Tancheon Sports Center and the hospitality of strangers.

For awhile, I wanted to get into some physical activity to work off steam and build proper body muscle while I am staying in Korea. I had found one of my biggest issues back home from working out (aside from being lazy) was the fact no 'cheap' places were close buy and I really couldn't find the time or effort to commit to plans. However, being in South Korea and having an almost limitless amount of free time during the evenings and weekends, I decided I would try and invest in swimming or some other sport, and thanks to the help of one of my fellow Foreign teachers, we got an opportunity to check out Tancheon Sports Center.

Tancheon Sports Center is a massive sports complex, carrying facilities and classes for a wide range of sports; from squash to running to bowling and, above all for me, swimming. When my fellow foreign teacher and friend, Kevin, asked one of our Korean teachers, Sarah, about finding a place to play Squash, she had mentioned Tancheon to be one of the best (and since it was right across the street, one of the closest). So, one day, during lunch break, Sarah took us to see the sports center.

This place is MASSIVE, and this is only an aerial view of the place (the facility with the pool and such is just beside the stadium, the one with the two brown roofs). When we were taken inside, Sarah spoken to the reception desks and found that they did indeed have the time's we could come in to swim or play squash, but the former mostly was during the day, with classes being done in the evening (when everyone comes off work). That's one thing you find in Korea, since everyone works during the day, its often hard to find something that's 'free'-anything in terms of working out or what have you as most of the time they have to teach classes for parents and kids who got off work or school. Anyway, Kevin and I were given booklets that talked about the classes they had for different sports, dancing, even some martial arts, and their times which they operated during the week and weekend. 

Afterwards, Kevin, who had class to teach, departed, and left Sarah and myself to explore the facility for him. Tancheon is indeed well stocked, possessing a 25x25 meter pool (i think), squash/racquetball ball courts, even an ICE RINK! It blew my mind, and certainly my expectations of just how well stocked this place was. What really surprised me though was the price, I originally thought we'd have to buy a membership, but we found soon after you could buy a day pass for 3,000 Won (that's 3 bucks!) and get a locker to boot, how epic!

Anyway, that was two weeks ago, and since then I hadn't found time to go swimming. Between meet-ups, shopping trips, and Airsoft, I had little time during the weekends to actually go and do it. However, since Monday was "Children's Day", a national holiday, I decide to go check it out and get my swim on.

I had bought a bathing suit and swim trunks with a pair of goggles prior, so I was set in that department, and after packing a towel and some rubber sandals, I went off to the sports center. Paying 3,000 Won was nothing difficult, though the last screen gave me trouble as it presented me with four options and not a single one was in English (despite the English button being pushed), it was no issue though, the one I pushed charged me 3,000 won and I made my way over to the Kiosk to get access to the pool. Once in, I changed, showered, and went right into the pool, but not before meeting another foreigner by the name of Noel. 

Noel helped me figure out a few things about the pool place and that a second card the cashier at the Kiosk gave me was a parking pass, which was moot for me as I don't drive. I was curious what it was at first because there was a display saying you needed a pass for something, but I didn't think it was for parking; either way, it was sorted and I went off to the pool.

Not the same pool, it was a 25x25 meter pool with 8 lanes.

Its been almost six years since I swam in a pool, perhaps not exactly six, but it was the last time I remember actually swimming much of anything for a decent period of time. Perhaps I am wrong, but at the back of my mind, there hadn't been any point in time that I had seriously swam for more than one day, and so I knew my body would be a bit rusty.  One thing I didn't know was that I had to wear a swim-cap at the pool. It wasn't until a lifeguard stopped me and handed me one saying it was required that I figured it out. I was actually glad he did so, but it means that I have to go out and buy one for myself now. No worries, they aren't too expensive anyway.

With cap on head, I went about swimming. I started with the basics; four laps of Front, four of back, four of breath stroke, and four of elementary. I wanted to do Side-stroke, but as the time wore on, the lane became a bit too packed for my liking (4 other people began to swim with me) so I had to keep decent pace. Sadly, as I figured, my body was not use to the heavy work-out I gave it. I started to get foot-cramps every so often and my legs were sore from the kicking; I didn't let it stop me, but it hurt like the dickens, so I took it easy, resting periodically before going on to the next lap. Noel, who was a lane beside me, was swimming like a bawss; he would keep going without stopping and I couldn't help but envy his capabilities for an older gentleman. I knew that before I stopped swimming, I could do as he could, but for the moment, the pain in my feet was becoming quite unbearable. I lasted 45 minutes before calling it quits; with the original laps of 32 short by 2 (I couldn't do the last two Elementary Back Stoke) I decided to go over and see Noel in the 'slow lane' which was pretty much people 'wading' back and forth.

Noel was glad to see another foriegner. Once he finished, he told me that we should head into the change room, apparently, the rule of the pool is to work out for 50 minutes, and then take a mandatory 10 minute break where the lifeguards go around and tell everyone to get out. That's actually pretty smart because it stops people from overworking themselves. I was glad to, I'm sure Noel would have kept going and I'd be forced to sit and watch. Going back into the charge room, Noel invited me to take a dip in the hot tub with him, I was quite delighted to do so, but we had to be stark naked, which everyone actually was, from child to senior or 'Ajoshi'. It was actually not too bad as I did the same, and went into the hot tub.

Again, not the same, I'm working with stock photos
from the internet.

Noel was one pretty cool dude; he originally came from Australia (I didn't ask were exactly) and had been living in South Korea for 14 years! That's the longest period of time a foreigner whose stayed here that I've met, and he had done quite a lot, from teach to just general learn the culture. We got into some pretty neat conversations about religion, politics, jokes, and just general experiences of South Korea. I started to feel a bit uneasy by this point; my head started to get very fuzzy, and I felt a bit weak. Noel asked if I was okay, which I replied with "yeah, I'm good."

 During the conversation, Noel asked how my Korean was, I told him non-existent, but willing to learn (and currently taking Language Classes). He offered to teach me a bit, which was cool, and we agreed afterwards he'd do so. Hangul, which is the Korean language, is a pretty logical, if not simple, language to learn. It took Noel just two weeks to get a grip on it, and he's since been working with it. I knew I'd have a bit of a ways to go, but since it's been said this language was designed for easy learning and simplicity, I doubt I'd have much trouble getting my own handle on it.

We spoke in the hot tub for almost 20 minutes before I decided to get out. Noel suggested we go for another dip but I was still sore, saying I'd probably just shower. He did convince me to try for at least half an hour, but then we decided to go into the Sauna, which I would prefer a lot more (I had said I wanted to leave by 4pm, and it was already 3:30 by the time I checked my watch.)

Going into the Sauna wasn't too bad, we continued talking about South Korean culture, especially about the food they eat, which somehow or other turned into a debate on dog meat (which is something you can get in Korea). During the Olympics of 1988, they had outright banned the production and distribution of dog meat for a period of time before, during and after the games which - despite being a sensible idea - was a bit extreme as it's part of the culture of Korea. Noel and I hammered this issue; it made me queasy just thinking about it, which turned into how people experience other cultures and got him into how his mum wouldn't like it if he had visited him while he was in South Africa years ago. Suffice to say, we were in there for a good 15 minutes before I started to get uncomfortable, and that's when I decided it was time to get out.

I walked over to the shower to soak myself when I started to feel the blood pumping in me like crazy, lightheaded and eventually just sheer exhaustion of an almost unseen force before I collapsed to the ground. This was NO JOKE, I was literally out for a second before I looked up to see Noel above me asking if I was okay. I didn't hurt myself in the fall, and I could give him a thumbs up that I wasn't in any serious pain or anything. One thing I remember learning was when you fall, its good to collapse downward rather than forward or backward as it will help your body sprawl onto the floor without banging your head on it. I did this fine, but damn, was it awful. Noel began shouting for help in Korean, and soon, almost every man in the room was around me, but they didn't gawk or stare, they immediate started to take care of me.

Everybody being lifeguards in this shower-room

One of them tilted my head to the side to let the water from my ears while others fixed my body position to be straight, another checked my pulse and Noel was talking to them. My body was tingly, but I still was able to move and I kept taking slow, deep breaths to help cool myself off. Soon enough, he said to me to stand up when I felt okay, and once I did, I was lifted by another man carried me to the dressing room and sat me down.

Koreans hospitality was exceptional here, many who hadn't even met me or knew me were around me asking if I was okay. A life guard asked if I needed anything and I simply said some water which I got quite quickly. Other men were checking my pulse, keeping me settled, even drying me off and the whole time Noel was there speaking to them, noting specifically I didn't need an ambulance (which I didn't, I was okay by this point). After a few more moments of breathing and cooling, I was able to stand up. Noel suggested I take a cool shower, and said that I should take a sit-down shower, which was something I've actually wanted to try. As I was leaving, a Korean gentleman began to bless me (he was Christian)  and he was doing the whole cross and prayers to make sure I was okay. It was surprising, and I gave him a Buddhist bow in response with 'gamsahabnida', which is "thank you" in Korean. Once that was done, I got changed, and waited for Noel.


 As I did, another Korean gentleman came by and offered me an vitamin drink. I hadn't even seen this man before, but here he was, cracking me a bottle of the Vitamin C drink that is ever so popular and handing one to me and to Noel. I was surprised.

The whole ordeal was amazing, I left feeling quite relived and perhaps even delighted to have met Noel. If he had't been there, I might have had a rather boring experience, let alone one that helped me recover from a near disaster. Noel and I spent some time that evening together, he taught me some Korean and I even invited him for dinner with me. We ate, talked, watched some Comedy with Dave Allen on life and Airplanes, and afterwards, Noel even showed me another swimming center at a community center/church not too far away. He even inquired if I was doing any martial arts, and said I hadn't thought of it, however, once he mentioned a Ikido (which is the Korean equivalent of Akido) I was bouncing on that idea real quick. An exchange of e-mails later and he said he'd pass me the info as soon as he could and then we parted ways for the evening.

Today was a real good day, did some good swimming, made a great new friend, and saw even more of the kindness and hospitality of Korean people.