Hi Rey! Though I have been in love with the water since I was a kid, I really did not know how to swim in the proper manner until about 6 years ago. A cutie young 19 year old life guard at my health club taught me to swim. Before that, I used to doggie paddle with my hair in a high bee hive bun, wearing huge prescription sunglasses and lipstick, mascara and eyeliner. I as too afraid to put my head in the water until I put on swim goggles and my Speedo swim cap. Using the right equipment helped me to get over the fear of being submersed. As far as your fear of the water, why not start out in the shallow end of the pool and just have some fun moving around. Also, I think the RIGHT teacher makes all the difference. The young kid who taught me how to swim was infinitely patient and he made the lessons so much fun. I also think one-on-one is better than group lessons when it comes to swimming.