Made it!!!

Egypt 2008: Greg and I are sitting with three other travellers in a taxi to Luxor talking about our travel plans. There’s a camel transporter in front of us. I mention that I want to go to Dahab.
“Oh, you’re diving!?”
“No.”
“You should try it. Dahab is famous for diving…”
I start thinking and say to myself “why not?”. After a little bit of internet research I planned four extra days in Dahab and started my PADI Open Water Diver Course at Sunsplash Divers.
Being in the water feels totally natural and when I see fish swimming above me for the first time I become euphoric. Fish­ ABOVE me!! How cool!!

Five years later on the Philippines: after a month of studying and almost 3 weeks of Instructor Development Course Richard Evans, PADIs head of Quality Management and Instructor Examiner shakes my hand and gives me my certificate for passing the Instructor Exam.
I’m an Open Water Scuba Instructor!! Hurray!

Amazing what a small question in an Egyptian taxi can lead to…

November 2008: brand new Open Water Diver

My IDC classmates Ray, Brad and Mark, our Course Directro Kenneth (2nd from left), our Examiner Richard (in black) and PADI’s Regional Manager Asia Pacific Jimmy (far right)

The course was challenging but great and I can highly recommend Kenneth Svennerlind at Asia Divers/iDAP College for your IDC. He has a pass rate of 100% at the first try, which justifies the somewhat higher costs as there is no risk of having to retake the exam (which is expensive).
My classmates where great and we had a very good group dynamic. Thank you guys!

And for completeness’ sake and for my own ego my full title list:

PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
Specialty Instructor: Deep, Wreck, Night, Search and Recovery, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Enriched Air (Nitrox), Equipment Specialist
Emergency First Response Instructor

If anyone will be on the Philippines before Mai 15th, I’m ready to teach.
After that you can find me in Kaş, Turkey at Likya Diving.