DIR- Generic Hosting traveling instructors: how to get the most out of limited time?

[DANDM]

I'm hosting a GUE instructor to travel to my city to run a few Fundies classes for my diving community. I've approached an instructor willing to travel, and we have discussed basic stuff like what gear we need and their travel costs. I've had good response from my diving community, but I feel like it will be a lot like herding cats! I'll probably have enough numbers to run multiple courses.

I just wanted to hear about instructors and students who have done something like this. What lessons have you learnt to make this kind of events run smoothly? What issues did you have and what kind of back up plans did you have for them? What would you do different?

 

[grantctobin]

Class payment well in advance with a transparently defined set of terms and cancellation policy. Everyone is “interested” in a class until it is time to lock in the dates and dollars. AAssuming this goes well, would also encourage maintaining a wait list in case someone does bail.

Visa needed?

Depending on how complicated the travel is, adding a day at the start and day at the end to account for travel difficulties may be prudent. Delayed baggage, flight cancellations, etc. This flex day could be used for upgrades or primers, and these also help to spread the instructor travel costs over a larger number of people.

Depending on the instructor, it may be you as the local host that will have to find training sites that fit the needs of the course. Is the site guaranteed to be accessible? What’s the backup plan? Is there a (shaded?) location for dry land work? Where is the swim test? What about fill logistics? Have banked 32% available and access to the station after class or someone that’s able to do it during? AED and oxygen kit access? Spare weights for things like a tail weight?

On the “much harder to plan and account for” end, what’s the backup plan if the instructor bails and class gets cancelled?

There’s a lot that goes into setting up one of these and ensuring it runs smoothly. If this is a routine type of trip for an instructor, I’d let them guide the convo. If it’s not, hopefully the above is of some use.