Episode 1: The Danger Zone

They say love is risky. But no one warns you what "risk" actually means when your soulmate lives in a country your government calls "the danger zone." 

I went to Santiago de Cuba in August 2019 for a two-week salsa vacation. I did not expect to lock eyes with a dancer named Danger — yes, that’s his real last name — and feel my entire world shift from a connection so instant it felt like fate.

This is the story of how we met — from that first electrifying dance at La Claqueta, to a date that taught me the true meaning of priceless, to meeting his mother (who may or may not have known I existed). It's about broken Spanglish, Google Translate moments, and the realization that sometimes the best communication happens without perfect words.

But mostly, it's about what happened when a global pandemic slammed every border shut between us — and the dangerous question that would eventually bring us back together.

Grab your coffee, wine, or Cuban rum — and welcome to the Dangerously in Love Crew. This is just the beginning.