Last night I had one of the most humbling experiences in my very limited diving life.
I recently changed my diving club and last night I went for the first time as an "active" to the new pool.
I was expecting some sort of "test" in order for the new club people to get an idea of what I can and can't do, they decided to join a Staff Instructor and what they presented to me as their best Dive Master and make them play the "total beginner" part, me being the "instructor".
The equipment assembly part went smoothily, they played as dumb as they come, but that was no problem, then we got into the water and I was asked to demonstrate a few basics (partial and total emptying of mask, fins pivot, regulator recuperation); I did as I had been taught during my Dive Master course, trying to exaggerate the movements, moving around so everyone could have a good look at what I did with my arms as well as my legs; I can't say I felt having being perfect, but I was nervous and all in all I felt it was a fairly decent demonstration.
After the show (and their close to imperfect repetition, they are indeed good actors), I indicated we whould resurface; I was in for a surprise "do you mind a few comments?"
Of course not, I'm always looking forward to chances of improvement.
OK, now we go down again and this time it's Catherine's turn to do what you previously did.
Catherine is the Dive Master, a young, very fit and very thin girl of 26, and as soon as she started I knew they hadn't exaggerated saying she is the best they have.
I felt (and still feel) as if I were back to my very first pool session back three years ago, and I thought "I blew it, they are going to write to PADI saying I don't deserve being a DM".
"This is what I expect out of a Dive Master": gulp!
"You can come and train with us, but if you want to join the staff I promise you'll be up to it in no time, you're not bad, but that's normal standards PADI and they don't really coincide with what you can do"; you might think I was awfully offended, no, I'm very glad I ended up in there.
I have known for a while that I can dive in almost all water conditions, and I also have had a few qualms about the quality of my previous instruction, now I know for sure.
I'll work very hard in order to get the friends out of the previous club, they deserve knowing better; and I'll also work very hard to at least come close to what I saw last night.
I recently changed my diving club and last night I went for the first time as an "active" to the new pool.
I was expecting some sort of "test" in order for the new club people to get an idea of what I can and can't do, they decided to join a Staff Instructor and what they presented to me as their best Dive Master and make them play the "total beginner" part, me being the "instructor".
The equipment assembly part went smoothily, they played as dumb as they come, but that was no problem, then we got into the water and I was asked to demonstrate a few basics (partial and total emptying of mask, fins pivot, regulator recuperation); I did as I had been taught during my Dive Master course, trying to exaggerate the movements, moving around so everyone could have a good look at what I did with my arms as well as my legs; I can't say I felt having being perfect, but I was nervous and all in all I felt it was a fairly decent demonstration.
After the show (and their close to imperfect repetition, they are indeed good actors), I indicated we whould resurface; I was in for a surprise "do you mind a few comments?"
Of course not, I'm always looking forward to chances of improvement.
OK, now we go down again and this time it's Catherine's turn to do what you previously did.
Catherine is the Dive Master, a young, very fit and very thin girl of 26, and as soon as she started I knew they hadn't exaggerated saying she is the best they have.
I felt (and still feel) as if I were back to my very first pool session back three years ago, and I thought "I blew it, they are going to write to PADI saying I don't deserve being a DM".
"This is what I expect out of a Dive Master": gulp!
"You can come and train with us, but if you want to join the staff I promise you'll be up to it in no time, you're not bad, but that's normal standards PADI and they don't really coincide with what you can do"; you might think I was awfully offended, no, I'm very glad I ended up in there.
I have known for a while that I can dive in almost all water conditions, and I also have had a few qualms about the quality of my previous instruction, now I know for sure.
I'll work very hard in order to get the friends out of the previous club, they deserve knowing better; and I'll also work very hard to at least come close to what I saw last night.
