-learning how to go with the flow (as our itinerary kept changing, limited internet and the unknown taught us to be flexible and that IT IS OKAY NOT TO HAVE A PLAN!);
-learning how to let go of all those things to which we are attached (good coffee, good internet, "stuff,").
Projections:
Will we do it again? Both of us would say: IN A HEARTBEAT! Semester At Sea is an amazing experience, and we plan to sail again in the near future.