What is it about a Teacher and a Student that instantly bonds into some kind of a wierd and a close friendship between two people? I have always been a good learner and listener, and I have always excelled in everything in life when I have had a great mentor with me.
Few weeks ago I began my swimming classes with a instructor in a club. He had initially offered me 2 women instructors to teach me, and also mentioned he could as well too if I was ready. For some odd reason, I reasoned to myself that though learning to swim with a female teacher sounded quite exciting, however if my heavy self were to panic in water, I did rather prefer a stronger hand to save my life! Also, given the fact that instructor came accross as a very mild mannered man, I asked him to be my instructor.
From the very first class, for some odd reason I felt very comfortable with him teaching me swimming. I think it had a lot to do with how he taught me swimming. I had told him before hand that I had water phobia, so my first class was nothing but drowing myself in water and staying as long as I could under water. Well, surprise, it helped greatly!! Before the first class was over, I could glide 4 meters under water without giving up my breadth.
The next few classes went peacefully, till the last class I had with him, where he finally taught me arm movement and breathing. It was my last class, and I had already made my mind to have some more classes from the instructor. However hard he tried, I was just not able to do legstroke-handstroke-breathing properly at all. At one point, I got frustrated, and he immediately noticed that.
“I want you to do one thing for me” he said – “Go back to the wall, and all I want you to do is glide on water; Nothing else; just glide”. I obliged, and this time glided around 6 meters holding my breath. When I finished, he remarked – “See, its not so difficult to keep yourself above water. Dont FIGHT with the water, embrace it. You will float anyways”. I thought about it for a second and realized what he said was so true; On the way back, I did the arm-leg-breathing movement in the right way!
I had realized by then, how good an instructor he was that he could immediately correct me on stuff that I did wrong. At the end of the class he mentioned – “Today is our last class Suyog, and I have to tell you that you did an excellent job. Not many of my students have actually learnt the arm movement in 7 classes. Its great teaching you because you look so earnest about learning swimming. A lot of people I teach have either no time to practice or never get around to finishing the course, but you really seem to want to learn swimming“. Of course, this made me happy, why shouldnt it.
As I was getting late, I told the instructor I did meet him next day (As in today) to discuss our future classes. Today I met him again in evening, and he began explaining about how should I proceed further. I instantly agreed to take 4 more classes, and he again gave me the option of choosing an instructor. I asked him again to coach me further, to which he replied that he was leaving the club this week and moving to Virginia; and he didnt want to finish a course half way.
I dont know why, or what happened to me, but at that single instance, I felt instantly sad and dejected. I had almost assumed that he would be the instructor who would teach me further, but here I was hearing that not only my instructor was not going to teach me, but was leaving the club as well. He mentioned that his girlfriend got into VTech, and he had to make a decision to be with her. I signed up on his recommendation, this time, a female teacher (albeit, beautiful and is polish), yet the feeling of sadness didnt leave me.
As I scheduled my appointments with polish lady instructor, I decided to bid my instructor a good luck with his life. In his office, exchanging pleasantries he again said – “Suyog, you were one of the best students I taught swimming too; you might think I say this to everyone and I do say it to encourage my students, but It has been a real joy teaching someone as earnest as you. I will be getting a new job, away from clubs and swimming – so u are my last student, and I think I am signing off on a good note” I replied “You’ve been great teacher as well; I was really comfortable around you learning swimming and I think its got a lot to do with how you taught swimming”.
We exchanged email addresses and phone numbers and thought about keeping in touch ahead; As I walked out of the club, I was quite moist and sad – here was an instructor whom I had barely knew for what – 7, 40 minutes classes – and yet, I felt a strange kind of bonding towards him, and I know people since years I couldnt care less about. Maybe he is a great teacher, and I have always loved learning under great teachers, and thats probably a reason why I felt dejected that I would miss out an oppurtunity to learn under someone good.
I think I will be pursuing swimming ahead, and maybe my lady instructor will not be the last teacher to teach me. But I guess, I will always remember that first instructor who taught me how to embrace water, not fight it.
Yes, I was his last student, and he my first instructor. Life is funny.
