This week has definitely been the week of the swimming pool. Most people who know me know that I'm not the most graceful or the most confidant swimmer so it obviously makes sense that out of all of the assistants, I'm the one asked to assist my 6 year old class with their swimming lessons. I made sure to alert all of the people that I work with that I don't really know how to swim very well and that I'm not very comfortable in the water and the response that I got every single time was, "mais non, ça va aller"(in English, ah, it'll be fine).
In order to mentally prepare for the ordeal that would be swimming with 20 beginner level 6 year olds, I decided to go to the pool to get a jump start. Thankfully, my dear mom sent my bathing suit to me in February so I was almost ready to get in the water. In France, one HAS to wear a swim cap in the pool. Also, if you are a man, you aren't allowed to wear trunks. (no, unfortunately that doesn't mean that they swim naked. They basically all wear speedos). Once at the pool, you walk to these little changing rooms that are very difficult to lock (couldn't figure them out and just had to pray no one walked in for at lease 2 visits to the pool...). Then you go and take a compulsory shower and are ready to get in the water.
I remember the culture shock that I experienced when I was on my exchange 5 years ago when I first walked into the swimming pool. I didn't own a swim cap, couldn't really swim very well and definitely didn't know where to look with so many men in speedos everywhere. This week, after having to help my French students put on their swim caps (it's a learned skill), start on their journey of swimming and still, absolutely not knowing where to look in the pool when it comes to guys and no trunks (especially when those guys are my 6 year old students who have issues when it comes to not putting their hands down their pants), I have come to appreciate the French swimming pool and all of it's quirks.
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