Wow, this rings so many bells. I took my first swimming classes after I graduated from college. While others were lapping around the pool, I remember swimming b

Wow, this rings so many bells. I took my first swimming classes after I graduated from college. While others were lapping around the pool, I remember swimming backwards somehow while holding a floater. And yes, crossing the middle of the pool going towards the deep end was the scariest part. With the encouragement of my teachers and some students, I managed to do a few laps by the end of the class. In US, it seems like everyone knows how to swim. I am relieved that there are others like me who struggle with this as adults. Kudos to the OP for sticking through it!