A few weeks ago I signed up for SCUBA lessons. I knew when I paid my money for the class that there could potentially be an issue with "the locker room".  Let's start with, I'm pre-op.

The weather in Chicago in February meant that wearing a wet bathing suit home was not an option.  I could wear it there under my clothes but... what to do after the class.

The night arrives the class has a total of two students. I, as my typical self, am 30 minutes early.  I ask the instructor "how many people in the class?" 
His response "two, you and one other."

tick-tock-tick-tock.  Then SHE walks in.  Bummer.  We do the class portion and go down to the locker room and as luck would have it, we both had our suits on under our clothes.  One sensitive trip avoided.

In the pool for three hours and then back to the locker room which was about 8 feet by 8 feet with benches facing each other against the wall.  I happened to get all my stuff put away quickly and that allowed me to change before she came in.  Number two situation avoided.

Class number two again had suits on under clothes.  After the second class, I ended up only about 30 seconds ahead.  I had decided to take a shower this time to wash the chlorine out of my hair.  The shower was a single stall shower with a curtain.  I "took my time" and by the time I was done, I wrapped a towel around me and stepped out.  She was already dressed and we chatted as I put my clothes on under the towel.

Bottom line - NO ISSUE. I'm glad there weren't 6 of us (the locker room would have been very cramped.)

I guess the bottom line is - why worry about things you have no control over.  In the end, it all turned out well.

BTW, going underwater and continuing to breath is not natural!

That's a big step and you did just fine! Practice your routine for crowded moments.

And yes, breathing under deep water is unnatural.  I do snorkel though.

I am glad that this worked out fine for you in the locker room!      

Good to hear!


Chrissy

Well done, Denise!  I'd have been having conniptions.  Well, no, actually, I probably would not have gone.  You're a braver girl than I am.

I am glad it worked out. It sounds nerve racking.

snipped: 

Quote from: Denise on February 23, 2018, 05:20:01 PM
A few weeks ago I signed up for SCUBA lessons. I knew when I paid my money for the class that there could potentially be an issue with "the locker room".  Let's start with, I'm pre-op.

Denise:  Been there and done that !!!   I am also pre-op and I have been on HRT for almost 3 years now.  I am a C-cup, my facial features without FFS are very good and I have a fairly good shape, body hair is thin and just about invisible and since going full time about a year and a half ago I always pass 100% of the time....  BUT, because I have not had bottom surgery yet the locker room scenario is a scary one.  So far I have lucked out in the gym that I frequent and also the public pool... been in the locker room with 5 or more other females in different states of undress and I was obviously as careful as I could be and all went well fortunately.....  a disaster could be awful to say the least.  I am hesitant to go forward with bottom surgery... money, surgery risk... but I am thinking.
Aspiringperson

It's been years since I swam with the fishes    Prolly should have kept my certification up

That must have been a bit stressful in the locker room considering the circumstances but I'm glad it worked out okay for you, I can only picture the thought process...
"What if I see her, What if she sees me, what if we see each other and one or both of us freak" 

I've always hated locker rooms (Something about nearly getting raped at school) Luckily when I took 'Frog' training it was long before transition and the guys were fairly mature, plus the Drill Instructors constantly eagle eyed us day and night so the only things I really had to be concerned with was drowning, getting yelled at, and/or towel snapped

Breathing underwater is a bit awkward at first, but then you get the chance to discover a whole new and beautiful world under the sea