Lifting. Twisting. Pushing. Jumping. Resist.

Capoeira.

After an impromptu invitation one night, I am addicted. Twice a week I throw on my exercise clothes, trot the two blocks to the athletic compound near my house, run around the stadium a few times, then duck into class. The teacher is a chico my own age who works in a circus. The students make up the most multi-national crowd I have seen in Colombia: estadounidense, four Germans, Korean, and Swiss. And despite years of learning how to play and challenge my body through Karate, Gymnastics, and Yoga, each new activity combines my knowledge into practice and leaves me sore until the next session. I love hanging out upside-down, watching the masters twirl in the air effortlessly, and stading around in the roda clapping to the beat of two instruments. It's the perfect way to work off the stress of a long day. Capoeira offers an social, inexpensive, healthy alternative to going out for a drink at a bar with friens. And it makes me want to go to Brazil.