Something new to learn

Ok, you caught me. Yes, in the last blog I did only say what mom and dad were doing next and left myself out. The reason was that I am not going home but wasn't sure what I was doing next. I have been toying with a few ideas, most of which involve never coming back. I have started the application for a working holiday visa for Australia and expect to go back there sometime to mostly work I guess. I was expecting to go right after getting solo status but that has now been delayed by a couple of months.
Ko Tao, hmmm... I know I trashed it a little bit and it's a lot more touristy that I would normally be found hanging around in but really, it is so nice here in the water and we didn't leave fast enough so I have now become sucked in. I have actually signed up to do the Divemaster course and become a professional scuba diver. If you go back and read the first blog about diving back in Egypt this turn of events will be almost as shocking to you as it is to me. Originally they had to literally drag me out to do the open water and I was convinced I was going to die. Life is so strange..... Am I that obsessed and crazy about diving? Honestly, no, I don't think so. But I guess the temptation to live in tropical paradise, hang out on the beach and really challenge myself learning something again sounded a lot better than washing dishes or picking fruit in Australia. Of course if the water here was anything less than 30C I would not have even considered staying for even a second. As it is, since I am so short on diving experience, I will have to stay here for a couple of months to finish the training and qualifications.
At the end of summer with everything finished I still think I will go to Australia and maybe check out work options on the Great Barrier Reef. Actually, this is in a way a very strategic move because I am missing the South Pacific and Caribbean as major travel destinations to see and this way I will be much more able to make it happen. Or at least justify it.....
Right now I am doing my Rescue Diver course before officially becoming a Divemaster Trainee (DMT). The cost for the courses is about $1500 and includes lifetime free diving here starting now. I will rent a room for $150 a month (at the dive resort) and try not to spend too much on all the rest. I think I'll have to avoid buying any of my own gear for now. It's just way too expensive.
On another note, I have finally applied for graduation from SFU to get my BSc. I only left 4 years ago and it took that long to admit to myself that I wasn't going to come back and do anymore work there. It won't be done until October officially and if someone had told me that I would be a pro scuba diver before I got my degree I'd've locked him up.
Ammon
PS. Someone, anyone, come visit me this summer!