Swimming Lessons

Last Wednesday marked the first day of swimming lessons here at Beacon House. That afternoon as Erika and I walked to catch a chro-chro to start our usual journey to Beacon House we were filled with excitement, because our idea to start a swimming program once a week had come to fruition. When we got to Beacon House the children were dressed in their swimming attire. They had their bathing suits, flip-flops, towels, a beach ball and water balloons ready to go. All four of the children were itching to get to the pool and start swimming. Thanks to the Dufie Court Hotel’s generosity we are now able to go to their pool each Wednesday to practice swimming. As we arrived at the pool, the children’s first instinct was to jump right in. They had all told Ms. Mary, Erika and I that they already knew how to swim, but that didn’t seem to be the case once they jumped in. Luckily, Erika and I were there to scoop them up. Therefore, we started with basic lessons, such as floating on their backs and holding the side of the pool, while kicking their feet. Near the end of the lesson, the kicking and floating turned into contests like, “Who can hold their breath under the water the longest?” Every time one of the children got closer to floating on their back or swam a little farther than the time before they would jump for joy and a round of high-fives was always in order. Every child by the end of the lesson was beaming with happiness and would have stayed longer if it had not been late and starting to get cold. Honestly, I think if it had been up to them they would have stayed long into the night even though they were shivering uncontrollably. When they got out of the pool to dry off and change it was adorable to see all the children concerned that their eyes had turned red from the pool. Erika and I then went on to explain that their eyes were red from the chlorine in the pool and that they would eventually turn back to their normal color.

     It was so rewarding to be apart of that day. To be honest, I think Erika and I had just as much fun as the children. I believe that sometimes it is easy for people to forget that what they might view as a common part of growing up, like swim lessons, can often be rare in other people’s lives. Again, I would like to thank Dufie Court Hotel for their kindness. All the children can’t stop talking about the pool and the other children who have yet to go can’t stop asking when it’s going to be there turn. This Wednesday will bring more swim lessons! So, stay tuned!

Coming up this week at Beacon House: The start of pen pals with children in the United States…