Out of the Country

The streets of Cancun are a sensory experience unlike anything else I've ever seen. Even the Las Vegas strip doesn't compare with the sights and sounds of the Hotel Zone.

The first night I stepped out into the warm, damp air hanging over Cancun, Mexico, I was instantly at ease. The pressures and stress of my daily life evaporated. For one week, my friend and I spent our days lounging at the edge of the beach and our nights walking along the city streets.

We danced on tables and laughed with locals in our broken Spanish. Each night brought a new adventure, from getting lost on a bus ride or eating in a small restaurant far from the tourist attractions at 4 in the morning. No matter where we went, "Hips Don't Lie" was guaranteed to be on the playlist.

I have never felt as relaxed and at peace with the world as I did on that vacation. It was the first time in my life when I stepped on a dance floor completely sober and danced until my feet bled. Without one worry about how I looked. Ever since, I am comfortable dancing in public. "Hips Don't Lie" was the first song in which I could find a danceable rhythm.

As with any first, this song resonates with me to this day. It's always on my iPod and usually in my workout rotation. I still love listening to the chorus because it takes me back to a city I adore: a city which cradled me enough to find courage to step out and be myself. I'm still smiling.