I am planning to go for my PADI Dive Master (maybe straight on to AI/Instructor - I'm currently Rescue with about 45 dives) and travelling SE Asia and eventually S.America working.
Now, while I get excited even just thinking about this, I do keep getting that annoying little sensible voice in my head shouting at me, telling me that I have no idea what I might be getting myself into....
So, I turn to you. The wise and the brave (flattery might get me somewhere!) to impart your knowledge and advice...
I am probably going to try and go back to Thailand (Phi Phi, given the time of year) to learn, mostly because...
- It's was very cheap (but it's 4 years ago since I last dived there)
- Thailand seems geared to teaching DM's. Does anyone have experience of doing DM/AI courses there?
- I love Thailand as soon as you get out of Bangkok
- It will then be a good base to travel down throu SE Asia to NZ/Oz (or even better Micronesia)
The questions I have had are...
1. How easy it is to get work as a DM? I'm thinking of Thailand 1st, Then prob head down to Malaysia/Indonesia and on to Nz or Oz? Do they pay DM's enough to live off there, or do I need savings to do this?
2. On top of that, Is it worth going straight for AI/Instructor? Will it make life easier in the short/long run? Or is it worth getting more experience as DM 1st?
Those 1st 2 questions are nice to knows (I'm pretty sure I know the answers and they have been addressed on this board before, but any more advice is welcome), but the more important for me are :-
3. Preparation? From personal experience is there anything I should be thinking about now before I go (about 3 months ahead) apart from a big goodbye party?
4. (and this is a big one) Does anyone know of Visa requirements for working as a DM in Thailand/SE Asia/Australia and how strict are they? (when I was there before the Thai authorities seemed very easy to get round according to the DM's I talked to with journeys over the border to get restamped)?
Sorry for the mass of questions, thanks in advance for any help.
Cheers,
Sass
Now, while I get excited even just thinking about this, I do keep getting that annoying little sensible voice in my head shouting at me, telling me that I have no idea what I might be getting myself into....
So, I turn to you. The wise and the brave (flattery might get me somewhere!) to impart your knowledge and advice...
I am probably going to try and go back to Thailand (Phi Phi, given the time of year) to learn, mostly because...
- It's was very cheap (but it's 4 years ago since I last dived there)
- Thailand seems geared to teaching DM's. Does anyone have experience of doing DM/AI courses there?
- I love Thailand as soon as you get out of Bangkok
- It will then be a good base to travel down throu SE Asia to NZ/Oz (or even better Micronesia)
The questions I have had are...
1. How easy it is to get work as a DM? I'm thinking of Thailand 1st, Then prob head down to Malaysia/Indonesia and on to Nz or Oz? Do they pay DM's enough to live off there, or do I need savings to do this?
2. On top of that, Is it worth going straight for AI/Instructor? Will it make life easier in the short/long run? Or is it worth getting more experience as DM 1st?
Those 1st 2 questions are nice to knows (I'm pretty sure I know the answers and they have been addressed on this board before, but any more advice is welcome), but the more important for me are :-
3. Preparation? From personal experience is there anything I should be thinking about now before I go (about 3 months ahead) apart from a big goodbye party?
4. (and this is a big one) Does anyone know of Visa requirements for working as a DM in Thailand/SE Asia/Australia and how strict are they? (when I was there before the Thai authorities seemed very easy to get round according to the DM's I talked to with journeys over the border to get restamped)?
Sorry for the mass of questions, thanks in advance for any help.
Cheers,
Sass