Join a capoeira or parkour class.

“My first day of class I didn’t know what to expect. I was intimidated by the skill of the acrobatic dance that involved so many defensive maneuvers. I watched my classmates pair up quickly, as I stood to the side. One person would kick as the other ducked low to avoid the blow. Then another would do a cartwheel and return to their original, low, and crouching position. They would rhythmically lunge at each other in an elegantly choreographed tableau. Afraid of looking clumsy, I was still more of an onlooker at the beginning of my journey.”

“Taking a class at a community gymnasium has renewed the confidence I lost when I found I was suddenly illiterate. Verbal communication got me a coffee that I didn’t want and put me on a bus to the wrong part of town. It also put me in a position to make friends with locals—people with whom I can practice my Portuguese. I see these people two or three times a week, and since the class is all about movement and playing music it’s easy to participate. It’s a non-judgmental atmosphere; since, everyone in the class is there to learn.”