This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Elizabeth Parry, a 43-year-old swim instructor in the Hamptons and owner ofI grew up in the Hamptons in a town called Water Mill, and I've been teaching swimming for 22 years.
However, for me, this disconnect was natural. Almost everyone in my family worked doing something related to catering to these fabulous people. Still, it was very hard not to feel like less. In the Hamptons, the richest of the rich come together to spend a relaxing and luxurious summer in their $300 million homes on the ocean. The town even has a street known as"Growing up near the ocean, I spent many years swimming and lifeguarding and finally decided to become an instructor.
They can have whatever they want, and what they want is for their child to have a really good experience with an excellent instructor. It's what allows me to raise my rates and still have clients refer me to their friends. Thankfully, a lot of my instructors have been living in the Hamptons for years, so they already know how to deal with these high-profile personalities. I'm not pulling somebody out of a cornfield and teaching them about rich people.
A lot of times, the parents aren't even there. The nanny or somebody else on their staff is with the child. It's a small community, after all, and they all know me. I've had many clients say to me:"Oh, if it's one of your people, totally send them over." I take good care of their children, and my instructors are the same. They know there won't be any gossiping from us.