Field Trip: Swimming Pool

The youngest kindy students at the school

Every month we have a kindy field trip. What suits July better than a swimming pool? The thought of taking 300 five year-olds to a swimming pool makes me slightly uneasy. However once I am aware that it is only a wading pool...I feel a bit more comfortable.

We get to the pool where there are hundreds of other kindy students. Everywhere you look you see little Korean kids in their bathing suits/swimming outfits/speedos/wetsuits and swimming caps. It is quite a sight.Amy & Annie--I think they win the award for cutest swimming attire

I think it was too bright for Amy

First our gym teacher does some calisthenics to warm up the 5 year olds--yes apparently they need to stretch before playing in the wading pool. We wouldn't want to pull anything now would we?? And it's a free for all. Now normally when I go to the swimming pool, I wear my bathing suit. But Koreans, you have to remember, don't like to get sun on their skin. So, my fellow Korean teachers are dressed mostly in shorts and long sleeved tops. I opted for running shorts and a tank--although I am still bearing more skin than most.

I don't know why I thought I was going to stay dry. I try to play nicely with the students...but mostly they want to splash Jacki Teacher so I am drenched. I don't mind it so much.

I get a tap on my shoulder by one of the lifeguards in his dinky speedo asking me in mime (he doesn't speak English) "where is my swimming cap?" Apparently it's a rule that to be in the pool you must wear a swimming cap on your head. And I'm out of the pool. Then it's lunch time. Once again the kids pull out their little lunches filled with kimbop and all sorts of rice food.
And it's time to bus it back to school. Swimming pool field trip = enjoyable break from teaching and getting to spend play time with the kids. :)

Andy and Tony--just slightly tired after the pool