Valkyrie-Favor wrote:Something pretty strange I noticed today. None of the foreign exchange students in my school can swim! They all have a horrible time in PE class. So far, they've all been surprised to know that pretty much every American can - at least, in my area and 5 or 6 States I've been to. None of the missionaries who come to my church or a camp with a huge lake have mentioned being able to swim either. We're talking people from Mexico, Canada, Japan, China, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa, Britain, and Romania.
Obviously I'm not saying that Americans are the only ones who can swim But in your area, how many people can swim? Is it required in high school, or is it just assumed? Does anyone live in a place where being able to swim is weird?
Swimming is a "first world sport". Look at the people who dominate at the Olympics: Caucasians from developed nations (America, Australia, etc). Formal lessons and swimming pools/facilities are simply not available for low-income Americans and a large percentage of foreigners.
And to answer the original question, I am American and first learned how to swim at age 5.
BoneSnapDeez wrote:
And to answer the original question, I am American and first learned how to swim at age 5.
This is how it was for me. I can remember taking swimming lessons at the YMCA when I was in kindergarten or so. It's actually a really strange idea to me that there are older people who can't swim (not that it is indeed strange, it's just something I've never really thought about).
foxhound1022 wrote:Shit. Where I live, swimming is incorporated into PE in 2nd Grade.
Holy cow, I hope your exaggerating. I never learned how to swim until my freshman year of high school, which is when everyone is required to learn how to swim during PE.
They did in my middle school (4th through 6th grades in Indiana).
We didn't have swimming in PE, but I don't believe I know any one from around here that doesn't know how to swim. Although, maybe that's not surprising because I live on Long Island.
Same here, I can swim well enough not to drown and have fun at the pool with the kids.
I think our schools start teaching the kids to swim at about 6 years old, but there are loads of private classes available for that cater for 3 years upwards. There aren't many places to swim in the wild here, and it would be damn cold anyway, but there are plenty of pools in leisure centers.
I didn't swim for several years in high school and I developed a moderate phobia of deep bodies of water. I can doggie paddle but swimming makes me really tense and nervous.
But in your area, how many people can swim? Is it required in high school, or is it just assumed? Does anyone live in a place where being able to swim is weird?
