“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.”
From Memoirs of a Geisha By Arthur Golden
When I was still a small child I found myself drawn to water. My mom had to watch me carefully because I would beeline to the water as soon as we got onto the pool deck. At that age I must have loved the excitement of it, the danger. To bribe me to swim my mother would tell me I could jump in after doing the skill she desired. At the age of nine I saw my first three-meter diving board and my mother promptly signed me up for diving lessons, fearing what I would do if not trained properly.
My love affair with water turned into a high school, then college, then post college job; Even when I quit full time I couldn't pull myself away completely. The longest I've gone without swimming on a regular basis was when I was studying in Scotland for three months during college - I nearly died.
So, what's a water rat like myself going to do with an entire year not working at a pool? Join the school gym and go swimming, of course (if you didn't guess that please smack your hand to your forehead and say "duh!" now...go on, I'll wait for you...).
This week I went to the pool for the first time. Being a pool geek there were a number of thoughts traveling around my brain as I changed into my suit.
First, would there be a lifeguard? I don't like swimming in unguarded facilities, they're just asking for trouble. (the answer is yes, they do. While he didn't appear to be wearing a swim suit, at least he looked like he was paying better attention than guards at most universities in the States).
Second, what kind of gutter and chemical systems would they have? (gutters were the dumb kinds with the high sides and a crevasse that water slops in - not my favorite. They seemed to have a well maintained chlorine filtration system. I didn't ask what type because I thought they would look at me like I had two heads for even caring).
While other, extremely random and truly boring (well, probably not boring to Jon Thomas, but he's more of a freak show about random stuff than I am), questions skidded into my thoughts, one had bothered me for years.
More than anything else, I wanted to know - which way did they circle swim! I know, a dumb question but think about it. In the U.S. we drive on the right side of the road and we swim on the right side of the lane. In the U.K. they drive on the left side of the road. That begs the question, do they swim on the left side of the lane? Don't judge, when you're in the business of aquatics these sort of questions really do come up and stick with you until you get an answer!
I had mixed feelings about circle swimming the other direction. It's like walking on the other side of the sidewalk. Nothing terrible will happen (like if someone allowed me to drive a car over here) but it would really force me to think about swimming and throw me off. Also, so much in my life is different here it would be nice for the pool to be a constant.
After a quick shower, I headed to the pool deck and answers. The pool was set up three open lanes and three lap lanes. I hopped into an empty lap lane and looks at the sandwich board facing the end of my lane. It read "Medium/Slow Lane. Swim Anti-clockwise." I had stop and think. First anti-clockwise? Why on earth would you say that instead of counter-clockwise? Getting past that I glanced at the water and released a grateful sign. In the U.K. they swim on the right side of the lane. Yea! I put on my cap and goggles and started my laps. Happy as a clam.
You know, as I was swimming I realized something, if I closed my eyes I could almost be back at the Y in Shoreview (except the walls were a little farther away from each other). Maybe that is one of the things that I love about swimming, every time you get in the water it's like coming home, even when you are over 4,000 miles away.
My love affair with water turned into a high school, then college, then post college job; Even when I quit full time I couldn't pull myself away completely. The longest I've gone without swimming on a regular basis was when I was studying in Scotland for three months during college - I nearly died.
So, what's a water rat like myself going to do with an entire year not working at a pool? Join the school gym and go swimming, of course (if you didn't guess that please smack your hand to your forehead and say "duh!" now...go on, I'll wait for you...).
This week I went to the pool for the first time. Being a pool geek there were a number of thoughts traveling around my brain as I changed into my suit.
First, would there be a lifeguard? I don't like swimming in unguarded facilities, they're just asking for trouble. (the answer is yes, they do. While he didn't appear to be wearing a swim suit, at least he looked like he was paying better attention than guards at most universities in the States).
Second, what kind of gutter and chemical systems would they have? (gutters were the dumb kinds with the high sides and a crevasse that water slops in - not my favorite. They seemed to have a well maintained chlorine filtration system. I didn't ask what type because I thought they would look at me like I had two heads for even caring).
While other, extremely random and truly boring (well, probably not boring to Jon Thomas, but he's more of a freak show about random stuff than I am), questions skidded into my thoughts, one had bothered me for years.
More than anything else, I wanted to know - which way did they circle swim! I know, a dumb question but think about it. In the U.S. we drive on the right side of the road and we swim on the right side of the lane. In the U.K. they drive on the left side of the road. That begs the question, do they swim on the left side of the lane? Don't judge, when you're in the business of aquatics these sort of questions really do come up and stick with you until you get an answer!
I had mixed feelings about circle swimming the other direction. It's like walking on the other side of the sidewalk. Nothing terrible will happen (like if someone allowed me to drive a car over here) but it would really force me to think about swimming and throw me off. Also, so much in my life is different here it would be nice for the pool to be a constant.
After a quick shower, I headed to the pool deck and answers. The pool was set up three open lanes and three lap lanes. I hopped into an empty lap lane and looks at the sandwich board facing the end of my lane. It read "Medium/Slow Lane. Swim Anti-clockwise." I had stop and think. First anti-clockwise? Why on earth would you say that instead of counter-clockwise? Getting past that I glanced at the water and released a grateful sign. In the U.K. they swim on the right side of the lane. Yea! I put on my cap and goggles and started my laps. Happy as a clam.
You know, as I was swimming I realized something, if I closed my eyes I could almost be back at the Y in Shoreview (except the walls were a little farther away from each other). Maybe that is one of the things that I love about swimming, every time you get in the water it's like coming home, even when you are over 4,000 miles away.
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