December 23, 2011
It's really too hot to feel like Christmas here! I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas' eve! It just doesn't feel right. With the girls we are organizing a big barbecue at our house on Sunday to celebrate with the other interns as well as some of the GVI staff members. And since we are working tomorrow, we asked for our afternoon off today to go buy all the food needed for Sunday before all the shops close! We went to Victoria and it actually felt more like the day before Christmas there. People were rushing around the market with wrapped gifts in their arms, kids are walking around with Santa hats and there is Christmas music coming from the shops. Yet, we are still wearing shorts and putting sunscreen on every morning. Tomorrow night we are all planning on going out to Lafaya, because this is apparently what you do in Seychelles - you go out on Christmas eve!
We are working at full speed at the shop now, juggling between our Divemaster theory and leading clients on dives. It's very different every dive and we have to learn to adapt to each diver. I have to admit I haven't been enjoying my dive a lot when I lead clients. There is just so much stuff to think of! Make sure they are okay, control the depth and time, control their depth, turn around very often to check if they are still there, not get lost at the site, find the anchor back, make sure the clients have proper buoyancy, and look for cool stuff... It can be fine with experienced divers, but it's hell with some others. I led two kids, 10 and 12 years old, who were fantastic. They had great buoyancy, and I had the opportunity to lead them through Bay Ternay, where I had dove over the last two months. I know every rock and every coral in the bay, and I was able to find them a turtle, a stingray and a squid. It was also their first open-water dive, and I am really glad it went that way.
On the other end, I have had interesting experiences. One time we were down at 22meters on a wreck, and one of my clients just lost his weightbelt and started floating up to the surface. Good thing I heard the noise of the belt falling down, and I was able to grab the boy before he powered to the surface and risked decompression sickness.
I have to admit I have been very lucky to speak French. All the staff is French or creole, and they speak to each other in French. The boss mostly comes to me to explain me stuff or to pass along a message, and I have been in charge of a lot of clients since most are French and don't really speak English.
All is well at the house and our kitten is growing up. Apparently we are going to get a new roommate for the next two weeks - a student Instructor from France. Sylvain, our boss, only told us today so we really don't know what to expect. We'll see!
I wish you all a merry Christmas and sending you warm wishes! I'm thinking to all of you, whether you are in France, in the USA, in Switzerland, in Greece or anywhere in the world if you are reading this! Love you all! xxx
It's really too hot to feel like Christmas here! I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas' eve! It just doesn't feel right. With the girls we are organizing a big barbecue at our house on Sunday to celebrate with the other interns as well as some of the GVI staff members. And since we are working tomorrow, we asked for our afternoon off today to go buy all the food needed for Sunday before all the shops close! We went to Victoria and it actually felt more like the day before Christmas there. People were rushing around the market with wrapped gifts in their arms, kids are walking around with Santa hats and there is Christmas music coming from the shops. Yet, we are still wearing shorts and putting sunscreen on every morning. Tomorrow night we are all planning on going out to Lafaya, because this is apparently what you do in Seychelles - you go out on Christmas eve!
We are working at full speed at the shop now, juggling between our Divemaster theory and leading clients on dives. It's very different every dive and we have to learn to adapt to each diver. I have to admit I haven't been enjoying my dive a lot when I lead clients. There is just so much stuff to think of! Make sure they are okay, control the depth and time, control their depth, turn around very often to check if they are still there, not get lost at the site, find the anchor back, make sure the clients have proper buoyancy, and look for cool stuff... It can be fine with experienced divers, but it's hell with some others. I led two kids, 10 and 12 years old, who were fantastic. They had great buoyancy, and I had the opportunity to lead them through Bay Ternay, where I had dove over the last two months. I know every rock and every coral in the bay, and I was able to find them a turtle, a stingray and a squid. It was also their first open-water dive, and I am really glad it went that way.
On the other end, I have had interesting experiences. One time we were down at 22meters on a wreck, and one of my clients just lost his weightbelt and started floating up to the surface. Good thing I heard the noise of the belt falling down, and I was able to grab the boy before he powered to the surface and risked decompression sickness.
I have to admit I have been very lucky to speak French. All the staff is French or creole, and they speak to each other in French. The boss mostly comes to me to explain me stuff or to pass along a message, and I have been in charge of a lot of clients since most are French and don't really speak English.
All is well at the house and our kitten is growing up. Apparently we are going to get a new roommate for the next two weeks - a student Instructor from France. Sylvain, our boss, only told us today so we really don't know what to expect. We'll see!
I wish you all a merry Christmas and sending you warm wishes! I'm thinking to all of you, whether you are in France, in the USA, in Switzerland, in Greece or anywhere in the world if you are reading this! Love you all! xxx
Merry Christmas, Christina!! I hope my e-card didn't get lost in the depths of cyberspace!
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