Ethnography 2nd draft

Lauren Wallace

Ethnography

September 12, 2008

Another World

A swimming pool is usually a place to hang out with friends and splash around but to me it is a place to come and shut out the rest of the world.  The scenery of the pool deck may change but the transparent blue water is universal throughout every venue.  For three hours a day, I spend time in this temple and it is just me and this water.  Framed at the end of the space is the familiar trademark picture of the Miami Redhawk.  Everyday I get to represent that signature symbol by putting on a bathing cap with a block "M" advertised on the side as part of my uniform for the Women's Varsity Swimming team at Miami.  When I put that cap on, the outside world is nonexistent and the only thing that matters is me and the water.

When a person walks into the venue, he/she will feel the school spirit around them.  The open high ceiling creates a large, light space contrasting with the bright colors of the banners hanging that honor other teams dedicated to the sport.  Accents of the traditional red and white are highlighted in the lane lines and flags lining across the two pools, one pool bigger and the other about half the size as the first.  The light blue tiling of the deck makes these school colors stand out and appealing to the eye. Rows of spectator seating are elevated above the pool overlooking the entire room.  These seats have an eye level view to the digital scoreboard placed directly across the pool that displays a clock used by swimmers to keep track of his/her pace.  The high placed windows surrounding the pool lets the sun shine through, which lightens the atmosphere and gives off a positive vibe to the people making it a desirable place to visit.   

The smell of chlorine permeates throughout the space while small ripples of movement can be seen on the surface of the water as a result of various movements by the people using the pool.  Several activities are often going on at once.  Classes taught by lifeguards can be seen in one pool as divers flip through the air off the diving boards behind them.  Meanwhile, lap swimmers swimming back and forth along the lane lines in the larger pool are just a short distance away from friends splashing around just enjoying each others company.  A low murmur can be heard from various people socializing with each other along with the occasional sound of a splash made by a new person jumping into the pool.  Sounds are soft since the large space absorbs the sound waves and drowns out the noise, but even that sound disappears as the head submerges into the water.  The cool, crisp water surrounds the body while one's arms and legs slice through the water doing various strokes.  Once underwater, the only sound heard is his/her thoughts.  Some of my best ideas have come from the time I have spent in the water.  It is the one time that there are no distractions and no interruptions from my thoughts.  It is like the world around is muted and the only thing able to be exempt from the silence is the dialogue created in the mind. 

Every swimming skill level is represented on the pool deck.  No one to be an olympic swimmer or have any talent in order to enjoy the benefits of the facility.  Everyone has a different perspective and emotional feelings when entering the space.  For many, this is a place to relax and have fun, but to some the pool is a place of fear.  If a person does not know how to swim, it can be scary to get into a deep pool of water.  The common activity of swimming is a fear just as much as it is a enjoyable activity.  Those who have already taken the plunge and learned how to swim view the pool as a place to hang out or experiment with the swimming strokes as exercise.  The atmosphere for these visitors is low stress, which is not the case for those swimmers that swim competitively.  Speaking for the athletes who dedicate themselves to competitive swimming, the pool has an entirely different meaning to us.  It is still the same water, the same sensation, and the same smell, but add a competitive aspect to swimming and a person will see how the perspectives differ from an athlete compared to a non-swimmer.  The varsity swimmers represent Miami University in the swimming world.  They wear their school colors of red and white proudly and while in the water, they are there to reach a goal both as a team and as individuals.     

      The people participating in water activity are not the only ones that contribute to the pool atmosphere.  If one were to look around the natatorium, he/she will see other inhabitants such as lifeguards, coaches, and even spectators.  Depending on the activities happening at various times, these people show themselves on a daily basis when needed.  For me personally, I see coaches on the deck whenever a practice occurs.  Their yells of encouragement and sometimes even discouragement echo over the sound of the swimmers as they complete the workout.  The coaches yell and push the athletes to be the best they can be in order to succeed in competition.   

These competitions bring a whole new population of people to the pool.  Friends and families come and fill the stands creating excitement and gives one a new perspective of the space.  When cheers fill the air and athletes gather to race each other as well as the clock, no longer is the pool a quiet temple, but it is a loud arena celebrating the competitive spirit.  One has to remember, however, that it is still the same transparent blue water and once underwater, it is still the same quiet.  

People everyday join at the pool in the recreation center; no matter what his/her level or swimming background.  Some people choose to swim as a form of exercise, others swim for fun, and some people are there to represent a team.  No matter what skill level, everyone can appreciate the atmosphere of this natatorium.  Everyone has a desire to be there and everyone's reason is different but no matter the excuse people are there for one common activity: swimming.  The discriminatory factors that exist in our world today such as race, gender, and age have no meaning in this space.  It is almost as if this pool is another world.