Our typical day starts around 8:15 in the morning with classroom sessions, followed by an excellent buffet lunch and maybe some pool learning in the afternoon. The official part concludes around five, but usually we stay for some time to prepare our presentations, surf the net or do some studying. Sometimes we just go out for beers and hang out with people.

The classes are not so much about diving itself anymore, but more about how to teach. The actual subject matter has already been covered during the divemaster course, so we’re able to concentrate on how to deliver that information to our students. We practise giving presentations by doing very compact, but still complete lectures on small subjects such as staying warm underwater or how to avoid ear problems during ascents. Even though the whole presentation may be only two or three slides long, we include a full introduction, the matter itself and a summary in each one. Our performance is constantly evaluated by at least two persons from the staff.

So far the IDC has been from a different planet compared to the divemaster course. We have a schedule, clear objectives and maybe the best educator-mentor-role model the island has to offer. His example sets high standards for the whole course, and that’s the way I like it.

The original plan for us was to do our IDC in April, which would have given us more than enough time to do the required hundred. We both had some 30+ when we arrived and we’re somewhere around 80 right now. Given that the IDC starts in two days and I’m still overexhausted from last week, I’m going to have a hard time reaching the three-figure mark before IE.

Luckily, BSB is a 5-star Career Development Centre, which allows its instructor candidates to fulfill the requirements out of order. This means I can take the IE with only 60 dives, sail through it and do the remaining dives afterwards.

What a relief. Now all I have to do is stop telling myself that I should somehow match the performance levels of my beloved wife. I guess it’s an equality and pride thing for me to bring in as much competence as she does. Yes, yes, I know it’s stupid, but still something I need to work on.

In other news, we finally have to change our bike. The current one seems to have a bad alternator and a bit of cold start trouble, giving me leg cramps from all the kick starts. Let’s hope we get a better one as a replacement.

Tomorrow we’re doing more guiding practise in Tulamben, and Sunday is again a day off. We’ll be having a beach party on Saturday to celebrate Eeva’s birthday and our first anniversary. Feel free to join us

First of all, it’s actually quite hard work in relatively rudimentary conditions. We typically get up at 5:30, have breakfast from the fridge (no cooking equipment) and arrive at the dive centre at 6:30 the latest. Then we pack up, help the centre staff haul all the equipment to the van, wait for the guests to arrive and head out for a dive.

The Bedroom in all its glory – a bed, a cupboard, a fridge and a toilet

It takes from forty-five minutes to three hours to get to the dive site, depending on which one we’re going to. Some coastal sites can be reached by car, but most of the time we take a boat directly from Sanur.  Usually we do two or three dives and practise some skills during them, have lunch on board or in a beach restaurant and head back to the dive centre around two o’clock or so. After the return trip we wait for the equipment to arrive, service our own stuff and usually give a hand to the staff with air tanks and such. If we’re not exhausted enough after this, there’s always some studies to do in the afternoon.

Returning to Sanur after dives

Finally, if time allows, we take some time to relax, surf the net and spend time with the dive centre staff.  There’s nothing waiting for us in the Bedroom, so we’re in no hurry to get back there. Usually we grab some dinner around seven, take a quick shower and hit the hay at nine. Rinse and repeat.

This is what we have to put up with day in, day out: fish

And yes, it sounds worse than it actually is. We commute by bike, go diving on a boat, get a lot of sun and fresh air on the way and the general philosophy of the whole industry is to have fun. We’ll also stay pretty fit just by attending the training, there’s a million places to eat in, and we actually get to do something we like. Right now it’s the best job/training/whatever in the world, but I’m sure it will be worse some days.

Still, why didn’t we do this any sooner?

As I anticipated in the last post, our luggage isn’t, but it should be on its way already. If we’re lucky, it lands in Bali in a few hours and will be transported to us defore dusk. Until then we’ll just have to cope without a few things.

Speaking of few things,  we couldn’t go diving even if we had the time: I did take our certificates out, but it doesn’t really help as long as our swimming gear and Eve’s contact lenses are somewhere on their way.

Anyway,  here we are. First impressions on food, traffic and the diving centre are all good, the locals are friendly and so on. Our accommodation, the Bedroom, only has a bed, fridge, shower, toilet, fan and (at least) one cockroach, so we won’t be spending a lot of time there.

Now we’re off to find some food, and in the afternoon we’ll start studying first aid and do some shopping.  Seems like there’s a lot to learn, but that’s why we’re here. Let’s get busy!