Things I'm going to miss about China: 柏林

I learned two things today.  Firstly, just because you used to be good at swimming does not mean you can retain that ability without practicing for 8 years.  Secondly it is possible to swallow gallons of Yangtze River water and not die (immediately) from the pollution.  Though there’s a possibility I may develop some kind of deformation in the future, only time will tell.  It’s even more likely that I’ve contracted Giardia.  Honestly the 长江 is not nearly as polluted as many rivers I’ve seen, but I couldn’t help but cringe as I waded in.

The leader of our swimming crew today happens to also be the owner of the coffee shop on campus.  His shop has been declared my favorite place in Yichang and because we both have a love for all things outdoors, we’ve become good friends over the last two years.   If he had asked me to swim across the river a few months ago, most likely my answer would have been, “Are you crazy??”  But as I near the end of my time in China I find myself jumping at the chance to spend time with my favorite people, despite obvious risks of say, growing a third eye.  The only complaint I have about the day was seeing far too many middle-aged men in Speedos.  Doesn’t anyone in this country know that there are swimsuits that don’t scare people?

 

“It's a good idea to begin at the bottom in everything except in learning to swim.”