I'm so ashamed I can't...

MeMe I can't help you with where to go for lessons and I'm sure someone will be of assistance.
But I just wanted to say your not alone many adults don't know how to swim, I know many of them It's great that you want to learn don't be ashamed. I was very scared of water as a kid hated going swimming and didn't learn until I was 13 years old. I finally go the courage to kick the water and bring my feet off the ground LOL Learning how to tread water and floating is #1 it you learn that you will be fine with swimming It worked for me.

You can do it!! and good luck

MeMeATL said:

Hola Familia,

While in Santiago this summer, I would like to learn how to SWIM. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am almost 30 years and never learned how to swim.

I've tried places near my home, but they are catering to children during the summer.

Please share any info you may have about Professional Adult Swim Lessons. Private sessions would be even better.

Gracias

MeMe
>>>>>>

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Hello MeMe, I know a private swim instructor who comes here to Las Canas to give lessons, personal, one on one. I can talk to her about you, but she lives here in La Mulata, Sosua, and I don't think she would travel to Santiago. Let me know if it is possible to come here for a couple days to work with her. Maybe she could do some intense training in just a day or 2. Oh, we have the perfect pool as it is the same depth throughout and you can always get your feet on the bottom. Las Ca?as, Dominican Republic

I am 45 and I can't swim. So don't feel bad.
AZB

Good for you

My dear I am overrrrrrrrrr 30 and I don't know eather. That's why I put my baby to learn how to swimm.

I hope you find someone that can teach you....Let us know when you learn.

When I joined the airforce 30 years ago, out of the 110 people on my course there was about 40 percent that could swim. It is more common than you think, so no need to feel asamed.

I worked as a swimming instructor when I graduated from high school. My experience was that an adult learned quicker than a child. Unless you are frightened by water, an experienced instructor should be able to get you at least dog paddling in less than 10 lessons. Once you loosen up and get comfortable about breathing (bob up and down in the water to get the feel), you are on your way to swimming. Check out the hotels that have pools in Santiago, and of course the social clubs. Or, commute to Sosua as suggested. It would be worth the effort. Go for it!

How about you take a swim course in your home country before you arrive in Santiago. I know the local Y have swimming classes.

I remember the time a couple of locals in Jarabacoa were trying to swim from one part of the river bank to the other, against the current, and without going over the small waterfall to rocks below. So, try to get a little practice before you come down.

You don't necessarily need a thousand swimming instruction classes to get the jist of it.

The biggest handicap for any beginning swimmer is being afraid of the water at the deep end.

My instructor in high school had me dress in heavy clothing and a football helmet and told me to jump in the water.

I sank right down, all 10 feet, but did not lose my composure. I got back up and began to strip each layer off and tossed them to the side of the pool until I was free of all excess clothing.

This is much harder for men to do who do not carry as much bodyfat as women, but I got through it. This was of course at the end of the course, so I was already feeling confident in my swimming skills.

Never again have I been afraid of water.

Remember to relax and not tense up, control your breathing and don't panic.

Now unless you get chucked overboard from a yola on the Mona Passage and have to deal with swirling waves and man-eating sharks, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Once you get over that initial shock and begin to float and paddle around, the swimming strokes will be a piece of cake unless you are a total dork.

And yes, in my swimming class there were people who kept hitting their heads with their arms trying to do a simple freestyle stroke, so don't laugh. They managed to get through it and so can you.

damn BERZIN, excess clothes and a football helmet? thats mean! LOL
my father tossed me in the deep end of a pool and i learned from that....although i think i might have peed in the pool from fright....LOL
yes they key is to relax and not panic! :O

jalencastro said:

damn BERZIN, excess clothes and a football helmet? thats mean! LOL
my father tossed me in the deep end of a pool and i learned from that....although i think i might have peed in the pool from fright....LOL
yes they key is to relax and not panic! :O

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The instructor had a pole that reached the bottom of the pool to fish you out if things went wrong, so no worries.:rambo:

The instructor was an unrepentant harda$$ but I learned some valuable lessons from him, not just about swimming but about how to handle difficult situations in life.

MeMeATL said:

Hola Familia,

While in Santiago this summer, I would like to learn how to SWIM. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am almost 30 years and never learned how to swim.

I've tried places near my home, but they are catering to children during the summer.

Please share any info you may have about Professional Adult Swim Lessons. Private sessions would be even better.

Gracias

MeMe
>>>>>>

Click to expand...

You can join one of the swimming classes at the Centro Espanol or Amaprosan...

They'll give you a temp card that allows you entry to the centers to assist to the swimming pool's classes.

Had a buddy with the same small problem some two years back, we contacted the person in charge at Centro Espanol, but classes had already started there and we ended up having him signed up to Amaprosan.

He swims like a shark now!!!

The cost is somewhat higher for non-members of the clubs!!!

Don't ask me how much, since he paid for his own; I didn't want to know anything regarding money, so to be free of extortion by friendship drive-by... LOL!!!

BTW: They are called Clases de Natacion in the DR...
Get your goggles in the US or country of origin to save your eyes from the over chlorinated water in the pools...irate:

swimming class

The PUCMM (University)in Santiago has an olympic pool, where pretty good classes are offered for different levels, and different ages, also it would be less expensive than taking classes at clubs like amaprosan. The phone number for the university is 809- 580-1962 and then dial the extension for the pool office which is 4315, the classes are usually about 4 to 6 weeks.
Hope this helps

la flaca beat me to it and with better information that I have. I don't know the extension number....

Another thing: If you are from Atlanta, you should go over to the Univ. of Goerga where they INVENTED Drown Proofing. This is a technique that will give you a ton of confidence in the water.

I can teach it in ten minutes!! to an adult...

HB (former Red Cross Senior Life Saver and Instructor)

Just Dont Do That Total Emersion Thing,its Fine With Languages,sucks With Learning To Swim Tho...

To state the obvious, breathing and floating are the barriers to a new swimmer. If you have access to the equipment, try snorkling. You will be swimming by the end of the day.

Meme, just to add my 2cents; I don't know how to swim either. I'm a lot older than you but developed a fear of deep water while in a swimming class. The teacher told us to jump off the diving board into the deep end (10ft) and tread water. I went to the bottom and didn't feel myself coming back to the top and panicked. I was literally taking in water when she finally stuck that darn pole in for me to grab on to and drug me out chocking and spitting. It's funny every time I think about it now, but it was terrifying at the time. The next time I almost drowned was in Jamaica while floating on my back thinking I was going sideways when I was actually going out into the deep water. I went to stand up and there was nothing under me, but this time I didn't panick. I had at least learned from that swimming class how to dog paddle and did so strongly until my knees hit the sand (lol).

It's great that you're now going to really learn how to swim. If I had stuck to it and not let fear get to me, I'd be enjoying the beaches here in the DR a lot more. Maybe one day I'll take lessons again. Good luck to you and have fun swimming like a fish!

The PUCMM ... you need to pick up a form at the swimming pool office, the girl is very nice, her name is Germania, and you pay $RD200.00 pesos, for the doctor's test at the campus, then you have to go to the lab for blood and urine test, when you have it done you come back to the university's doctor bring the test result, 2 pictures and $RD750.00 pesos, you come back to Germania and you have to sign to waiting list for the next adult classes...but if you know how to swim you go throug the process and you can go swim M-F from 6:00p.m. to 8:00 p.m. wonderful people and you only pay $600.00 pesos a month...Bryant also keep the eye on you and give you a routine...
any other info feel free to pm..I am a PUCMM member and I've have swim at AMAPROSAN, I am a swimmer...right now I am in New York and I swim at Y , excellent, very clean, and also they have classes for beginners... Have fun and learn how to swim...Age is a number....good luck ... Lucille

At the PUCMM you don't have to pay membership while you are not using it.

M?M?, don't be ashamed. I am 62 and I can swim. There is hope. Don't feel bad ! H.Iram.