Passage to India via Diwali

I had such a great time last night at the Diwali celebration! It makes me wish I had gone every year in the past. I just love Indian culture so, it was a thrill for me. The ISA (Indian Student Assoc.) did an excellent job organizing and preparing everything. They had a nice dinner with: tandoori chicken, basmatic rice, vegetable marsala, naan, and a dessert of mango mousse and rice pudding. I used to be quite a frequent customer at the Cafe of India here in Morgantown until, sadly, they closed about this time last year. I was and am heart-broken over that. I wish (HINT, HINT BUSINESS PEOPLE OUT THERE) that someone would come to fill that hole because they were the only game in town. After the dinner, the ISA had a show of traditional dances, humorous skits, and fashion from India---so fun to watch. Finally, they cleared all the chairs out of the ballroom and had a open floor for dancing. And dance they did---for hours and hours while sweating incredibly without taking a single break. I was impressed. In American culture, men pretty much don't dance but, Indian men are truly the lifeblood of the dance floor. They are damn good and know it. I did ok, for a little white girl trained in Latin dancing. Some kind people took me under their wing and taught me some moves; by the end of the night, I fit right in. Along with Latin music, Indian music has got to be the most infectious, not to mention an expression of pure, unadulterated joy; hips wiggle, hands shake, arms flail, shoulders bounce, heads swivel and feet fly. By the end of the night, I was seriously wondering how much a ticket to India was (about $1,300.00) because any culture this fun is worth looking more into. People who know me understand I've always had a mild obsession with India and last night only added fuel to the fire. I woke up this morning sore and still exhausted but stupidly happy. So, who out there wants to go with me to India?? :)