Somoloco

I’ve been thinking a lot about our week in Cali, Colombia.

We arrived ready for our first every Alum Immerison: a week full of salsa, connection, adventure, and everything that makes a Somoloco trip what it is.

And then, on our first day, there was an earthquake.

For me, the first feeling was a scary lack of control.

The shaking. The dust. The disorientation. The potential of being trapped, not being able to get out. Do I get dressed or just get out? Where’s my phone? My wallet? Do I have time to put on sneakers, or just throw on my loafers and go?

I remember thinking: Fuck, I wasted time. I was too slow.

Once we were out and safe, I was checking in with everyone to make sure they were good. Taking care. Offering hugs. Sharing information when I knew it. And helping reorganize the week with our fab Trip Leader, Estilito.

It was after the trip, when I sat down to journal, that a different kind of uncertainty came out.

Did we do enough? Were we empathetic enough? Did we hold enough space for our team and our Alum? Did we contribute enough to relief efforts? Was continuing the trip the right decision? Should we have consulted our Alum more about continuing?

I don’t have answers to all of those questions.

But I keep coming back to something our Alum Laurence (aka Lorenzo Dorado) said: “We made lemonade out of lemons.”

That doesn’t mean putting our heads in the sand.

For us, it meant putting positive energy into the world. Supporting local businesses, teachers, and dancers. Donating medicine, water, toilet paper, and other essentials to relief efforts. Supporting one another. And doing our best to fulfill our obligations to our Alum, our team, and our partners.

And, yes, it meant continuing to dance.

That’s something I love about salsa—and about Colombia. No matter what happens, there is this incredible capacity to stay connected to joy, affection, and one another.

Somewhere along the way, we saw the words “Yo No Sé Mañana” in big letters on a building—lyrics from the famous salsa song of the same name. It instantly became our theme song for Cali.

In English, it translates to “I don’t know tomorrow.”

But I’ll make it we: We don’t know tomorrow. And no matter what happens, we have now. This moment. And we get to make the best of it.

We’re all in this together

Over the course of the week, I watched our group lift each other up.

As our Alum Del pointed out, we were an incredibly diverse crew. Different ages, backgrounds, personalities, experiences—and somehow those differences became almost beside the point.

I loved hearing how some of our Alum described the group.

Joanne: Open, fun, no princess attitude.

Gary: Authentic.

Seon: Grounded and supportive.

That feels like Somoloco to me.

It also gets at where the name comes from.

We’re all unique—”loco”—in our own beautiful ways, and that’s something to celebrate and be curious about together.

(And to go one layer deeper for those who are curious: somos means “we are.” We turn it singular—somo—as a little play on the idea that we’re all part of the oneness.)

One Loco family.

The Somoloco tent is big enough for everyone who seeks connection.

I left Cali incredibly grateful.

Grateful for life and health. For our Alum and our team. For the hotel for keeping the restaurant going and keeping the basement open for our classes and impromptu socials. For Museo de la Salsa, Morada Ancestral, and every other business that opened their doors to us despite the difficult context. And for everyone who took care of each other that week.

My Trip Highlights

This list is inspired by our Alum Katie Z from NYC, whose “Crush List” reminds us to take a step back and appreciate the simple things that enrich our lives. In no particular order…

• Salsa ping pong with Laura on Sunday

• Receiving our second Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice award at dinner, even though I felt guilty given the circumstances

• Late-night laughs and games at the pool (Manhattan 2x Lorenzo Dorado! 4 Limón, 8 Limón! Yulia’s fave male actors. Miguel’s faces )

• Trumpet monument in Plazoleta Jairo Varela

• Caleña dance roots via Mexican films?!

• Those fruits!

• Luis’s salsa caleña performance

• Saffron finch hopping around Café Gardenia

• Saturday early evening by the pool, looking up at the sky together at the end of a hell of a week

• That massage in the hotel! (Good call, Jane)

• Shopping for essential goods to donate to the relief efforts with Laura

• Running up Tres Cruces

• Birds, birds, birds

• Carla’s restaurant choosing and organizing skills

• Trish first and last at socials. Legend!

• And of course much, much more

Cali gave me plenty to think about.

But more than anything, it reminded me how grateful I am to be alive, to be connected, and to be part of this beautiful community we’re building together.

Let’s stay connected. Let’s keep dancing. Let’s keep lifting each other up.

And let’s keep carrying the Somoloco spirit with us—to Medellín, Cali, Barcelona, Mexico City, and beyond!!!

Con amor y sabor,

David (8 Limón)

Founder, Somoloco

PS If you are still looking to help the relief efforts, you can donate to the Colombia Red Cross here.