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Scuba Forum / General / May 2004Cheapest place in Europe for PADI divemaster
Hi, I was wondering if somebody can give me an idea about the cheapest(how much should I expect to pay..) place in Europe/Eastern Europe/Turkey to get my PADI Divemaster certificate. I am really short on the money so all I can afford is to somewhere cheap..even though is not very nice:) your help is apreciated, m. >Hi, >I was wondering if somebody can give me an idea about the cheapest(how much [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >your help is apreciated, >m. Why, pray tell, do you want to be a DM? Is it for the money and glory? Maybe you want to become an instructor and become filthy rich. If you're really set on becoming a DM (regardless of agency), do it the right way and work through your local dive shop. You'll have to work with them anyways, unless you really are set on getting a starvation wages job at a resort.  Signaturedillon When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark and the horse's name was Bob. > Hi, > I was wondering if somebody can give me an idea about the cheapest(how much [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > your help is apreciated, > m. This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. > This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. No worse than someone who spent a fortune and did one of those OW to DM in 6 weeks courses. Jason SignatureSee http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ to view UK dive spaces or add your own. >> This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. > >No worse than someone who spent a fortune and did one of those OW to DM in >6 weeks courses. Not a very tall bar, is it? SignatureJason O'Rourke www.jor.com >>> This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. >> >>No worse than someone who spent a fortune and did one of those OW to DM in >>6 weeks courses. > >Not a very tall bar, is it? Not very tall at all. In fact, it worries me greatly. These same "DM's" then go out with classes when they really don't have the experience or exposure. No, I don't think I'd take one of these 45 day wonders with me. Most of these are trying to "fast track" it to instructor. The same goes for them, only more so. Signaturedillon When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark and the horse's name was Bob. > > Hi, > > I was wondering if somebody can give me an idea about the cheapest(how [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. Of course. He works cheap. What else do you want from a DM? > > > Hi, > > > I was wondering if somebody can give me an idea about the cheapest(how [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Of course. He works cheap. What else do you want from a DM? Coffee... ;-) > > Of course. He works cheap. What else do you want from a DM? > > Coffee... ;-) Black, hot and now! Signature"A bunch of us went down to Gettysburg. Some of us didn't come back. If you weren't there, you'll never understand." -Unknown Infantryman > ? > Of course. He works cheap. What else do you want from a DM? > ? > ? Coffee... ;-) > > Black, hot and now! Eddie Izzard's classic - "I like my women like I like my coffee. In a plastic cup." But seriously - the cheapest place to get certified that I know of is Koh Tao in Thailand. Rack rate for a DM qualification is 20000 Thai Baht ($500), you can get it as cheap as 16000 Bt ($400) if you help out whilst doing it. However, you're looking at an absolute minimum of $550 for a return flight to Bangkok from Europe. Closer to home, Turkey, Greece or Egypt are probably your best bets due to the lower cost of living there, coupled with the popularity of diving. Eastern Europe will not be cheap because: a) There's not much sea b) It's an expensive sport ie only the mafia do it And yes, I've dived off the coast of Crimea in Ukraine. In this part of the Black Sea, a regular underwater sight is drowned prostitutes tied to the concrete posts they use to support vines. The wine's pretty foul as well. Cheers, Benedict. "Benedict Addis" <news@itchest.uk> wrote in news:aHejc.194$Uh5.120 @newsfe1-win : > Eddie Izzard's classic - "I like my women like I like my coffee. In a > plastic cup." Could be worse... http://www.tshirthell.com/shirts/tshirt.php?sku=a252 SignatureDavid Scarlett dscarlett@_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ optusnet.com.au > This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. Sounds average to me. Signature"I know we're going to die. There's three of us who are going to do something about it." -Tom Burnett, aboard United Airlines flight 93, September 11, 2001 Well..if you assume that everybody is fortunate enough to be born in a western country and have a decent salary..then yes, your answer is valid. This question has been asked in order to help a friend from eastern Europe, that IS a professional diver(he has experience more than enough... a couple of thousands of hours underwater) but wants to become a PADI instructor and eventually to get a better salary than he has now (about 300 usd/month). In this respect I wanted an answer, not just flames and "smart" answers. There are NO local dive shops in his country, and the closest he can go is Turkey, Bulgaria or Greece. So indeed, if you know of a good diving company in those countries ..respond, otherwise hold on your horses for something else. >> Hi, >> I was wondering if somebody can give me an idea about the [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. > So indeed, if you know of a good diving company in those countries > ..respond, otherwise hold on your horses for something else. None of the good diving companies are PADI, although PADI is definitely the cheapest. Sometimes, their the least expensive, too. Coffee, boy, black, hot and now! Signature"I know we're going to die. There's three of us who are going to do something about it." -Tom Burnett, aboard United Airlines flight 93, September 11, 2001 If you're in a business, your business model might not be to be the "best" but to be priced right. McDonalds and Starbucks and Microsoft aren'te the best, but they make billions of dollars. In my specialty, Harvard and Yale are the best, but most doctors went someplace else and do a very good job. Your friend might check out some of the dive operations in Thailand. It might be cheap enough so that even with airfare, it is cheaper than Europe. The other question is where you want to DM or instruct. You might check out what they look for. You might be able to trade some classes taken for working in the shop. > € So indeed, if you know of a good diving company in those countries > € ..respond, otherwise hold on your horses for something else. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Coffee, boy, black, hot and now! > If you're in a business, your business model might not be to be the > "best" but to be priced right. McDonalds and Starbucks and Microsoft [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > might check out what they look for. You might be able to trade some > classes taken for working in the shop. What do you call the guy who graduated *last* in medical school? "Doctor". No offence meant, "Dr. Yak" just doesn't fill me with warm and fuzzies. Not that anything does... I know the f.cker, and I am tired of cleaning up after him. Actually, my doctorate is in Middle European history, but if you want to bend over... >>If you're in a business, your business model might not be to be the >>"best" but to be priced right. McDonalds and Starbucks and Microsoft [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > I know the f.cker, and I am tired of cleaning up after him. > >>If you're in a business, your business model might not be to be the > >>"best" but to be priced right. McDonalds and Starbucks and Microsoft [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > > > I know the f.cker, and I am tired of cleaning up after him. First things first - How many languages does your friend speak??? Opportunities are better as in many resorts with international tourists the need to speak German, French, Spanish etc Divemaster course are about 25000 bath or about 350 pounds sterling. To get from Divemaster to Instructor is about 1500 US dollars! I work in Koh Tao, Thailand and its hard times, few tourists and the violence is pretty bad down in the south at the malay border. Honduras is a good cheap place to do your dive career with PADI. PADI isn't the best training org. for divers but its the most worldwide and recognised. However its a money making machine and contrary to what a lot of folk say the instructors (out here in Thailand anyway) are'nt on much more than Divemasters are on. Typically the jobs are either salary or day rate. Salary is good for the slow months but sh.t for when its busy and you have six to eight divers to take on. Day rate is good when you have many divers diving each day (this is when as a DM you can make serious wedge!) However when its quiet you end up on 'starvation wages'. If your friend does go and complete his DM make sure he gets into his IDC instructor course before the money runs out! 300 USD a month.... as a DM I make about that here in Thailand. Instructors are on about 350 - 450 USD a month typically here in Thailand. Sometimes less! If you get in with one of the big factory churning dive monsters like BANs, Big Blue, Easy Divers you can earn the big money. BUT you have to of done all your training with them first though! Best money is to made in the caribean but I'm told its more expensive in many of the Islands as Knightsbridge, London!! Unless you time it perfect, your visit to there will (initially) be tough and expensive!! Close to him though is Cyprus, the cost of living (on the Turkish side!) is cheap and the diving is above average! There was a guy from Sicily (?) here posting a couple of times offering the DM cert for free if you came to work for him in the summer months (but the wages of course sucked). Try to google it. > Well..if you assume that everybody is fortunate enough to be born in a > western country and have a decent salary..then yes, your answer is valid. [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> >>This is definitely the guy I'd want working on my boat.. SignatureMichael Wolf ----- Cthulhu For President. Why settle for the lesser evil? remove stopspam to reply . > In this respect I wanted an answer, not just flames and "smart" answers. > There are NO local dive shops in his country, and the closest he can go > is Turkey, Bulgaria or Greece. So indeed, if you know of a good diving What about Croatia? Not dived there myself, but it's supposed to be good and it should be pretty cheap. Jason SignatureSee http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ to view UK dive spaces or add your own. >Well..if you assume that everybody is fortunate enough to be born in a >western country and have a decent salary..then yes, your answer is valid. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >company in those countries ..respond, otherwise hold on your horses for >something else. I don't know about Bulgaria, but I have been pretty disappointed by the quality of dive centers in Greece; still stuck in the old 70's macho culture. It may be improving though. Turkey is supposed to be somewhat better, but I don't have any firsthand experience. The comments about coffee is not that far off as you may wish. DM's mostly work as guides in a service industry dominated by mass tourism. If your friend really want to make a career out of this I also recommend that he get certified as a boat captain. That would make him eligable for the more high-paying jobs in and around the dive industry. You didn't state what "this" country is BTW. -- mrr >>This question has been asked in order to help a friend from eastern >>Europe, that IS a professional diver(he has experience more than >>enough... a couple of thousands of hours underwater) but wants to become >>a PADI instructor and eventually to get a better salary than he has now >>(about 300 usd/month). That may be true, but was not stated initially, and we see far more people interested who have 50 hours underwater. >The comments about coffee is not that far off as you may wish. DM's mostly >work as guides in a service industry dominated by mass tourism. If your >friend really want to make a career out of this I also recommend that >he get certified as a boat captain. That would make him eligable for >the more high-paying jobs in and around the dive industry. Knowing boat engines too would work. A DM with nothing more may not improve much on that 300/month. SignatureJason O'Rourke www.jor.com |
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