The journey with Kon-Tiki, from Open Water to Scuba Instructor

I took my first breaths underwater when I was 8, in Cyprus, hanging on to the instructor’s BCD and breathing from his alternate air source. The ocean had always fascinated me and now I got to experience it for myself and I loved it.

When I came to Kon-Tiki and Koh Lanta the first time, I was 15, and then I was finally going to do my Open Water course. Four days later, I had become a certified diver and guess if I was excited! Next year I did my Advanced course with Kon-Tiki Phuket and a couple of years later I was graduating high school, with a plan to go back to Koh Lanta and do my Divemaster course. After several holidays on the island I had gotten to know Kon-Tiki and decided that if I was going to do this course, it was going to be done here.

In the fall of 2012 I walked back through the doors of Kon-Tiki Lanta and was introduced to my new instructor, Joachim, who took great care of me throughout my course. During the process I got to know the dive centre and how things work “behind the scenes”. Joachim was (and still is!) an amazingly inspiring mentor and it didn’t take long before I realized I wanted to become an instructor.

I stayed on Lanta for the rest of the season, working as a freelancer for Kon-Tiki. After going back home to Sweden for the summer, I came back in September this year. In mid-November, I started my IDC, blessed with the course director Isa Fayos. The IDC contained long hours in the classroom, several sessions in the pool and a couple of days in the ocean as we prepared for the examination in Phuket. The course was incredibly fun and finally the hard work paid off as I passed my examination.

As I am writing this, I am back home on Lanta, waiting for PADI to process my instructor application and put me in “teaching status”. As a 15 year old, I began my diving career with Kon-Tiki and here I am, five years later, just waiting to jump back into the water with my first open water students. I want to say a big thank you to Kon-Tiki and the amazing staff for having been so supporting during all this and I can’t wait to start the rest of the season, as OWSI #318035.

/Matilda

Why you should take the leap and become a PADI Dive Instructor

Everyone that’s been abroad on a holiday, or maybe just watched a movie from a paradise location, can remember that lucky guy/girl who had that place as their office.

As PADI professionals, either Divemaster or diving instructors we all have an office with a view like no others. We wake up in the morning eating our breakfast and think about all the new things we´ll see that day. About the new great people we are about to meet and create memories with, some for life.

Being a dive professional isn´t just about diving, it’s a life style. We constantly try to improve our skills and our knowledge, about everything from the smallest little underwater critter we can find, to the strangest physics questions you can ever think off. We bet you who has ever have done a PADI Course, that you were really inspired from your Dive instructor. How he/she explained everything to you, demonstrated the essential skills, and also guided you through your course.

For you guys that are more experienced and done all courses up to PADI rescue diver or even PADI Divemaster. Try this, think about your first 3 girl-/boyfriends names – hard? Now, do the same with your diving instructors – easier? Even with only a few limited days, they have made such an impact on your life that you remember them easier than your previous loved ones.

Becoming a PADI open water scuba instructor is an intensive course that is conducted over 2 weeks. It will take you through different teaching methods, coaching techniques, and pedagogic skills. We also focus on dive theory as you are supposed to be “all knowing” when it comes to diving and everything related to it.

During the course you´ll make classroom presentation for your PADI course director, skill demonstrations/briefings in the pool and of course the Open water skills. You´ll get to practice skills taught in PADI Open water up to PADI Divemaster courses. Making sure you are proficient in all fields before starting to teach in the real world.

It´s what we call – Serious Fun

Next IDC starts in November on Koh Lanta. Contact us for a change to an alternate lifestyle!

Instructor Course – 1st October 2012

Kon-Tiki Thailand would like to announce our next Instructor course starting on the 1^st of October. The course will be held in the professional venue of our branch in Ao Nang. Here you can enjoy some of the diving industries finest education facilities, boats and staff.

During this IDC, Kon-Tiki´s different centers will join forces to educate the finest professionals in the diving community. We will have the Course Director from Koh Lanta, Staff Instructor candidate from Phuket, Staff Instructor from Krabi and Instructor candidates from all destinations.

Do you want to reach the top? Join our IDC on the 1^st of October!

Read more here