Learning to swim at 27

For most of my life, I kept a secret from my friends: I could not swim. Whenever they planned a trip to the beach, I came up with an excuse, or I stayed on the sand and looked after the bags. I told myself it did not matter. Deep down, however, I felt embarrassed and a little afraid.

Last year, when I turned 27, I finally decided to do something about it. I signed up for an evening class at a public pool near my office. On the first night, I was the oldest person in the group by at least ten years. The other learners were mostly teenagers, and some of them could already float.

The first few lessons were hard. Instead of swimming, we practised breathing out underwater and kicking while we held on to the side of the pool. I swallowed a lot of water, and twice I nearly quit. Nevertheless, our teacher was patient. She kept saying, 'Relax. The water wants to hold you up.' Little by little, I started to believe her.

After two months, I swam my first full length of the pool without stopping. It was only 25 metres, but I felt as if I had crossed an ocean. Since then, I have been swimming twice a week. It has also helped my back, which used to hurt after long days at the computer.

Learning something as an adult is different from learning as a child. You feel more fear, and you worry about looking silly. At the same time, you know exactly why you are doing it. If there is something you have always been afraid to try, my advice is simple: take the plunge. It is never too late.