Las Muchachas necesitan espacio.

I really love my London girls, not only do they recall a memory and feeling from my London Wonder days, but I love that they are such strong intelligent women who can party. And they are fluent in Spanish! So, ofcourse, going out dancing last night with them was worth it, even after a full evening at my Tech rehearsal. Why are guys soo agressive on Salsa nights? I think they have learned that they have to be, because Salsa nights are for dancing and so they have to rbeak out of their boxes in order to ask a girl to dance to begin with, so now they have evolved into a species of man and that not only asks a girl to dance, but immediately asks her for their number, asks them on a date, or proposes (not seriously of course). Unfortunately for them, I have evolved into a woman who will let them know if she's interested, who will ask them out if thats what she wants. I have to give this one guy credit, I don't remember his name, but he kept asking me out, after trying to be all romantic and nice (which he was), but I kept giving him the honest answers of no, maybe i will think about hanging out with you, and i really amnot interested in finding romance right now, I moving away, I am too busy etc.. Nonetheless he kept at it ( and he was cute, except I am not really attracted to Latin American Guys in that way.) and eventually got my number. I can assure you nothing will come of it, because I did not approach him- so he should've gotten the picture, but no.

You know what does break my heart, meeting these guys when I am dancing, and they ask me where I am from, so I say Texas, and then they ask where my family's from and I tell them my parents are straight from Mexico, and then they respond with "So you've got papers!," It also breaks my heart that they all come here family-less and work in construction, and are still willing to buy me and Jen Water. Which makes me wonder about the guys who respond to my being from Texas with, So you're not really Mexican. Well, for heaven's sake! If I am not American, and not Mexican, what in the world am I? I will tell you, lucky to not be an immigrant in this country these days. But still inspired by Ivan's story...

Jen met Ivan when we were at Conga, and he bought us water and talked to us about crossing the border, riding trains through the desert, hiking food and waterless in the desert, until finally making it here. I asked him if it was worth it, he said yes. Even though he left his family behind, and the only possessions he brought were the clothes on his body. And like many immigrants, he has a degree in his country but is now laying roofs.

Regardless, Like Jen said, Las Muchachas necesitan espacio, We girls need space when we dance, so we will continue to respond to the guys agressive tactics with our agressive tongues, all for the sake of a good night of dancing.