Swimming in Korea (again)

Six months on, now that we're savy to Korea's love of excessive pubic hair, we decided to give swimming in Korea another bash. After all, it's something we enjoyed doing every week back home in England, and we sure need the exercise.

The first time we went swimming in Korea was on a Saturday and it was heinously busy, so this time round we thought we'd try a Tuesday. We went to Cheonan Sports Complex straight after work. 

We bought swimming caps and goggles, all ready to assimilate, although I hadn't committed to buying a wet suit style bathing suit yet, they're so expensive (and not to mention ridiculous). First time round, I recall feeling disgustingly uncomfortable in my two piece bikini; Korea is still a very conservative country and they general public certainly weren't prepared see my white western skin flouncing around their pool. So today I wore one of Ric's football shirts. Loads of people were wearing t-shirts last time so I thought I was doing a good thing by covering my wobbly bits.

However... Unlike Saturdays, Tuesday nights are not family swimming nights. The damn pool was full of swimmers seemingly training for the next Olympics! I was immediately chastised for wearing my t-shirt and I think the life guard would have kicked me out of the pool had there not have been a substantial language barrier.

The huuuuge pool was once again over crowded beyond belief and I was subject to many stares and disapproving looks. 

I can swim fine, but I'm not very fast, I don't like getting my head under the water and I hate swallowing the water. Essentially, I swim like a granny. In our over crowded lane I made sure to set off swimming when there was no one behind me, but the Koreans are like torpedoes, they'd swim up to my ankles and passively aggressively bully me into stopping to let them over take. I felt like everyone was watching me, judging me.

It was intense. No leisurely after work swim for me. The pool is Olympic sized (50m), pools in England are not that long. It was hard for me to keep pace with the Koreans and I felt so uncomfortable. Everyone there was so serious; one girl even had a snorkel!! A snorkel in the swimming baths, I've never heard of anything so absurd in my life!

I lasted maybe half an hour before running back to the changing area for some comfort. Who'd have thought it, the room full of naked Korean women with ginormous bushes is now where I feel most comfortable. But even that was an ordeal.

The changing room was so crowded that every shower was occupied. People were queuing at each shower waiting for it to become available. When I finally found myself some space to shower in, a woman decided to stand behind me (naked, of course), put her things down in front of me, and stand an inch away from me whilst I showered. Silently bullying me with her nakedness to hurry up. PASSIVE AGGRESSIVENESS GONE MAD!!!! 

Once again, I'm traumatised by swimming in Korea. I'm glad I gave it a second chance, but NEVER, EVER AGAIN!!!!!!