I really don’t think anyone understands how stressful it can be for a course director during the PADI IDC and more so through the final PADI instructor exam. No, seriously. We get so emotionally and mentally involved with you guys, the students because we want you to do the best you can. Numbers are not important (at least not for me and my fellow Oceans Unlimited Course Director) it is about making you, the best instructor or divemaster that you can be, and then sending you out into the big, wide world of scuba to teach and make many more little scuba divers. Beautiful ideas for a job huh?!
I can appear grumpy or stressed at times I know, but I am pouring my heart and soul into your training so you can be all you can be. Yes, we want that...bah humbug to all of you "scubaboard dinosaurs" who are soooo mean and scathing to almost everyone that jumps on that website and asks innocent questions. I have seen many a rant about PADI and PADI course directors wanting numbers only... it may be true in some parts of the world, I don’t know, but one thing I do know is that with Go Pro Costa Rica it is not a numbers game and we are certainly not a factory of divers. One of the first talks everyone gets on my go pro programs is the "welcome to the family" talk, because that is what you are..... a member of the oceans unlimited scuba diving family. Okay, now I must go back momentarily to my previous mention of Scubaboard. This is in no means saying its a bad place, on the contrary, it is great place to find information about scuba, BUT, there are a couple of members on that forum who like to bad mouth, and jump on people at any given moment, and blanket, some dive agencies under one giant, big, squishy blanket. I don’t agree with that. I will however, continue to post my small humble opinion on the board and try to help as many people as I possibly can. : )
Anyway, I digress....so I am currently outside the classroom whilst PADI instructor examination presentations go on, I choose not to sit there and hover over my students like a clucking hen even if I feel I may give that impression sometimes. I think they have enough pressure on their shoulders and the instructor exam is supposed to be enjoyable right? I am the excited, slightly nervous "mother" hovering outside. Another hour and I think we are done for the day, ready to prepare for the open water presentations tomorrow morning. That shouldn’t be too bad as my students have been presented with skills that they have practiced many times in the IDC already. Funny how that happens.....as the examiner always says....."there is nothing new in the IE". I really don’t think anyone actually believes him until it is all over and they breathe a sigh of relief...but then so do we too!