I knew since I was 10 that I would one day be training to be a diving instructor. My dad has always loved diving and I was lucky enough to be taken on family holidays to the places that he wanted to dive. I will never forget my first time breathing underwater, the visibility was poor and we barely saw any marine life, yet I came back to the boat and knew this was what I wanted to do for a living. My dad was happy that I shared his passion, but with a chuckle he advised that I should at least get through the next 8 years of school first.
Everyone’s childhood dream seems like just that, a dream and not something we’ll actually accomplish. A lot of people wanted to be a famous footballer, singer, actor/actress, a doctor, a vet, or in one of my friend’s cases an ice cream man! (lol)
I put my dream off for years as I was too scared to try. What if I can’t make it work? What if I’m rubbish at it? Or what if, quite simply, it’s not everything I always built it up to be? Well I can tell you that it definitely is!
I knew that one day I’d say see ya to my self doubt, that I would face my fears and get there, no matter how ‘unrealstic’ it sounded to a lot of people back home in the UK. While my friends were going to Uni and building their dream careers, I sat day dreaming at my desk hoping that one day I could make the ocean my office. Here I am 16 years later and I have never been happier!
I have dived in some pretty stunning places, but I always knew I wanted to come to dive Koh Tao to finish my training. Firstly I love everything about Thailand; the welcoming culture, the scenery, weather and of course the food. Having all of these things plus living on a paradise island where I don’t have to wear shoes? I mean it’s a definite yes from me. I knew that Koh Tao is also one of the most popular places in the world to get scuba certified, and although in some cases it has a negative reputation for certifying ‘just anyone’, I knew that with the right dive school this wouldn’t be the case.
So how do you pick the right dive school to invest your future in?
Well a few years ago I went travelling in Thailand and I ended up booking a Liveaboard to the Similan Islands with Big Blue Diving Khao Lak. I also did my Advanced Open Water course on the trip. Not only was the trip itself amazing, with incredible dive sites and marine life eg. Manta Rays (another thing ticked off my never ending bucket list!) the staff were so happy and helpful. Their level of professionalism evaporated any rumours I’d read online about safety standards in Thailand being ‘slack’. From start to finish the trip was amazing, so I knew this dive school had set the bar pretty high.
This time round, after being on Koh Tao for a few days I finally plucked up my courage to go into the Big Blue booking office, still scared to commit to the life I’ve always wanted. I can honestly say that I’ve never looked back. Within an hour I had all the information I needed regarding my dive courses ahead, the team at Big Blue, life on the island, and Om in the Office even helped me find my own apartment which I moved into the very next day. Shortly after that I started my Rescue course, and the rest is history!
Whenever I heard people talk about Big Blue Diving and Big Blue Pro, I heard the words ‘One big family’ – such a cliché right? But it couldn’t be more true. Their Instructors and Divemasters are not only extremely knowledgeable with years of experience, you also get a sense of community that I’ve never experienced before. I wasn’t just someone arriving and spending lots of money, I was a new friend and everyone wanted to get to know me. From my Rescue Course all the way up to my Instructor Training Course, l have been provided with constant support not only as a fellow diver but as a member of the (very real) Big Blue family. You really are accepted for you who are the second you walk through the door, from the helpful and vibrant local bar staff to the crazy pink speedo wearing Instructor Trainer.
Not only do I get to dive every day on this beautiful island, walk around bare foot and have pad Thai for breakfast, I get to end the day with a sunset beer in the company of my friends and family away from home. I know that choosing a big dive school can seem quite daunting, but with Big Blue Diving Koh Tao it’s different. Whether you’re just visiting Koh Tao for a few days to do your Open Water course, or staying for a few months to become a Divemaster or even Instructor like me, Big Blue will give you an experience you’ll never be able to forget. And once you arrive you’ll never want to leave, like many of us here. (7 months and counting!)
