Everybody is afraid of something. For some, ghost. For others, darkness. I fear both ghost and darkness, but what truly terrifies me is drowning. It began in 2005, when I was 6th grade in elementary school. I was in a private school, and the students were able to do various excercise courses including swimming, ice skating and etc. But what really caught my mind was scuba diving. I mean, think about it. Of course that's way more cooler than normal everyday swimming or ice skating! Apparently, all of my classmates must have thought so too, because we all ended up wearing this weird skuba clothes which is much different from bathing suit and much more uncomfortable, because It covers all your body plus it's really thick to keep you from having hypothermia.
The swimming pool the class went was built especially for scuba diving; it was at least 5 meters deep. However for the first week, the swimming instructor got the students swim only on the surface of the pool. I used snorkel, but didn't used oxygen tank. My friends were so excited with using snorkel for the first time, they didn't listen to the instructor. Anyway they didn't really have to; we were just playing on the surface, nothing could harm us.
But I was such a model student back then. I carefully listened to the instruction about using the flippers and snorkel. After a week, the instructor told in front of the class. "So far, Donghee was the best with the kicking and all. Now let's begin practicing with oxygen tank." I was so proud of myself, since I was so desperate with compliment, I guess. I said to myself, I'll also do my best with underwater scuba diving to proud myself once again.
We began to wear oxygen tanks and heavy boxes to let ourselves sink deep into the pool. It was such a weird, scary and exciting experience, and it was so cool! We smiled and waved at each other, and used magnetic tablet to talk. From time to time we had to check if our ears aren't hurt, and our oxygen tank is fine. First few days passed with such a delight.
Then the day arrived. That morning I was so excited about going scuba diving and kept talking to mom about it. "I think this time the instructor might let us stay in the water for more than ten minutes! Mom, are you listening?" Anyway that afternoon I was with my classmates, wearing all the gadgets I need, happily flapping my flippers. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, something smacked my face really hard. My snorkel immediately slipped off from my face, which was connected to the oxygen tank, meaning that I couldn't breathe! I panicked and screamed. I was under 5 meters of water without oxygen! And I couldn't see; the snorkel also had the goggle, so without that I couldn't see through water either. For a second I hesitated but decided to go up. But soon the water started to flood into my lung, as I couldn't help breathing frantically. It hurt like hell. My nostrils and chest burned and before long I passed out.
I think I was out for a few seconds, because the next moment I was floating on the surface, coughing. I was alive. Other instructors ran to me and asked what happened, and I couldn't answer but cry. I went home early that day, keep reminding myself how fortunate I was to have survived from the incident. I went home and told my mom about it, but I was already very calm at that moment so she didn't take my words seriously.
For the next few months I was afraid of water. I was afraid to go into the pool, so I had to give up one scuba diving, and I also have to give up my summer plan to visit beach, and I was even impossible to do the bath! I took shower until winter came. Still now even if I get a chance to try scuba diving, I won't even wear a snorkel. You have my word on that.
Hi Dong Hee this is Mi Hyeon. I really enjoyed your reading. Especially the 5th paragraph makes me feel as if I had witnessed you drowning! I did not have any confusion while reading. And for the beginning, I can relate myself with the topic of ''how everyone has something that they are afraid of' but I think you can exaggerate more about the drowning part as well. The basic verb tense you have used is past tense since this is your past experience and also, I would love to know more about your writing after revision!
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ReplyDeleteHi Donghee I'm Jeong Eun from the class. I can see how you enjoyed scuba diving, and I do agree things get more interesting especially when you're encouraged and complimented. You described very specifically about your scuba class and that shows me a perfect picture of your learning it, working it hard, and enjoying it. And I can also see how you were in danger and fear - poor little girl having a hard time even after the drowning. Feels like I read a short, well-written story ;) The past tense is very properly used and just one little thing is that it would've been even better if you described a little more about after the drowning. ( You described well enough about before the drowning!) Loved your little story and see you in class!
ReplyDeleteEverybody is afraid of something. For some, ghost. For others, darkness. I fear both ghost and darkness, but what truly terrifies me among all is drowning. The terrifying feeling of suffocating while helplessly floundering--it gives me creeps just thinking about it. It began in 2005, when I was 6th grade in an elementary school. I was in a private school, and the students were able to do various exercise courses including swimming, ice skating and etc. But what really caught my mind was scuba diving. I mean, think about it. Of course that's way cooler than normal everyday swimming or ice skating! Apparently, all of my classmates must have thought so too, because we all ended up wearing the weird scuba diving clothes which is much different from bathing suits and much more uncomfortable, since they cover all your body and plus they are really thick to keep you from suffering hypothermia.
ReplyDeleteThe swimming pool the class went was built especially for scuba diving; it was at least 5 meters deep. However for the first week, the swimming instructor got the students swim only on the surface of the pool. I used a snorkel, but didn't use oxygen tanks. My friends were so excited with using snorkels for the first time. they didn't listen to the instructor. Anyway they didn't really have to; we were just playing on the surface, nothing could harm us.
But I was such a model student back then. I carefully listened to the instruction about using flippers and a snorkel. After a week, the instructor told in front of the class. "So far, Donghee was the best with the kicking and all. Now let's begin practicing with oxygen tanks." I was so proud of myself, since I was so desperate with compliment, I guess. I said to myself, I'll also do my best with underwater scuba diving to proud myself once again.
We began to wear oxygen tanks and heavy boxes to let ourselves sink deep into the pool. It was such a weird, scary and exciting experience, and it was so cool! We smiled and waved at each other, and used a magnetic tablet to talk. From time to time we had to check if our ears weren't hurt, and our oxygen tank was fine. First few days passed with such a delight.
Then the day arrived. That morning I was so excited about going scuba diving and kept talking to mom about it. "I think this time the instructor might let us stay in the water for more than ten minutes! Mom, are you listening?" In the afternoon I was with my classmates, deep in the bottom of the pool, wearing all the gadgets I needed, happily flapping my flippers. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, something smacked my face really hard. My snorkel immediately slipped off from my face, which was connected to the oxygen tank, meaning that I couldn't breathe. I panicked and screamed. I was under the 5 meters of water without oxygen! And I couldn't see too; the snorkel also had the goggle, so without that I couldn't see through water either. For a second I hesitated but decided to go up. But soon water started to flood into my lung, as I couldn't help breathing frantically. It hurt like hell. My nostrils and chest burned and before long I passed out.
ReplyDeleteI think I was out for a few seconds, because the next moment I was floating on the surface, coughing. I was alive. Other instructors ran to me and asked what happened, and I couldn't answer but cry. I don’t exactly remember how I went back home after this terrifying accident. It’s all in a blur, but eventually I arrived at home. I told my mom about it, but I was already calm at that moment so she didn't take my words seriously. That night I kept reminding myself how fortunate I was to have survived from the incident.
The next day I managed to show up at the scuba diving pool but watching the very pool where I almost drowned was just another thing to intensify my fear. I couldn’t even dip my feet in it. For the next week until the swimming class ended, I just set on the poolside watching my classmates going up and down with oxygen tanks and snorkels. I felt angry towards one of my classmates who kicked my snorkel off with he/she’s swim fin, and also felt sad that I can’t enjoy the scuba diving like I used to. Who actually kicked my face remains mystery until now
After the scuba diving class ended I thought that was the end of my nightmare. But for the next few months I was still afraid of water, not just the pool water but any water that was deep enough to dip my body. I have to give up my summer plan to visit beach, and I was even impossible to do the bath! I took only shower until winter came. Still now, even if I got a chance to try the scuba diving, I wouldn’t even wear a snorkel. You have my word on that.