At a lecture by Dr. Brian Babcock near the beginning of our cruise, we learned that “Viking” was not necessarily the name of a people – although we now use it that way – but rather may have been a verb.

To go a-viking meant to go exploring (the syntax is similar to the old song lyrics for the Wassail Song “here we come a-wassailing”), and they were less like the modern depiction of raiders and pillagers and more focused on discovery and trading.

The Vikings didn’t conquer. Instead they assimilated cultures by intermarrying; a more benevolent version of Star Trek’s Borg.

Our journey with Viking was, in very loose terms, similar, but a bit in reverse. We’re the ones who became assimilated into the wider world by arriving on a ship and learning about other cultures; we took away souvenirs, memories, and broadened minds and palates.

We learned that no one religion has a monopoly on morals and ethics, nor, unfortunately, on intolerance.

We learned that economic poverty has no direct correlation to happiness. As our Executive Pastry Chef Tony so eloquently shared, wealth can be lost in an instant, but the love and support of family and friends is the real lasting treasure. Some of the “poorest” people we met wore the biggest smiles, were the most content, and expressed the most pride in their families and countries.

We learned that just because a house doesn’t look like what we’re used to doesn’t mean it is inferior. We needed to stop and think about climate, about availability of materials, about ease of construction (or reconstruction after recurring severe weather events), and about differences in priorities among other cultures.

We had reinforced what we already knew about the value of song, dance, and storytelling as a means of retaining history, sharing cultural mores, and creating political change.

We learned that dress reflects not just culture and tradition, but practicality. Covering one’s hair and face in a country with blowing sand makes sense, as does covering exposed skin in very hot places. We learned that long loose clothes that allow precious breezes to circulate are much more practical in hot climates than tight pants – or even bare skin – could ever be.

We learned that bathrooms styles can reflect not only economic status, but also hygiene standards. (Did you know that in the same way that we view squat toilets and hand-held hoses for washing as gross, other cultures think that just wiping with toilet paper is disgusting?)

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We learned that there is literally a whole world of interesting spice combinations whose unusual tastes, and unusual (to us) uses, enhance even the most ordinary foods. Try nutmeg in coffee like the Moroccans, or cinnamon in a meat stew like the Sri Lankans.

At least some of what we saw and learned will become assimilated into our day-to-day lives.

We went a-viking, and returned to our home base with renewed inspiration to keep on doing it!