Yes, I am stressed right now but I am dealing with it the only way I know how at an PADI IE, with a glass of wine and escaping to a quiet corner. It is crunch time with the theory and standards exams right now and the part when I feel the most useless. Why you ask, because it is the part that I really can’t do much to help you. Now matter how much we review and revise physics or physiology, if you go into a melt down as soon as an exam is put in front of you, the same will happen. My job at this point is to calm you down and offer examination advice as in, "do your weakest subject last", "make sure you read the question", etc. Sound advice for an examination, but if written exams make you quake at the knees this advice can fall on deaf ears! But in all fairness, who in the right mind actually enjoys written exams. I feel that if your answer is yes to that then maybe you don’t get out much?! Just MHO and as this is my blog that’s how it plays.
Sheer concentration ready for the presentationsAnyway, back to the PADI IE. After a fun packed and satisfyingly exhausting two weeks of PADI IDC instructor course we are running through our final examinations, finishing up in the open water tomorrow. Everyone has been working hard, and teaching an instructor program in one language can be taxing for the brain, so try two. I relish the challenge though, which has only been more exciting and fun as I have had a class full of extremely dedicated and devoted students, striving out towards their goal of becoming open water scuba instructors. Their future job to transform peoples lives whilst introducing them to the wonder of the underwater world. Transformation is the description of a scuba instructors job as discussed during the instructor development course. Transforming fear to excitement, in-trepidation to wonder. I thought this was aptly portrayed earlier today when at the start of the students confined water presentation I thought I would take some fun portraits of everyone as they are briefing, I thought it would be fun to take an additional shot after the presentations were over and everyone had passed.

Happy after the presentations...transformed!!

I don’t know about you but I think there is transformation here!!
Well done everyone so far for working hard....the Examination continues...