Baile Baile Baile

We had another day trip yesterday. We didn't return too late, around eight o'clock. After we ate, I went to Sarah's and Ericka's casa to watch a movie. It was an ice cream night- they brought the Helado and everyone else brought a topping. The ice cream was amazing.

When I got there I really wasn't feeling so hot. I haven't slept a lot the last couple nights, so my body was starting to feel it. Sarah gave me some asprin. What would have been best for me was if I had gone straight to bed after the movie, but ....

I had already made plans to meet Javi from my dance class at the club. And I made Oscar (my teacher) promise to save a dance for me when I came again this weekend. I couldn't back down?! And I really have been wanting to go, I don't have a lot of time left to go dancing, especially since my classes end soon and I don't know if I'm going to pay to continue or not.

I decided just to go, and If I still felt sick when I got there, I could jsut stay for a couple of songs then leave right away. Or so was the plan.

When I got there I was definitely out of place. American girl, jeans, long sleeve shirt, big frumpy coat. My hair was everywhere and I was only wearing eyeliner. In comparison to the GUAPAS that were elegantly dancing around me, I appeared like a child I am sure.

Even Osacr looked me up and down with a strange eye when he greeted me. But I didn't care, I was gald enough I was there. Those other girls didn't look so comfortable anyway so I wasn't jealous. Oscar was shocked that I was there alone and quickly pulled me over to another group of his friends to introduce me.

He also pulled me to the bar to get a drink, I think it would have been fine if I just asked for a coke but I didnt know what there was and I didnt know if this was going to be on his tab or mine so I just said no.

He was a little, "ok, ...if you're sure you don't want anything," He left me there to wait for a mereangue song that we could dance together.

Whew, great, at least if I stood there all by myself all night I would have at least one dance reserved.

I wasn't standing there long (although it seemed like it at the time, and i was trying so hard not to appear bored or alone - so every now and then I would clap my hands and kindof sway to the music like I was all into it. I don't appreciate pity stares.) before the guy from last class showed up. He arrived with a friend - he had called me around nine to see if I was still going to the club, I told him to meet there at 12:30. He was a little late, I was just relived I know had someone to stand by.

Thank goodness that at this point all of my pride was gone so I didn't have to put on a show for the Espanole. Probably had I been in better circumstances I would have acted a little more stand offish- requiring him to work for my conversation and attention. But at that point I was like -screw it- i am jsut going to have fun with this guy even if I do seem stupid, immature, or unattractive. (Remeber, I am dressed down and in comparsion ot the other ladies in the room I feel like I am twelve - Plus I later come to find that between Esponale and his friend Oscar they have more years than my father.) I asked them questions, I made jokes, I said I didn't understand if I didn't understnad. I'm sure I sounded and looked so stupid, but we actually had a blast! I juast acted totally cool and myself with them, and themselves in return. We just kept laughing the whole time! and I got to learn killer Dancing moves. Javi (the nombre de la Espanole) is very good at dancing. I mostly danced with him, and we usually just did merangue but we preacticed Salsa on the side. Oscar, the friend, was being a dancing bum and didn't dance at all the whole night! I don't know why because from what I did see from the his few swayes on the sidelines he had some killer moves. At one point when our connecting link, Javi, was out dancing with another girl, I crushed the wall of awkwardness by asking Oscar to show me a dance that he knew. He showed me the ... starts with a B. You stand facing together, right hands together. Both couple steps back on the right, then forward on the front while bringing the left hand up and together to push off for the next back step. Those are the basic steps and then you add in cool turns and twirls and it gets excited. I also showed them some country dancing skills as well as ballroom and swing. Yes, Javi and I did actually Waltz around the discoteca. And I was leading.

I saw a lot of cool dances. Did you know that they have Spanish line dances? I was surprised too . It was awesome what they did though - they worked off the typical box turn but at each vuelta some guy would yell out what dance move to do so every time it was different. My faovrite was when the men dropped to the floor to do push ups and the women stayed standing lassoing.

Javi did buy as all drinks at the beginning. I told them I didn't drink alcohol. They laughed when I asked for water. I ended up getting orange Fanta. I watched them open the bottle and pour it into my glass. In Javi and Oscars, the waitress added a little something special on the bottle, Javi stopped her before the third glass. I jsut had a little sip but then I left it on the table to go out to the dance. I've heard all of those horror storeis about people slipping stuff into your drink when you aren't there, so when I got back I was a little hesitant to drink it. I had a few sips but didn't finish it.

And ok, here is the sketchy part which I feel really stupiud about but I am still unsure about - a few hours into the night Oscar comes by again to say hi, chatting with the guys etc. He pulls us all over to the bar and hands us all a glass with some juice or something. I told him I don't drink alcohol, and they were all like its not alcohol, Oscar said that he dosent drink alcohol either - but its just lemon juice and something else - ok I said. I don't know why at this point I felt that I could trust what ever they say, but to a certain degree I do/did trust them and they are nice and dont need to slip alcohol into someones drink, right? Anyway, we toasted and I took a sip while the guys bottomed up. It tasted like rasberry fruit concentrate. I've never had beer, vodka, vine, or any other alcoholic beverage but it didn't seem like it tasted like any of those. I had Javi finish the rest of it for me.

When we started leaving though, I think they started joking about me haven drinken alcohol - I got mad because I didn't know if they were kidding or serious - I made Javi tell me the truth and promise me that he hadn't given me alcohol. Despite hes assurances I still wonder....

It was late and I lived far so Javi and Oscar gave me a ride home. lol, I guess I'm pretty lucky that they didn't try to kill me or something. But I find ppl are generally better than you think they are.