Newbie looking to go all the way...

[jbichsel]

Scotty,
I apologize if my remarks came across as an attack on you. I never intended that. I was venting my own frustration at an industry and agencies that in my estimation, create too many shortcuts in search of positive cash flow.

I have been dealing with PADI on some training issues the past couple of days, and while today's one hour+ phone conversation helped some and clarified certain things, I'll just say that we still don't see eye-to-eye. My belief is that all the major training agencies are short changing student divers directly by not providing an adequate level of training for OW, and indirectly by demanding more from those who want to become professionals.

I am truely sorry if my remarks were offensive, hurtful or seemed unprofessional.

I wish you the utmost luck and good fortune and even envy you. Wish I could do what you're getting ready to. (Just now with the experience and knowledge I currently have.)

 

[Scotty g]

Scotty,
I apologize if my remarks came across as an attack on you. I never intended that. I was venting my own frustration at an industry and agencies that in my estimation, create too many shortcuts in search of positive cash flow.

I have been dealing with PADI on some training issues the past couple of days, and while today's one hour+ phone conversation helped some and clarified certain things, I'll just say that we still don't see eye-to-eye. My belief is that all the major training agencies are short changing student divers directly by not providing an adequate level of training for OW, and indirectly by demanding more from those who want to become professionals.

I am truely sorry if my remarks were offensive, hurtful or seemed unprofessional.

I wish you the utmost luck and good fortune and even envy you. Wish I could do what you're getting ready to. (Just now with the experience and knowledge I currently have.)

Jerry,

No offence taken. I do not get offended I can appreciate your comments and i didn't want my thread to attract the "yeah go for it, its an easy life" kinda feeling. I know it's not going to be an easy ride and i certainly wouldn't put myself through it if i think it was going to be easy...life would be too boring otherwise.

For whatever spawned your un-necessary apology, i salute and respect you. In my eyes, your comments are not offensive, they are constructive

Scotty

 

[Freds@Aquanauts]

Hey Jbichsel!

I didnt want my post to be about attacking what you put either, i just wanted to point out that you might not have fully looked up on what Scottyg will be doing the next few months. I've a fair idea who he will be working with, and I'm sure he will recieve a wide and varied dive education. But your right the OP wont be ready to teach in a drysiut unless he is experienced etc etc...

RE: scubagirl41 there will be plenty of time for fun!

By the way i would just like say that I think that people who have taught different things before make excellent instructors is they work hard enough, I leanrt just as much from a newly "minted" OWSI that had previously taught computers science as anyone else...

Good luck Scottyg and peace out!

Freds

 

[Scotty g]

Group Hug

Thanks to all for the comments about etiquitte and other unwritten rules that are very interesting to read:14:

Scotty

 

[stardust]

Scotty,

I wish you the utmost luck and good fortune and even envy you. Wish I could do what you're getting ready to. (Just now with the experience and knowledge I currently have.)

Scotty, I think you should really think about what he said, not to discourage you but just to make you aware of what it can throw at you, all at once. Not to be preachy, but just to make you aware of issues. At my paltry 120 dives I knew Im a newbie. Again, best wishes, I think you show a desire to learn just by baring yourself in this forum with that question.

 

[jbichsel]

Scottyg,
I've never been diving in Thailand, hopefully I'll get the chance before too many more years. Keep in touch and if you're still there maybe we can dive together.

 

[ReefHound]

I agree with PerroneFord and others, it's too much too fast. I believe that time is a vital element in the human learning process that cannot be ignored. The mind needs time between lessons and the body needs time between dives for the information to be absorbed and processed. Cramming may help college students get a good grade on finals but I believe the student who reads and learns the lessons weekly has a better long-term foundation.

A few more points I've not seen or emphasized. No matter how intensely you train and learn, you will have only been exposed to a brief snapshot of the scuba industry. You haven't seen how practices and methods have changed over the years, you haven't seen how equipment has evolved over the years, etc. You likely won't have used a wide variety of equipment. This will affect your ability to educate your students on equipment.

You also will not have seen how typical divers progress in their own development. It will be harder to relate to how divers learn when your own learning path was so vastly different. I think an instructor who developed along the same learning path as their students will be able to teach that path more credibly. You'll be saying "I'm going to guide you down the long and winding road. I didn't go down that road myself - I took the shortcut through the pass - but trust me I've heard a lot about it".

Another thing to consider is burnout. After six months of diving every day you might find yourself burned out and sick of the sight of scuba gear. Nobody, probably not even you, can know if this will be a factor.

Somebody touched on this but maybe you won't even like diving. An annual discover scuba course is not an indicator. Maybe the hassle of gearing up will get old, maybe you will get narced easily, maybe you are highly susceptible to DCS, maybe you will have sinus clearing problems. There a lots of people who quit diving because they decided it really wasn't for them, even though they enjoyed it at first.

And finally, there is the matter of R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I believe that in order to teach effectively you must command the respect of your students. Will they have that respect if/when they find out you have six month's experience? Especially if they are divers who have been diving for 5 years or more and taking a specialty.

 

[Diver Dennis]

And unless you REALLY love it, working in the industry might just become a job and suck the enjoyment right out it...


Then again, we all have to start somewhere.

 

[Scotty g]

Scottyg,
I've never been diving in Thailand, hopefully I'll get the chance before too many more years. Keep in touch and if you're still there maybe we can dive together.

Jerry,

I aim to be posting on here hopefully telling everyone how much i'm enjoying my experiences. By all means, if your taking a vacation in my area, i'll be privileged to buddy up

Scotty