Ask you a questions from Japan

[Kyohey Narita]

Hi, forgive me my poor English.
I'm from Japan.
I've guided diving 20times around Izu peninsula in Japan as an PADI Assistant Instructor.
I have disable, I wear hearing aids into inmost ears.
I can hear and talk like healthier people with hearing aids, but if I don't wear them, I can't hear almost.
I've guided diving against healthier people, when I guide, I told them about myself before diving.

So, I want to ask you questions.
My goal is to work in foreign country.
I want to work with English at a dive resort or center where there is no Japanese member.

But I'm worried about my disable, English skill, diving rank.

... how do you think?

 

[KatieMac]

I have a friend who is hearing impaired. I would not have a problem diving with a dive master who is hearing impaired. But English skill would be important to me. I'm fairly new to diving so I find it important to be able to communicate with the dive master. Many on here are very experiences so I think it would be less important for them.

 

[CT Sean]

Echoing the above, I wouldn't have any issue with the hearing impairment - heck, I got a surfing lesson from a guy with one leg once. English speaking ability could be an issue though - obviously understanding what a dive guide / dive master / instructor is saying is sort of important. Perhaps start by moving somewhere that would have a good amount of English speaking customers but a good amount of Japanese as well. My somewhat ignorant view of the eastern hemisphere thinks places like Okinawa or Guam or perhaps the Philippines might be a good place to start.

 

[ZzzKing]

Personally, I would think someone with a hearing impairment may be better at in-water communication than a typical, non-hearing impaired person due to their general necessity to make themselves understood in their day to day lives. I don’t know how many times I have wished my and my dive buddy’s mastery of sign language was better under water.

As far as English, there are numerous ways to improve that. Online learning, tapes, etc. It has also been my experience that immersion in a new or different culture necessitates improved language skills. You should be able to pick it up.

Good luck with your plans!

 

[dmaziuk]

I've dived with any number of divemasters whose English wasn't perfect. Also divers whose English wasn't perfect. It hasn't been a problem so far.