Yep, I'm still here. I've just been lazy lately.
I've been back in the US for a week now. Where did the last seven days go? I still feel jetlagged. This is the first time I've had jetlag and it (or something is still kicking my butt. I'm tired all day lately.
I made it back to the grand 'ol town of Crane, TX yesterday. I ended up driving a U-haul truck full of 1,500 law books 400 miles across the state from Dallas for my dad. Why he felt compelled to buy a truck load of these books is anyone's guess. Blame it on seemingly too good to pass up deals on various internet auction sites.
Today I wasted no time in advancing my scuba diving education. I enrolled with Family Scuba Center in Midland in the necessary classes to gain my Advanced Open Water certification. After I complete courses in navigation, deep water, equipment, and boat diving as well as the 24 necessary dives I will be even closer to Divemaster. Then I'll just need the search and rescue course, which sounds like fun. By the way, does anyone in west Texas have some gear I could borrow to use in my course? The price of the first four classes totals only $150 but if I have to rent the gear too it'll add up quick. Anyone?
Coming back from my travels wasn't as strange this time as the first time. The entire last week before I left Paris in July was depressing in a lot of ways. I wasn't ready for my trip to end at all. When I got back in Dallas things seemed so very foreign and out of place. I didn't feel apart of that world anymore and I couldn't figure out why. Things just felt weird and strange much more than they were familiar and comfortable. The whole time I was home I couldn't wait to leave again.
This time was completely different. I wasn't necessarily ready to come home at the end of my trip but I wasn't dreading it either. Things were a lot more mellow. I was ready to get started with my scuba courses and prepare for the next trip. Emotionally I was in a much better place.
I was also prepared to leave immediately for a hitchhiking race from Minnesota to California. At the last minute I even found a partner to do it with me. My friend Karyn from Ohio was all set to meet me in Minneapolis when I heard just THREE days before the event that it was cancelled. Apparently they didn't organize or promote it all that well and *surprise* they didn't have enough participants. I was crushed since I had really wanted to take part in this - ESPECIALLY since I had found someone to do it with me. Too bad.
So here I am in west Texas. Tomorrow I'm going with my aunt Debbie to see a couple of movies. I don't even know what's out now. I look at the list of movies and almost all of them are unfamiliar to me. I saw Team America: World Police on Friday night and loved it. Go see it!
I'm not sure when I'm heading out next. I'm hoping to be gone at the end of November but who's to say for sure. It looks like I can fly to Australia or Thailand for $700-800. I couldn't believe it was so cheap! I'm ready to go!
Posted October 19, 2004 10:22 PM @ (GMT - 6)
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Hi Jim,
Just a word of advice: it's pretty difficult to find work as a Divemaster these days. Dive operators are really looking for Instructors - a Divemaster cert just doesn't cut it anymore, at least at most reputable shops. They may hire you to boat tend while the Instructor takes guests underwater, but it's unlikely you'd be leading dives unless you have an Instructor cert. Not trying to be a downer, just trying to give you a heads up...
On the plus side, if you're looking for a very cheap, very fun, very backpacker-oriented place to get your Divemaster (and Instructor) head to Utila, Honduras.
-Jessi