First day of residency- jump in?
When I was a little girl we often would go swimming as a family. My siblings would jump in the water and splash about and I would stand on the edge in anticipation.
Jumping into a pool was new to me, as I had recently just learned to swim. Prior to jumping in I was always assisted by an adult. Now that I was grown up, or at least grown up enough to swim unassisted, I would enter the water, in my own ritualistic way. First, I would test the water wondering about the temperature and anticipating that feeling of chill that would run through my body the moment I jumped in. Sure once you were used to the water it was fine, and my siblings always encourage me “jump, jump.” Instead I would walk to the other side and test the water there, as if that would really make any difference. If there were steps or a ladder I would slowly try that way. Hoping my older siblings would be distracted with other antics and not turn to splashing me. but always when I entered the water and when the water would get to my waist I would shiver and pause. Usually my hands were held above the water as if they were bouncing off of some invisible pillow of air. My teeth would shiver and I would walk on tippy toes. The process of getting in was a long one. And indeed once I was used to the water it was fine. In fact one game my best friend, Susy and I would play was to get out of the pool and run around the outside of her house screaming “andalay, andalay areeba, areeba!” Something we picked up from the cartoon Speedy Gonzales. Because we had let the air hit our wet bodies, when we would jump back into the pool the water felt like bathwater. It was amazing. But getting into a pool took some work. And let me state, it was not an unpleasant experience, just my way of doing it.
I’m not sure why that experience of entering the pool is what I am thinking about as I come to Goddard College for my first semester in the graduate program. Perhaps I feel like I’m on the edge testing the water, watching the others play. I’m completely content to go at my own pace until I can immerse myself.
Jumping into a pool was new to me, as I had recently just learned to swim. Prior to jumping in I was always assisted by an adult. Now that I was grown up, or at least grown up enough to swim unassisted, I would enter the water, in my own ritualistic way. First, I would test the water wondering about the temperature and anticipating that feeling of chill that would run through my body the moment I jumped in. Sure once you were used to the water it was fine, and my siblings always encourage me “jump, jump.” Instead I would walk to the other side and test the water there, as if that would really make any difference. If there were steps or a ladder I would slowly try that way. Hoping my older siblings would be distracted with other antics and not turn to splashing me. but always when I entered the water and when the water would get to my waist I would shiver and pause. Usually my hands were held above the water as if they were bouncing off of some invisible pillow of air. My teeth would shiver and I would walk on tippy toes. The process of getting in was a long one. And indeed once I was used to the water it was fine. In fact one game my best friend, Susy and I would play was to get out of the pool and run around the outside of her house screaming “andalay, andalay areeba, areeba!” Something we picked up from the cartoon Speedy Gonzales. Because we had let the air hit our wet bodies, when we would jump back into the pool the water felt like bathwater. It was amazing. But getting into a pool took some work. And let me state, it was not an unpleasant experience, just my way of doing it.
I’m not sure why that experience of entering the pool is what I am thinking about as I come to Goddard College for my first semester in the graduate program. Perhaps I feel like I’m on the edge testing the water, watching the others play. I’m completely content to go at my own pace until I can immerse myself.
posted by isculpt at
3:24 AM
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