Is the traveling instructor a reasonable goal?

[Casey13]

At 22 this is a good dream. If you want it I hope you get it. But, to get from where you are now (I think I'm right - 0 or maybe O/W only experiance) it will take the better part of your $10,000 or even more to get to the Instructor level ( training,equipment, dives). Good luck.

Thats why I am looking at Thailand because they have several Instructor Internships that include everything except food and social. Even come with a full set of scuba gear. and they range around the $10,000 area.

Which is why i would be thinking, start up with one of those and then use it to work in some incredible parts of the world.

Once again really appreciate the feedback. Thank You.

 

[DRsharky]

I've met many young people here that work like you are planning to do. Some were lucky enough to get a job even when they started their diving hobby as helpers in a resort dive shop and worked through up to an instructor for a good price. They share apartments with their friends to lower the accommodation cost and make enough money to cover their expenses. The only problem is, that you might get a job only during the high season. So if you plan your travel between countries with different peak seasons you should be OK.
Good luck!!!

 

[drbill]

Ah, grasshopper, as long as you have taken the required vow of poverty you will find all things possible in the world of the dive professional.

 

[QLittlestar]

Casey,
I did odd jobs while staying in Koh Tao in Thailand. Most of my friend did their divemasters so they could get unlimited dives which cost about 720.00 US (25000 baht). Since they were all travelers, they got their gear through the shop. Some of them stayed on as DMs then some of them went traveling to work in other places. Your dream is possible because I saw many of these kids doing what you want to do. Renting a place is cheap and you get alot of stuff second hand from people who are leaving. You can apply for a work visa before you leave which means you don't have to cross the border every month (which is an adventure you get used to) and I believe from Koh Tao, you just have to go two islands over (Samui) to get a new visa. If you don't, when you land in Thailand you get a 30 day visa, then you head over to Burma either country club (which has to be experienced at least once) or night boat run.

You can do alot off of 10,000dollars in Thailand. It does help if you speak another language, especially Swedish. This is doable, don't believe for a second it is not. You are young and you should have this experience.

One other thing. right now alot of people who were employed on Koh Tao are gearing up to head over to the Similan side as their season will be peaking soon. Not to mention, it will be whale shark and then manta season. Good luck to you.

 

[James Bond boat entry]

A working holiday visa in Australia might work for you, you may end up waiting tables or who knows what, but a least you will be meeting a bunch of friendly and helpful people...

Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

Have you ever thought about working for Club Med, check their website and see if you have something they can use:

ClubMed-Jobs - Home

 

[QLittlestar]

You can do Thailand, work your way through Malaysia and Indonesia, the PI, Micronesia, hit the Gold Coast of Oz then Ningaloo, NZ, that will get you through a few years.

 

[waterbearer]

I became an instructor thinking I would get to see the world. I didn't. I got to work 60 - 80 hours a week and saved no money even though I had very few living expenses. However, I was in Florida and was pretty happy being landbased. Then I got over it, quit my job, bought a ticket to Thailand and spent three months doing nothing. It's very easy to find a job there. I was offered three different jobs (I was an OWSI) in three different locations and two of them offered accommodations. Like Dr. Bill said, take a vow of poverty and the world is your oyster. Like someone else mentioned, PADI is worldwide and the most recognized.