Question How to look out for "Good" instructor?

[Nerdnerd_Leonard]

[TLDR] How do you determine a "good" instructor/DiveCenter before even diving with them?

With my new found passion into scuba diving and being a nerd on logical structured training, reading articles and occasionally indulge in diving-horror newbie experienced,
I often find people recommending/saying "DC don't matter, good Instructor does", "find good Instructor", so and so.

My virgin dive trip + OWD Course was eye-opening. I was lucky to meet a patient, no BS kind of instructor who doesn't rush or fault you for being slow (or that sort, you get my idea). He was also observant when he realized our trim was off during our OWD course, made adjustments accordingly to the situation.
He shares aplenty when you ask him about his dive experience and I find myself asking people about their "origin story" or what got them into diving. The best part is there is nothing short of passion and definitely not enough time for all the stories to share.

My second trip made me obsessed with diving and the community. It was less transactional and more home-y. My Dive Guide went through the refresher in details and threw in some tips in between dives. Less Lesson, more interactions, and also very observant. He frequently check back on us and ensure we are okay. And the best part during our 'tour', we chance upon a green sea turtle entangled with nylon string, so bad that it cut into it's front flippers. We sneaked up and managed to snip it off after a lot of effort.

Now I'm planning for my 3rd dive trip hoping to get my AOWD to go deeper and improve on my buoyancy, and I wish to explore a little and go to a different country to encounter more sea creatures and do some conservation dives. I searched up on most diving sites and most of the reviews are mostly good and great.

I guess what I'm really trying to ask is
How do you determine a good Dive Center / Instructor, What do you look out for when searching for a DC/instructor?

 

[happy-diver]

Considering it is you, and your capabilities that pass the course, would you rather a good instructor that
teaches in a dark quarry or another good instructor somewhere warm with beautiful fish and shipwrecks

 

[Feye]

Before making a decision, have an in-depth discussion with the instructor.

In my experience, a good instructor is patient with trainees and passionate about diving. Even if I ask a silly question, a good instructor provides a detailed and informative answer while always smiling. When I ask about the training plan, he/she also provides detailed instructions and related criteria.