“I have always loved to swim. I grew up in San Sebastian, Spain, in front of the beach. When I was at university, I swam breast stroke for my school’s national swim team. I then became a pharmacist by trade, and moved to the United States 33 years ago. I was a member of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA from 1990-2001 and was on the master’s swim team here. I then lived in Spain, New Zealand and Texas before coming back to the area in 2020. I joined the Y as soon as I could after it reopened following COVID-19, and my husband and I were back swimming in Pool 1.
I started working here in October 2022. I was swimming here daily with my husband and one of the lifeguards approached me about teaching lessons. I had taught swim lessons in Texas and decided to get my swim instructor certification through the Y. Now, I teach all ages, kids, teenagers, adults. I am so happy when I swim and I feel like I am passing that happiness, along with my knowledge, on to others.
To me, the YMCA means family. I feel like I have that here, there’s always someone to lean on. Everyone is very friendly and generous. To me, the Y also means looking forward to the future. Since I am retired, I didn’t think I would work again, but now I have this to look forward to. The YMCA is also inclusion, everybody fits in. Everyone feels like they belong.”