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Hi,
I did mine on Koh Tao, Thailand for a couple of months and had a great time. They were mostly British Instructors, professional, competant and thorough. SIDS-Planet Scuba. I have a friend who just did the same with them a month ago and she had a blast.
I had considered Cairns when I was there but it was way to expensive to do a long internship and pay for digs/food/beer with no income; so I worked instead, lived like a monk for 2 months and took my savings to SE Asia.
Sometimes you can get a deal thru these types of DMT contracts, they may through in cheap digs as alot of operators have hotel/chalets as well; nothing ventured nothing gained, especially if she goes in the off season.
The thai Islands are great diving, I lived like a king for £5-10/day for food/hut/beer doing the classic beach hut thing.
Being a Budhist country it is very accommodating to Women and the natives are a great crowd; in todays current climate I would, if I were a women, think twice about living in a muslim country alone.
Be warned though it was F**kING hard work! 12 hour days 6 days a week, 4 dives a day. It was a steep learning curve and they too a very dim view of slackers, of which there were a few, and rightly so. You get out of it what you put in, a cliche I know but true non the less.
If your lass is not very comfortable in the company of strangers or doesn't have professional customer facing skills she might want to think strongly about the venture. DM training puts great store in the customer/business activities of DMTs. Exemplary diving skills apart, if a DM can't act as a "role model" "Customer host" and all round wonder-child with the punters they are not much use, then getting a job will be murder. Of course if she is not thinking of going pro then the above won't matter.
Whatever though, I wish her luck, she will have fun. If you have any further Qs don't hesitate to ask away.
Dive Safe
Ross  |