(Becuase I can!)
Last night was quite amazing. A group of us set out to see the city at night. Like most times when you are trying to move a large group of people around it is hard. Making desicions are even hards. It got complicated when the spot I had chosen for the night was not open (as in every place in the plaza). A indecision set in those where were tried gave up and headed home. Thne the groupl splinterd. Finally 5 of us were standing down town, trying to decided which bar to walk into. No one wanted to make a choice. Finally we made our way into one. As luck would have it we ran in to another group of students at teh school. Finally the table next to them cleared out and we joined them. Going from my left around the table there was a Dane(female), Mexican (f), American(f), Enligh(m), Savinian, (m), Janpanees(f), French(f), Dane(f), Norwegan(m), and Gernan(f). It was an odd mix of conversaion in atleast four languages. More Spanish and English and thay thing else. We ate and drank and laughed at each other and the world.
At one point, (in spaish) the Graman to my left asked why I was taking the flamenco classes. Before I could answer (in very clear english) Betty, the Mexican, said, “because I can.” She had asked the question early and loved the answer. I as a group of us were walking home I asked Betty what she was going to do after her year wondering. You see, she had a desk job, saved her money and set off. She said that when she gets home she will have no money, and no job, but a wonderful year of travel, with new experiances and new friends. She said she had no idea what she was going to do when she got home. She was out on the road, “¡Por que yo Puedo!”
The Art of one downs-man-ship I am now quite certain that I have cecured the spot as the worst dancer in the my class. No question about it. Ther are a few of us with no dance training and I suck the big chalupa. I told this to another student (who is a realy dancer) and she said, “You can´t be, because then I can´t be the worst.” What is that makes us want to put ourself at the bottom. We either brag as the best, or brag as the worse. David Brooks coined the term “one downs manship”. In the context he used it, it was a way of bragging. To say, “I went to Harvard.” Saying it as if “have you ever hear do of harvberd?” knowing full well they have. IN this case it is a little differnt. For some reason we feel more secure knowing are the worest, or at least believing we are the word. But know I am the worst.

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