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Diving into Uncharted Waters: A Journey of Learning to Swim as an Undergraduate in the Heart of New York State #Unilife
By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright January 2024
As an eager undergraduate learning to swim at a campus on Long Island outside New York City, I vividly recall the day I leapt into the pool, guided by the watchful eye of our coach during the beginners' class.
My strokes mirrored those I had learned in the Kedah River back in the 1950s, and as I reached the pool's end in what felt like record time, fellow international students from China, India, and Latin America joined me.
The unexpected praise from our coach added a touch of mystery to our aquatic triumph. "You should congratulate yourselves because you swam as well as Mao Tse Tung did crossing the Yangtze," he proclaimed.
Puzzled, I pondered the commendation, only to be enlightened by his next words: "You swim like a stick. It's amazing how you stay afloat, your head above the water, and feet walking without touching the floor!" Laughter echoed, but the coach remained serious.
Observing the others following my unconventional swimming style without sinking, I marvelled at the realization that this was how natives swam in their own countries.
The coach, however, had a different vision. Unfazed by our amusement, he declared his intent to show us a superior technique—the way fish effortlessly navigated the water with grace and style.
What followed was a display of aquatic prowess as our coach glided through the pool, a masterclass in smooth, splash-free swimming. No bobbing head, no struggling arms, and no kicking legs disrupting the water's calm surface. We were in awe, amazed and left speechless, clapping wildly when the coach turned to face us.
This demonstration marked the beginning of my transformation into a freestyle swimmer, navigating the waters of an Olympic-sized pool at a New York college with newfound ease and style.
Little did I know that this humble initiation would later capture the hearts of admirers wherever my strokes took me, turning an ordinary swimming lesson into a remarkable journey of self-discovery and aquatic mastery.
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