Week One
Week one was, in short, a roaring success.
I had emailed my instructors beforehand, and they all had a positive response to my gender identity and my desire to remain stealth, at least for the time being. I've made a good impression on my instructors, I've made friends, and I'm optimistic about my future in fire.
That said, I've learned a couple things.
First, binding with KT tape isn't going to be sustainable long-term. It was incredibly euphoric to have a flat chest without having to wear a binder, but my awareness of it never faded into the background like it does with a binder. Additionally, my chest looked like a crime scene after removing it. The skin is raw and sensitive, but there's only a few blisters on the sides. I'm switching to proper Trans Tape, and I'm hoping between that and the healing salve, taping will prove to be sustainable. I can't do the intense workouts required of me in a binder, so if it ends up being more the the same I'm just going to have to deal with raw, sensitive skin for the foreseeable future. Here's hoping things work out.
Secondly, I need to have some kind of snack before working out. And electrolyte drinks are a must. Day one of working out, our trainer threw us right in the deep end, and I was maybe five minutes from upchucking by the end of it. It was intense, we were all struggling, but we cheered each other on and made it to the end without anyone passing out.
The academy I'm in is run out of my local college, and is a two year long AAS program. I'm really excited to see where these next two years are going to take me!
-Fin