Well we finally got to do some swimming with school.
Up until now it had been closed for everyone. Even now it’s only open for schools. The reason it is closed is that there was a leak and then they fixed it up with bad paint so now they have to strip the paint and fix it up and then repaint it all over again.
Here in France it is really strict. You have to have a shower and shampoo your hair before you get in. You also have to wash your feet and no long shorts like beach shorts – you have to wear tight fitting tiny togs that are about the same size as underwear.
Of course, I’m so good at swimming except that I have to go in the bottom group with my teacher just so I can understand the instructions, which means it’s all really easy.
Swimming is on a Monday and Thursday afternoon and we have gym on all the other school days, which means that we have something on every day of the week.
Hey Ollie, that’s great that you’re going swimming at last for the little time you’ve still got left at school before the holidays in France. If you can, I reckon it’d be interesting to ask why the rules in France are as they are. They do seem strict compared to what we do back home. I wonder what reasons they give for specific tight-fitting swimwear etc. It sounds as though those rules might be based on legislation rather than just cultural or a school preference. And then you could find out from Clyde Quay whether NZ actually has regulations. I’m not sure we do. If we don’t, I wonder why in NZ kids can wear just whatever they like! Which system is best? Who knows? Sounds like a good research project to me. It’s good that you’ve got pool and gym activity so regularly. Enjoy it all.
Hi Ollie. I am catching up on your blogs. Thanks for writing. This one reminds me that I took Remi to a public pool in Paris when he was about your age and they wouldn’t let him into the pool because of his board shorts. It was so frustrating – I explained to the pool attendant that his board shorts were specifically for swimming in NZ – but it was no go. They offered him a pair of speedos from lost property, but he wouldn’t wasn’t interested. But then things got even more ridiculous…. Remi and I sat down to wait for Casey (who was allowed in the pool in her bikini) and the pool attendant told us we had to sit further up the bleachers because we were in street clothes!! That was INSANE.