I picked up the crew pack two weeks ago, and have been spending the time in between with assisting on courses, going on fun dives and listening in on theoretical lectures. I feel about as ready as I can get, but I still have that nervous feeling.
I’m doing my IDC with Crystal Divers here on Bali. I picked them mainly because of their excellent reputation of being the number one CDC on this island. So far they haven’t let me down. From day one when I arrived here they’ve been open and friendly, and they’re happy to sit down and have a chat about anything as soon as they have the time. I really feel welcome in the group.
As part of the IDC you have to do the EFR Instructor course. It can easily be done in a few days, but it can be a bit of a pain to incorporate it into an already packed schedule during the IDC. Because I was here early for a bit of vacation prior to the IDC, I got the chance to join the class ahead of me when they did theirs. So I’m already certified, giving me one less headache to worry about.
It’s a really fun course. The instructor course, compared to the user level, is more theoretical with focus on presentations and understanding the material fully. So we spent a lot of time discussing and going over key points for teaching.
So why do I wanna become an Instructor?
I started diving four years ago, in Thailand. At the time I hated being in the water. I got coaxed into getting my open water certificate, and the second I stuck my head down under the surface I was hooked. Even though it was just a pool, the feeling of being able to breathe underwater was by far the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced. I followed up my open water with the advanced course right away.
When I got back home to Sweden I continued diving. When I did the rescue course I started to feel that this was something I wanted to do more. More than just doing my courses and going out to dive. I wanted to show others the joy of the underwater world. Last year I took my Divemaster, and got to experience first hand what it was like to teach others. I loved it. I immediately made up my mind to become an instructor.
So here I am. About to take the biggest step of my life into a brand new world of opportunities. And I couldn’t be happier.
