Question on Equipment

[pasley]

Not and expert on the subject, But here are thoughts to consider.
1. The Dive Shop you will I assume eventually work at will want you to wear gear they sell and they will want it to be 2 yr old at the most.
2. You will eventually want 2 sets of dive gear. A set for the pool (chlorine is very hard on the gear) and a separate salt water set. My regulator mfg (Aqualung) says, service once a year or every 100 dive which ever comes first UNLESS you are using it in a pool on a regular basis then service it every 3 months.
3. The internship programs can take you from No Dive Experience to Instructor in short order. Would you want your family taught by an instructor with hundreds of dives and a few years experience or an instructor who did not know how to dive 6 months ago? Remember diving is done for the love of the sport. The pay is very low for the hours worked.
4. Thailand is I am told a very beautiful place with different customs and entertainment opportunities than you may be use to at home. Remember safety first.

 

[Casey13]

Not and expert on the subject, But here are thoughts to consider.
1. The Dive Shop you will I assume eventually work at will want you to wear gear they sell and they will want it to be 2 yr old at the most.
2. You will eventually want 2 sets of dive gear. A set for the pool (chlorine is very hard on the gear) and a separate salt water set. My regulator mfg (Aqualung) says, service once a year or every 100 dive which ever comes first UNLESS you are using it in a pool on a regular basis then service it every 3 months.
3. The internship programs can take you from No Dive Experience to Instructor in short order. Would you want your family taught by an instructor with hundreds of dives and a few years experience or an instructor who did not know how to dive 6 months ago? Remember diving is done for the love of the sport. The pay is very low for the hours worked.
4. Thailand is I am told a very beautiful place with different customs and entertainment opportunities than you may be use to at home. Remember safety first.

Thank you for the input, very good to know about the chlorine issue. Do many places use salt water pools? Seems like that would be an ideal choice.

I understand the issues with not having the years under my belt, but from what ive read from the many many posts on this matter. Is if you have the right attitude and are a good learner and a competant person than 6 months training is enough to get in the door of instructing, and a bad instructor is a bad instructor anyway you slice it.

As for the low pay, I also have heard this. But for me its not an issue at the moment, I worked for several years doing a job that sure paid alright but not something i felt attached to, or woke up everyday pleased with. So i saved my money and put it in a Traveling Fund, Now here i am. I am fully prepared for me not to make a long term career out of this. If I am able to then that will be terrific. if not then at least i have a new skillset, loads of memories, and many new friends. And I get to go home knowing at least I tried.

Besides I'm still young, So this is the time to do these things. When i dont have a wife and family or morgages.

- Casey

 

[DevonDiver]

Casey...good luck to you...and have fun!

I really enjoyed the years I spent working in Thailand as an instructor. Having gained some good experience in the PADI system (I was BSAC instructor before), I then used my qualifications to source work in Borneo and now, the Philippines. I also got to spend several months travelling across Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.

If life provides you with the opportunity to live, work and travel around Asia, then grab it. Being a scuba instructor is hard work, long hours and physically demanding - but the lifestyle is like no other. Your pay should be enough to sustain a basic lifestyle, but no luxuries. If you have some money saved already, then that will allow you to afford the extra comforts or travels.

As a newly qualified instructor (once you achieve that), concentrate on gaining as much experience as you can....and network like mad with other instructors...word-of-mouth recommendations is the best way to find new jobs in new locations. If you have the ability to speak other languages, then brush up on them. The ability to teach in more than one language is a major advantage in the SE Asia dive industry.

 

[nova83tx]

Casey -

I completed a Mermaid's Internship in Dec. 08 that took me from OW --> OWSI, and you should have a memorable experience.

Regarding the equipment, I used Rental kit for a few weeks when I first got there, so I could decide on what pieces I wanted to upgrade. Most of the other interns were very cool about letting me try out and dive with their BCDs, Regs, Computers, etc...(it took me a month to finally pick my fins)

I am very glad that I did this, because if I had picked out the equipment the first day I was there with Terry, I would have been disappointed with my choices. My first instinct was to upgrade to a BCD with plenty of pocket space. After diving with someone's Seac Sub Pro2000, I felt like I was far too bulky to be comfortable, so I went with the ProQD.

At first, a console computer seemed to be what I wanted, but again after diving with one, and talking with all the other interns/instructors, I found out that it wasn't for me. The Gekko is a great computer, but I decided to upgrade to the D4 so I had something I could wear 24/7 and had no danger of it getting lost.

Mermaids fairly recently has really expanded their selection of equipment options available, and with the discount offered, now would be a good time to do your research, and pick equipment you will happily use for years.

Also keep in mind, that if there is something in the shop you want, but the size is just a little off, don't settle for what is in stock at the shop. Have Terry order the right size and wait the extra week. I saw plenty of interns in BCDs with a size too big because they wanted one that first day, and didn't have the patience to order.

If you have any other questions, PM me, and I will be happy to fill you in on any other details of Mermaids/Pattaya/Thailand.

Good Luck, and enjoy the Land of Smiles!