swimming

so, have you been swimming in china? well, i went to a pool that is known in this province. the province of Shanxi. where the nationals or provincial trials were held. i did a lot of swimming with various local teachers in jincheng. so.. points that are different than those at home in canada.

there is a little snack bar at the side of the pool. people don't wear their towels into the pool area. they just bear it cold until they hit the shower. there are spit buckets at the side of the pool, lined up perhaps 7 buckets per length. must wear bathing caps, which is sooo positive and good i think. hahaha.. my english. the kiddie pool is all yellow and warm. gross, i thought the whole time.

now, for the strangest part. the locker room. changing out and into my clothes, i felt all iffy. everyone here has learned at a young age that nudity is fine with your own sex group. i guess, that's okay. but then, we hit the showers. and then, at that time, i'm happy not to have my glasses on, 'cause ladies not only wash up in the nude as they should, i guess.. but to my own surprise, my own witness, my lovely local coworker, asks me if i want my back scrubbed. at that point, after all the months of coaxing myself to understand, accept, and take on, breathe in the culture, that is where i draw the line. i will not have anyone, not even my best friend, probably not my hot lover, to scrub me down. jesus christ. with a rag. i had to let that go, express that. remember that. no scrubbing cathy.

oh yeah, i had to take my.. piercing out. i don't want the shock over a belly ring. i saw 2 ladies with tattoos on the leg and on the back, but i didn't want to risk it. dresswise, perhaps i should write more about that later? basically, in the smaller cities, it's unheard of two wear skimpy stuff/more revealing stuff unless you work as a hostess in a ktv (karaoke lounge). whatever you like, it's better to where it in the city.. but yeah.. there's a lot to it. i will write more about it another day.