The shock was so complete it didn’t register at first.
First off, I was expecting the water to be only up to my chest, but it turned out to be neck-deep. Second, the water was so cold my body seemed just frozen stiff as I dove in. So much for my eagerness to be the first one in the pool.
This was the first day of swimming class, and I was half-submerged in the icy water with the rest of my classmates. Our teeth chattered incessantly as our instructor yelled instructions through his megaphone. To make the matters worse, a batch of curious young people had just started gathering at the poolside to watch our water torture.
“Do bubbling for fifteen counts!” “Everyone do flutter kick!” “Let’s do freestyle!” After twenty minutes of crazed movement, the cold wasn’t so bad anymore- I was getting the hang of it. Rusty as my swimming skills were, at least I could still do a lap.
Of course there were excellent swimmers in our batch. There was a guy from Borongan, Samar (a coastal town) who dove in and swam the entire length of the pool with just one breath. Great, as if we’ll all be that good by the time this is over. On the other hand, I think I’ll fare better with this than my last practical exam in basketball and softball.
I was swimming around leisurely, when I happened upon the guy from Borongan who was practicing his somersaults.
“How do you do that?” I asked.
“Easy, he said.” His powerful arms pulled at the water, then reaching the far end of the pool he did an underwater somersault and his legs kicked the edge of the pool to propel him quickly back to where I was standing.
I will probably never learn to do than in month’s time, let alone in two hours. Nevertheless, I tried. I started with freestyle, following the line of blue tiles. Looking at the bottom of the pool was difficult because I had left my swim goggles at home. I saw the edge, which signaled that I should do the somersault. It started ok as my head dipped in the water, but as the lower part of my body went above my head, I lost balance and tilted sideward.
“Uggh!” I stood up feeling like something was burning up my nose. I ignored it and once again tried. Same thing. By the third try I was feeling dizzy already.
The megaphone sounded. “Okay, the class is dismissed. You may take your showers.” The instructor said.
Grateful, I pulled myself out of the pool, eyes blurry, and with my nose and ears clogged with pool water.
First off, I was expecting the water to be only up to my chest, but it turned out to be neck-deep. Second, the water was so cold my body seemed just frozen stiff as I dove in. So much for my eagerness to be the first one in the pool.
This was the first day of swimming class, and I was half-submerged in the icy water with the rest of my classmates. Our teeth chattered incessantly as our instructor yelled instructions through his megaphone. To make the matters worse, a batch of curious young people had just started gathering at the poolside to watch our water torture.
“Do bubbling for fifteen counts!” “Everyone do flutter kick!” “Let’s do freestyle!” After twenty minutes of crazed movement, the cold wasn’t so bad anymore- I was getting the hang of it. Rusty as my swimming skills were, at least I could still do a lap.
Of course there were excellent swimmers in our batch. There was a guy from Borongan, Samar (a coastal town) who dove in and swam the entire length of the pool with just one breath. Great, as if we’ll all be that good by the time this is over. On the other hand, I think I’ll fare better with this than my last practical exam in basketball and softball.
I was swimming around leisurely, when I happened upon the guy from Borongan who was practicing his somersaults.
“How do you do that?” I asked.
“Easy, he said.” His powerful arms pulled at the water, then reaching the far end of the pool he did an underwater somersault and his legs kicked the edge of the pool to propel him quickly back to where I was standing.
I will probably never learn to do than in month’s time, let alone in two hours. Nevertheless, I tried. I started with freestyle, following the line of blue tiles. Looking at the bottom of the pool was difficult because I had left my swim goggles at home. I saw the edge, which signaled that I should do the somersault. It started ok as my head dipped in the water, but as the lower part of my body went above my head, I lost balance and tilted sideward.
“Uggh!” I stood up feeling like something was burning up my nose. I ignored it and once again tried. Same thing. By the third try I was feeling dizzy already.
The megaphone sounded. “Okay, the class is dismissed. You may take your showers.” The instructor said.
Grateful, I pulled myself out of the pool, eyes blurry, and with my nose and ears clogged with pool water.
3 comments:
just be carefull with that filty swimming pool 'cause it's highly chlorinated, thad...=)
@ scholasas: yeah, i'll make sure to bring swim cap and swim goggles next time = )
i want to learn how to dive. they look very elegant in doing those..
but its kinda scary.
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