I thought I’d feel lonely on a cruise full of travelers in their 60s and 70s. I’m glad I was wrong.

• I was nervous when I realized I was one of the youngest guests on an Antarctica expedition cruise.
• However, my fellow cruise-goers immediately took me under their wing and made sure I wasn’t alone.
• I left the cruise with new professional mentors and friends, and a new perspective on connection.

I don’t spend much time with anyone over 50, besides my parents.

As someone in my early 30s, I mostly find myself interacting with people in a similar life stage: completing postgrad degrees, building careers, and figuring adulthood out.

I typically take my trips solo, too, connecting with other travelers around my age as I explore. All of this changed in January, when I boarded a 12-day expedition cruise to Antarctica with about 200 other guests.

I knew there would be some older travelers on board, but by the end of my first full day on the ship, I discovered I was the third-youngest. I was also the only one my age traveling solo.

When I realized that most of my fellow cruise-goers were retired, in their 60s and 70s, and traveling in pairs or groups, I braced myself for 12 days of isolation.

Luckily, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Being young and solo on an expedition cruise made me visible in a way I hadn’t anticipated

I thought that my age — and status as a solo traveler — might isolate me, but instead, it made me stand out. On the first night, a couple nearby saw me sit down alone for a drink. They smiled and invited me to join them.

The same happened at dinner, then throughout the activity program on the upper deck, where groups began pulling me onto their trivia teams and including me in karaoke.

By the time we were setting out on wildlife excursions, I was receiving so many dinner invitations I had to start jotting them down. I thought I would spend my evenings eating alone, journal in hand, but I ended up barely writing in it at all.

It was nice to be included, but what surprised me the most was how interested people were in my life. I’m curious by nature and love to ask questions, but guests would try to redirect the conversation back to me and my life. One afternoon in the hot tub, a large group that traveled together set aside their own conversations to ask about me.

I assumed that conversations might stay surface-level, but I shared my outlook on life, love, and global politics more times than I can count. In most of my prior interactions with people from older generations, I’ve been the one listening — and I assumed it would be the same here.

I hadn’t considered that the other cruise-goers might be just as curious about my take on the world as I was about theirs.

I received some invaluable professional advice

Over drinks one evening, a fellow guest complimented the way I’d carried myself on the boat. Another cruise-goer chimed in with more kind words. This exchange turned into questions and curiosity about my life and passions — and even offers to help my career.

Over the course of 12 days, I met retired professionals in industries ranging from aviation to medicine and technology, who were eager to learn about my work and offer valuable advice and support.

One person gave me tips on using my reputation as a journalist to bolster my communications consultancy. Another offered guidance on pricing strategies for clients once we got off the ship. The insight from these conversations helped me land a new client just weeks after I got home.

I was grateful to hear from people who have lived long enough to offer me fresh, thoughtful insight. People would have paid for this kind of wisdom and mentorship, and my new friends’ willingness to offer it freely over cocktails was the most meaningful part.

I’d definitely go on a trip like this again

Antarctica was easily the best trip I’ve ever taken. Sure, I got to see penguins and whales in their natural habitat, but I learned as much on the ship as off it.

Those 12 days gave me a clearer sense of what I want my professional future to look like. I left the ship with a better vision for my consultancy and a renewed sense of confidence.

It gave me unexpected friendships, too — I’ve stayed in touch with many of my fellow cruise-goers via social media and email. One guest lives near me in London, and I recently went to her 70th birthday party.

Stepping outside my comfort zone and connecting with people from different generations led to some of the most fulfilling conversations I’ve ever had.

I’d initially dreaded having such a big age gap between myself and my fellow travelers, but now, it’s something I’d intentionally seek out when planning a trip.

Read the original article on Business Insider