A career as a dive instructor - realistic or idealistic?

[Rich Coast Diving]

It will not make you a rich girl, but certainly a happy girl with a great story to tell, loads of people knowledge and travel experiences and maybe sometime even your own dive shop!
Good luck and go for it! I did!
Brenda

 

[adamtodd]

If you get these kinda ideas, it is always better to give it a try. Sometimes you just gotta put yourself out there and go for it. If your determined, then there really isn't any reason you can't make it work. Following dreams like this is really what displays your character. Thailand would be an awesome place work in the diving industry.

 

[amascuba]

You guys are too late! This thread is OLD and the OP went off and did the instructor thing. She kept an awesome blog (check her profile) and had a whirl-wind time. It's a good read.

 

[Sirenita]

Lol @ Amascuba! Thanks for the recommendation
Still, Adam, thanks for the contribution to the thread. No wonder you haven't read it all - have you seen how long it is! Crazy! I'm surprised there's still life in the old dog.

 

[Max Depth]

Great blog alright... what an awesome life adventure so far. And what an awesome chick.

 

[Fabulous]

WOW! So much for my dream of supplementing my retirement income teaching scuba.....


Oh well.... I will just have to enjoy my diving in retirement instead.

Just caught up on this thread and it confirms the conclusion I came to 6 months ago.

I too was looking at retiring and traveling around instructing.

I hope to see some of you on my journey as "just a diver".

 

[Tiptopperoo]

I have to say that after reading your whole thread and a fair amount of your blog Lisa, I am some what rethinking my plans to go and instruct in Thailand. It's a little sad really, that it didn't all work out the way you planned, but then the question I ask is; would you change it if you could? I suspect the answer would be NO!
On the other hand I am only 23, have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I am not looking to make a fortune, just dive lots and experience a different culture.

But great work on some very entertaining reading, apparently everyone has a book in them and I think you are far closer to unlocking yours than most people ever will be.

All the best
Dave

 

[amascuba]

I have to say that after reading your whole thread and a fair amount of your blog Lisa, I am some what rethinking my plans to go and instruct in Thailand. It's a little sad really, that it didn't all work out the way you planned, but then the question I ask is; would you change it if you could? I suspect the answer would be NO!
On the other hand I am only 23, have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I am not looking to make a fortune, just dive lots and experience a different culture.

But great work on some very entertaining reading, apparently everyone has a book in them and I think you are far closer to unlocking yours than most people ever will be.

All the best
Dave

Why regret a living a dream? She'll have memories and stories to tell to people for years of her great adventure. I'm 27, going to school, and own a house. I graduate in May, selling my house sometime in the spring, and I'm leaving for my adventure.

 

[Casey13]

Hello all, I have reads this thread and i found it very informing, and a great read. I am looking to doing a internship in Thailand. Reading what everyone has said on the matter in this thread is great and seeing how their outlooks evolved. There were so many different opinions it has left me very confused on what i want to do now. I was hoping that maybe some people could give their opinions on my ideas.

I know that this is an old thread and also a little off topic, but seeings how i am in the same position as Lisa was at the beginning of this, and that hopefully maybe some of you who posted before are still around, So I'm going to post it on here.

I am 22, Canadian. Looking to do an instructor Scuba internship in Thailand. I am wondering if my goals are reasonable or are pipe dreams. What I am looking to get out of this is a great time in Thailand having fun doing something i enjoy and meeting new people. I am not looking to save any money while working as an instructor. I may work in Thailand for a bit but eventually i would like to use my OWSI to be able to travel to other countrys and get jobs. Once again not looking to save money, I want to be able to fund my living expenses while i am in these countrys and then move on to another.

So I guess what i am wondering is, is it possible to use my OWSI to actually be able to get jobs in new locations every say 4-8 months? (I wont be picky with where i go). Also will i be able to make enough money that I will be able to afford to live (not expensively) I am prepared to have to use my savings to get from one place to another but I don't want to be dipping into it too often. (I don't have much I'm only 22). And one final question. I don't mind hard work and long hours but will i have at least some free time so that I am able to see the country i am in and not just the waters.

Not looking for a career, more of a way to fuel my travels doing something I love.

Would love to hear what you guys think on this matter. I tried piecing it together from the posts, and i think i have a good general idea. But some specific responses would really help me.

Thank you all.

- Casey MacDermid

 

[orangelemon]

Not looking for a career, more of a way to fuel my travels doing something I love.

:

Then you couldnt wish for a better lauch pad, I done the Thailand diving life thing, I ran a dive centre in Phuket for over a year and loved almost every minute of it, you will get some great experiences and meet some great friends and certainly increase your 'facebook' friends by a huge amount.

I have made a few contributions to this thread already and one of them is about the pitfalls of life in Phuket so if your heading that way please re-read it. As for me now I refer IDC / DM candidates to Chris Owen PADI IDC Phuket Thailand: PADI Instructor Course (IDC) and diving internships in Thailand with PADI Course Director Chris Owen and supply potential IDC candidates with IDC information documents to ease them into their courses.

My life has changed now and since leaving the 'diving life' have started up my own website design company which keeps me in touch with diving friends who are now clients of mine.

Hope you re-read my posts on here and have a safe and amazing time, one last thought ..... please please if you go out there and drive a motorbike, drive carefully, have seen too many friends end up damaged badly due to the other drivers, the roads and their lack of ability on the motorbike