Swim meet!

This Sunday I went to a swim meet! After some doubt about how I was getting there, Leonardo  (the all-time hero of travelers) drove me to the GYM, at which point, Elena met me and drove me to the meet. When we got there, we got changed, and headed out to the pool deck where the younger group was doing races. The opposing team had roughly five swimmers to our one and some races we couldn't field a single swimmer.

When the coach walked up, I tried to pay him some money that I had promised him. He looked at me and said that he'd get it later. In a few minutes, he came back, I paid him and he walked off. When he came back he gave me the team shirt and swim cap (blue with an orange logo) at some point I assume I'll get the team swimsuit (orange with a blue logo). We took some photos of the team. At that point the younger kids had finished, so we got in the pool for warm ups.

After warm ups we all stood around talking until our event came. No event numbers. No signs. Just knowing who was swimming before you. Elena, my desk mate (she's very nice, helpful, sweet and funny), asked one of the girls who was swimming in the same event to tell me when to go. After a bit, I swam (backstroke- this was a backstroke/breaststroke meet) I did okay- I got 4th or 5th place. about twenty minutes later I was told that I was swimming on a relay- this was a pay-by-event meet that I hadn't paid for.

I stood around for a while- it didn't seem like long- and then I went over and talked to Elena's mom. Then I realized I had to go swim my relay. I raced over (almost) and gave my shirt to one of my team mates (you have to wear shirts and flip-flops when you aren't swimming); I got there just in time and I went second on my relay. We got behind a bit on the first lap, but we still managed to place 3rd! Over here, they give you medals then and there (well, after the meet has finished). One thing I didn't mention- all of the relay teams had both boys and girls on them, whereas in the US, if you only have three girls, you can't put in a relay for the girls. We got changed (and dried our hair-VERY IMPORTANT). Elena's mom very kindly drove me home... and then I slept for the rest of the day- I got home a little after 2.
Ciao,
Florence