Salsa culture

One of the best parts about traveling is meeting people from different places and cultures. In Nancy this was always a challenge, because the Lorraine isn't exactly a warm and cozy climate, and people tend to clam up in their shells. I swear it's the cold weather. I tried hard to make friends at the university by sitting at tables alone in the dining hall, read books outside in the courtyard, but alas, these exercises only made me feel lonelier and lonelier. Then, like a beacon through the misty morning, one day I saw the answer: salsa classes on campus! Lucky for me, there are a lot of fans of salsa in France, and Nancy is no exception. Even better, every 10 minutes we had to switch partners, so I ended up meeting a lot of people, as we tripped over each other, laughing about the awkwardness of the entire situation.

So back to Reunion island. Here, as hot as the climate is, it's impossible for people to hide at home, and no matter where you go, you're bound to run into someone you know. Whether you met them at a bar, on the beach, or by asking on the trail, "Excuse me, do you want to pass in front?" (true story!), you feel truly popular.

But I digress. The point is, even here on Reunion Island, salsa has its benefits. It's a form of exercise, you can listen to good music, and you sweat like crazy (ok less of a positive aspect, but still true). The best part is the community. Anywhere I have ever lived, I hunt out the dance culture, because it tends to be a rather tight knit group, where everyone knows everyone, where they dance, when they dance....Sometimes these groups are rather snobby admittedly. For example, in Nancy, if you aren't an amazing dancer, you just won't get asked to dance, ever. In Portland, it depends, but of course, there's that strong pride in the salsa group of being REALLY good. Little do they know that there are better dancers out there....

So Reunion Island has the best community that I have come across thus far in my travels. Not only are they friendly, but they dance with everyone, even if you aren't professionally trained. There are really good dancers here, and they each have their own style. The best part is that they seem to have more fun than the serious faced dancers in Nancy. Last night I couldn't help but laugh with glee as a seriously huge guy directed with expertise and precision another good dancer: a muscular, short guy, who executed spins faster than my eyes could follow. At the end of the song, they hugged and gave each other bisous. I love this island!