Mwangaza Learns How To Swim

When we first fell into the water, none of us(the Mwangaza Choir Ugandan team) knew how to swim. Thank God for Kathryn, Caroline, Seth and Bobbi,our expert swimmers and trainers.

To our advantage the Crowne Plaza hotel pool is also very shallow. Even then, people like me were very scared of the water. And unlike the kids most of whom were wearing swimming costumes for the first time, personally, I was very afraid of taking off my shirt. (Up to now I am still asking Kathryn to get me a Speedo top for men. But she says they are only made for
women.)

At the end of our first visit to the swimming pool all of us got out of the water very excited. We went on boasting to the people we met how we had gone swimming. Truth be told, at our best, we had only splashed the water.

The following day, our expert swimmers spent some good time teaching us in less than 60 minutes all the best swimming styles. That is when we realized the difference between splashing water and swimming.

Anyway, right now, kids like Unity, Belinda and Kasoma can do some good short distances. Namata, Ruth, Dan, Vatican and others are still “expert pretenders” who are so convinced they are “expert swimmers”. (Truthfully, only when they are wearing life jackets, can they do their legs so well like frogs in water.)

Well, personally, just after a few minutes’ visits to the pool, I really think I can now swim as good as uncle Seth. I can float like Auntie Caroline. I can do back strokes like Auntie Bobbi. I can scuba dive like Auntie Kathryn. I don’ care who says I can’t, I know in my dreams I can do
it. (Wamma those who don’t want to hurt my feelings, please cheer me on. Sing to me: “Yes, you can.”

Henry Muguluma