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Mermaids Dive Intern Testimonials...Page 3
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Mermaids dive school. They run a very tight ship to other dive operations that I have dived with. All of the courses that I took were taught above and beyond that of average. It’s definitely an internship that I would recommend to family and friends. Thanks you Mermaid’s Staff. Maddy
Arrived back from Australia a couple of weeks ago (25th Sept 2006) and now after reflecting on my journey away I have wrote this. Hope fully I can return in the near future, I know of a couple of the others are heading back next year, so I will try and go with them - it all depends on who and where I get a diving job. Any way I will recommend Mermaids to anyone in the future as I have been doing in the past. Well, where do I start. I wanted to become a dive instructor and had very little experience. I researched into many companies around the world and chose Mermaids because of the overall package. PJ's was also quick to respond to any questions, and is always there to help. Felt a little nervous sending a large deposit from myself and a friend to PJ be he assured me it would be ok and it was. Arrived and had a warm welcome from the start. Great accommodation, and invited out straight away (by Katie and the girls) where we met all the others at the dive school and excepted straight away in the group. From then on I made so many friends with my time at Mermaids and its one of the best experiences of my life. I could name you all but it would take so long, so I would just like to say thank you! I hope I had a positive effect on everyone's time there as everyone of you did on mine. I would like to personally thank the instructors. Manx for talking me under his wing, Russell for his experience, Nori for her knowledge, Charlie (what a character), HMS, Lance, SB2, Claus, Tom, Mermaids extreme's Steve and John, and of course SB1 (the boss). Plus every other instructor that stayed on after making it that helped. And believe me I have taken something from all the teaching methods of everyone that has made me a confident instructor and I feel so fortunate to have had so many excellent instructors all in the one place. To sum the place up then is it is very professional, great location (you can see the surrounding countries very cheaply while you are there, visa runs, like I did and the trips were amazing!), cheap cost of living, and what myself and all the other interns have all said in their write ups - the friendliness. You feel comfortable, like a family and if anyone wants to contact, meet up or needs assistance on something with me then my email address is Staythman@hotmail.com. Where ever I am in the world, I will look forward to meeting up again with people from the Mermaids family. What A place! Thanks - Andy Statham (Stayth)
Well -
what can I say? Fantastic
People Warm
Welcome Cheap
Drinks Great
instruction What more
could you ask for? Matt Hayward - PADI OWSI
John D (Check IDC December 2005) After
deciding upon starting my dive training to Open Water Scuba Instructor, I had to
weigh up the costs of various different Dive Schools.
Once I had made my choice, evidently 'Mermaids' Pattaya, I then was
confronted with the fact that I was sending just short of 4000 GBP to a place I
didn't even know existed. Upon checking
in detail with PADI, both at their office and on their website, I was happy that
it did exist. Upon speaking with
Peter Scott, (Pj) over the phone in Thailand
to clear up any worries and concerns I had, I finally transferred the payment
and began the ‘The Diving Life’ Internship. I
arrived in Pattaya on It
wasn’t long before I’d been given my Diving Equipment and was on my Open
Water Course. Soon enough I’d
completed my Advanced and Rescue Courses and was on my way to Dive Master.
The diving around Pattaya is good and bad. Some
Dive sights have stacks of aquatic life and are a real pleasure to dive. Others
are less pleasurable, with less visibility, but require more skill in your
diving, so are in a way, equally beneficial. – The training is superb and the
conditions being so diverse will stand any scuba diver in great stead no matter where
they are off to next. Pattaya
itself is… an interesting place to live.
It’s main industry is it’s nightlife, with hundreds of bars and
clubs; from Rock n’ Roll and Jazz clubs to nightclubs and Go-go bars (some of
which are an acquired taste). It is
certain to say that you’re never without something to do in Pattaya of an
evening. Life itself is very
different here and although very westernised in parts, respect of many of the
Thai’s cultures and beliefs, even learning a little of their language can make
life a lot easier. It
is easy to take advantage of Pattaya’s proximity to Coming
close to the end of my time here at Mermaid’s and indeed Thailand, I have
greatly benefited from the training I’ve received here.
Having these qualifications, backed up with other experience, has given
me a Passport to travel the world whilst working (if that word is accurate) at
something I really enjoy. To
compliment that, I’ve gained unimaginably from living in yet another country
and culture for just over 9 months. John
D
I feel that I have gotten an experience as close to a real divemaster as possible in an educational environment. My time has been both enjoyable and productive. Patrick G
6 months at Mermaids and I
completed Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, EFR, Enriched Air, Deep,
Wreck, Search & Recovery, Night, Divemaster, EFRI, Open Water Scuba
Instructor, 7 Instructor Specialties, DSAT: Tec Gas Blender and Tec Deep Diver,
over 200 dives in the end. Paul Pierobon - OWSI
Steve, Thanks for helping me out on the specialties. Diving here in San Diego has been amazing. I am working for Dive Connections on the weekends as there head divemaster on the boats. during the week I teach Independently, and give guided tours of San Diego's underwater world, Kayak Diving is becoming popular here as well and I am making good money with those tours. I am starting to get used to my wetsuit and the cold water diving it has been about 9-11 C here lately, BURR. Sure miss that Thailand diving. anyhow, 2 things, First, I got an IDC course evaluation questionnaire. as you know, I was extremely impressed with everyone who helped on that course and it is because of there excellent teaching and willingness to help, that I was able to learn so much while going through the IDC. I want to give credit where credit is due, but i do not know all the names of everyone who helped out. so i am asking you to help me with the last names. Second, I wanted you and Peter to know. When I came to your Dive school I was only open water with 18 dives. and your school was the only one I had been exposed to really. now I am home and I have been to every Dive shop in San Diego. They send me there overflow. and I sometimes work with there teachers on the boats I run on the weekends. what I am eluding to, is now that I have seen how well at least the dive shops here are run. let me tell you. MERMAIDS is a TOP dive school. I am constantly getting complements on my dive knowledge and diving skills. I attribute 99% of that to the intern program as well as the instructors who taught me. I had to save at least 1% for me I am not a total dummy. I have already recommended to several people here to look into the intern program and will continue to do so. I miss the program already, or is it the warm water? LOL Dana
I highly recommend the Mermaids diving life internship. During my 6 months here I have gone from never having dived to Open Water instructor. The learning environment is very flexible, it is entirely up to you how much or little you wish to learn. Any time you are looking for a little extra tuition or even have a small problem the staff are always there to help. Everyone is made to feel very welcome. The staff are very friendly and helpful. There is a very good social life here and all congregate after the diving in the local hangouts. I definately recommend coming to Mermaids. David - PADI OWSI
Although the diving is not the best in the world and conditions can vary it allows for excellent training. There is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable and essential experience in all areas of diving. you'll get to log many hours underwater and dives in total. Overall - an excellent experience. I have had better pleasure diving but the training ground is unsurpassable. Anonymous
After 7 months with Mermaids I can truly say that I have had an amazing experience. I came out to Thailand to take the "zero-hero" course - open water diver through PADI open water scuba instructor and I've done it!!!!! Not only that but I have taken so many other dive courses and had lots of fun doing them - Mermaids everything to offer. On the social side you could not ask for anything more - amazing people, endless parties, and lots of laughs!! I've made friends for life, we've all got a common interest and love diving together! There's a really happy, relaxed atmosphere at the shop and on the boats and in the bars:-) I have had the time of my life and would recommend this to anyone. You will NOT regret it! Vicky Murphy - PADI OWSI
My name is ONE - a Japanese diver. I came to Mermaid 3 year ago. I had my open water and then trained from Advanced through to Open Water Scuba Instructor. now I am taking the PADI/DSAT Tec Deep Diver Instructor training. I am very interested in technical diving and wish to work for Mermaids full time in the future. It is great here. One. - PADI OWSI
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