Years ago, back when Nikita was Oneika and knee-high to a grasshopper, I took swimming lessons at a local pool in Toronto. I don’t remember much from the experience except learning the front crawl and having difficulty treading water. But then, also a number of years ago, I distinctly remember going to a water park with a friend (a very strong swimmer) and over-zealously following her into the wave pool. Big mistake. I got overpowered by the electronically generated waves, and swept off my feet by the faux-undertow. I remember gasping for air and getting a mouthful of water. I was only about 9, but I still remember the humiliation of being pulled out of the water by a lifeguard and the coughing. I kept my eyes closed as he pulled me out.
My friend’s dad (who had taken us to the water park in the first place) was understandly concerned. Perhaps overly so. Then again, I had nearly drowned. But still. I felt fine, and we had just gotten to the water park half an hour earlier so I told him that I did not want to turn around and drive 45 minutes back to my place. So I stayed at the water park for the rest of the afternoon, taking care to avoid the wave pool and all other large and deep bodies of water.
My mom, from what I remember, was furious, but I imagine that that stemmed more from worry and concern than actual anger.
I never thought that that incident had a real impact on me, but from that point on, I always found some excuse to stay away from water, opting to debut my bikinis (once I got older) on the loungers at the pool/beach. It wasn’t until a few summers ago in France, when an ex-boyfriend beckoned for me to come join him in the Mediterranean and I wrapped my arms and legs around his body in genuine fear and felt tears creep up behind my eyes, that I realized that I had a problem.
This past February, in Vietnam with Liebling, I found myself in the same situation. He beckoned me into the pool at our resort. But how could I? He was beautiful in the water, swimming gracefully, his arms cutting the water cleanly. Half man, half fish. I got in with much trepidation, and hung onto him for dear life. After many tries, I finally put my head under the water. It was then that we discussed the possibility of me going to swimming lessons, nearly 20 years after my last go-round. After all, we are going sailing in Croatia this summer, and I don’t want to not even HAVE the option of wading in the shallow part of the Mediterranean.
It was this resolve that I started swimming lessons for adult beginners about a month ago at my local YMCA here in Hong Kong. Way back on January 1st I decided that 2010 would be a year of betterment and self-improvement in all avenues of my life. A year of keeping things moving, making things happen and making dreams (and big talk) a reality. And thusly, I am conquering one of my biggest fears through swim classes. I’m in a class with about 7 other adults, all of them Chinese but for one girl who, despite being phenotypically Asian, hails from the Netherlands. The instructors are Chinese and have difficulty speaking English, but through broken English and hand signals they (mostly) get their message across. I’ve only had about 4 lessons and realize I will never be an excellent swimmer, which suits me just fine. I am looking to be functional. I am in the process of learning the breaststoke and I think that I am making (ok) progress, even though every time I try to come up for air my legs sink down to the bottom. I feel a lot more comfortable in the water, though, which is a big step in and of itself. And these things take time. Or so I’ve been told.
The picture above of me and Liebling was taken this past Sunday: as sort of a pact that was made between him and I in Vietnam in February, I vowed that I would be able to swim at least a little bit, and without fear, upon his return to Hong Kong to see me in May. And so, I made good on my promise. Last Saturday night he went on the internet and checked out the public pools in Hong Kong, and on Sunday afternoon we took a cab to a local pool and I showed him my stuff, which is admittedly not all that great. For about two hours he was my personal swim instructor, holding me in the water, and coaching me how to breathe and kick more efficiently, something for which I will be eternally grateful. His grace in the water was juxtaposed with my difficulty and ungainliness, but I still plugged on, with his encouragement. But I did “it”, as promised. While I was exhausted, I managed to swim (a very short distance) to him unassisted. And then I did it again. And again. And again. Victory.
Keep in mind that I am nearly 28 years old. But I think that it is never too late to learn. To challenge yourself.
I have no illusions. I will never be Michael Phelps. But I’m hoping to join the ranks of all you swimmers out there… now that I can (kind of) swim.
53 Comments
Hi,
I just wanted to say I love reading about your stories and adventures in HK. I am Canadian and lived in HK last year for 9 months, initially I went there to visit my best friend and ended up meeting someone and stayed longer than expected. I can totally relate with the language barrier and your experience bring back lots of memories for me.
When my friend or bf were at work, i was left to venture on my own and the only place I would feel comfortable to go buy food at first was 7-Eleven because you didn't have to speak cantonese at all haha. I am now happily back in Canada, but I miss some aspects of living in HK, but not alot haha
Thanks for reading, Jessica!
I know what you mean about missing/not missing Hong Kong… It definitely hasn't been my favourite place to live in the world, but there are definitely some things that I will miss when I blow this pop stand!
Did you end up working while you were here? Where did you live?
Best story EVER!
I just graduated from law school and came over to HK for vacation but ended up staying longer. So I tried applying for paralegal jobs while I was deciding wut I was doing. I applied to many jobs off jobsdb.com, and the SCMP job postings, but I only got one call back and she spoke in cantonese, and when I replied in english, she hung up! so I had no luck finding a job in HK, cuz my cantonese was bad. I spoke mandarin, but that didnt' help me much, since I can only read & write a few chinese characters. I think it would have been better for me to find a job with a multinational company like many of the ex-pats in HK instead of trying to compete with locals, like I did lol.
Ya near the end of my stay in HK, I was getting really homesick, and really tired of a lot of the rude people and superficial, cookie cutter local girls. Besides my friend that lived in HK (who is Canadian) I only had a few local friends cuz of the language barrier. I lived in the New Territories as my friend lived in Tin Shui Wai, but then moved with my bf to Yuen Long, but it would have been nice to live in central, but too expensive for me 🙁 I felt really isolated there, as there was not too many foreigners.
I enjoy reading your experiences, because its very similar to how I was feeling at the time. Your a brave girl to travel to so many places and soak it all in! After living in HK, it really made me appreciate Canada and the space we have and clean air lol. My flat was 500 sq. ft. and I complained to my HK friend. She said "Jessica you have a flat for 2 people, I have a 700 sq. ft. flat for 6 of us to share". I shutup after that haha.
Keep the posts coming, your a very animated writer!!
I just read this post! (May of 2010 I was in Pma and I had to pay for internet, so that's why so late…)
But I just wanted to say that I learned to swim, properly, four years ago, when I was 33 years old! I continued to take lessons for about two years and honestly, Oneika, I am a good swimmer. I won't be winning any medals, but I am super comfortable in the water and LOVE swimming more than anything. I overcame my HUGE fear of the water and am very proud of myself. I swim laps for exercise and can swim 1/2 a mile. I hope you keep at it to become a fish outta water too! Oh–but for the record, I my breast-stroke SUCKS!!
I am almost 30 and i cant swim. My dad’s best friends son died at a water park while we were growing up and my dad would not have us near water. I want to learn and I am determined to learn. I have been trying, but I am not sure why I can’t get it down.
Oh dear! I’m not surprised- such a tragic event would keep me away from the water as well!
I can relate. I took swimming lessons as a child and actually remember swimming but then it all just stopped for some reason. Now I am 30 and living in Abu Dhabi and I had a similar experience at a hotel. I was walking in waist high water and didn’t know there was a deep end. Long story short I was able to make my way to the edge but not without coughing and spitting up water and being extremely scared. I am going back to the states for summer break for a few weeks and found an Adult swimming class at the YMCA and will take it and resume classes when I return to Abu Dhabi. It’s very important to me to conquer this. You are not alone.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I actually used to be embarrassing about the fact that I couldn’t swim, and I think that was holding me back from taking lessons. Now I have absolutely no shame! It’s so so important to learn.
Go you!!! So happy you’re learning, taking steps forwards and have a great man to support you if you go under. xx
Thanks lady!
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