Salsaaaaa!!!!

So the title of this post might make you think I'm studying abroad in Mexico or something, but that's just not true.  Beijing is a global city, and tonight I went salsa dancing!  A few of my friends had gone a few weeks ago and talked about how fun it was, and I was really on the fence all day until a friend from home told me I should definitely go and I called my friend Mykhanh (in my program) and made her convince me.  I hopped on the bus to IES and met up with everyone where we headed first to a local place because some people wanted drinks.  My favorite part was belting out Taylor Swift with Mykhanh, who was on the opposite end of the table.  No alcohol required at all for that one.  We then grabbed cabs and head to Sanlitun (Swan-lee-taRR with a Beijing accent), the expat/embassy part of town known also for having a bumpin night life.  When we got out of the cab, the street we were on was lined with huge trees that were totally covered in white Christmas lights.  It was beautiful!  The rest of the group turned around to find Myks and I running figure eights between the trees down the street.  Pretty sure there was some skepticism there, but no worries.  Joy in my soul!  I love that girl.

We then went to Salsa Caribe, the club with the salsa dancing.  There was a dance floor that wasn't too crowded (or awkwardly uncrowded), and Latin music (duh).  No one was grinding, which I appreciated not having to watch.  I told my friend who I was dancing with, "I need the 101 class...actually, make that the 000 class!"  He and the other guys were so patient with my lack of rhythm or physical coordination of any kind, which I am so grateful for, because I was so nervous about looking like a total fool.  As time went on I got a lot better.  The most basic step really isn't too hard, unless you're me I guess.  But I finally did get the hang of it!  One of the guys decided that rather than trying super hard to teach me the steps perfectly he would just dance ridiculously, and it totally worked, pulling me out of my nervous state.  We just sort of stepped enthusiastically around and he would spin me every now and then.  Spinning is definitely my favorite part of partner dancing!  I also danced with a guy from Venezuela who was really nice and really good at helping me get the steps.  The whole night was just so fun- dancing, getting better at dancing, no pressure, dancing crazily with my friends, enjoying life and the fact that we're on break for New Year's until Thursday.

If you had told me a month ago that I would be salsa dancing in a night club, I probably would have laughed at you.  In stepping outside of my comfort zone, I found something that was really new and fun, and I didn't compromise anything that matters to me either.  I realized I can be more than the ways that I've defined who I am by how I behave, and that those things don't change who I AM as a daughter of the most high God, eternally redeemed and set free.  My life can look like more than I or others expect it to look like. God is anywhere, everywhere, in clubs and bars and conversations and friendships.

And a shout out to everyone who has been praying for me, specifically Hope for the Nations as I know they prayed at the Thursday meeting (which would have been right when I was starting my Friday).  Today has been a glory filled day from beginning to end- staying up way to late to have a wonderfully life giving Skype chat, which led to a morning in which I decided to need coffee, which was followed by the last session of my "Understanding China" course in which God gave me words to concisely give my views on an issue, which was followed by pizza and french fries at one of my favorite restaurants with a great gang of friends for lunch, some quality library time with friends pounding out our papers that are due tomorrow, and a trip to the store with some lovely ladies, an absolutely delicious dinner with my host family, emails from friends at home, meeting some friends of my host family, and ended by a great night out!  Yes, that s a run on sentence because its been a blessings day!  The Lord hears and answers prayers, He really does!!

Lunch at Alley Pizza with the gang.  Sorry to everyone who wasn't ready... we also polished off two of those giant pizzas and three boats of fries (the boats literally look like boats).  American food!!

The trees that Mykhanh and I were running around in Sanlitun.