Un instructeur devant le centre de plongée Phocea au Mexique
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Many of us dream to start working in the world of diving by combining pleasure and work. Far from the clichés of dive masters and / or diving instructors working for dive center. Run by bosses without conscience and without respect. In many diving centers all around the world. There are passionate people who have dared to leave their comfort zone to realize their dream.

This is the case of Aydin.

I met with him this fall during Cenote dives. I fell under the charm of the character, his career and the incredible way to communicate his passion of the Cenotes to divers in these magical places.
It was impossible for me. Therefore, not to go back on his journey and share with you his philosophy of being “all year on vacation”

Back on an atypical career

French expatriate in Mexico for some time, Aydin has long worked as an engineer in the automotive sector. He likes to say that if he had experience in the trade. Today he is 39 years old and a young instructor in the dive center Phocea center in Playa del Carmen.

It is during a holiday in Cancun that he realizes he is never as happy as underwater. Although he already had about fifty loged dives. It is Mexico and its crystal clear waters that will give him this click.

Back in France, on a whim, he feels determined to enter the wonderful world of scuba diving. And then decides to change his life and work in a dive center. Without thinking too much, he reserves a one way plane ticket. He writes an e-mail to the Phocea’s manager with whom he had dive during his holidays. (without thinking too much of an answer given his lack of diving experience). Clears his stuf and arrives three months later in Mexico.

To his surprise, Didier, the head of Phocea, seduced by the passionate mail of Aydin . Offers him to do his training with them and join the team.

Aydin’s work today in the dive center

During his vacation, Aydin had discovered the magic of Cenote dives. Back in Mexico, he decided to specialize in this particular type of diving. And became a Cenotes guide in this dive center.

Aydin likes to say that the feelings and emotions of his first dives in the Cenotes linked him to this environment to such an extent that he wanted to make it “his kingdom” of well-being.

If Angelitas, El Pit and El Eden are his favorite diving spots. I guarantee you that discovering Chac Mool or Dos Ojos with him is … just happiness!

Un plongeur évolue dans une canote au Mexique

Of course not everything is easy in Aydin’s life and the distance from his family sometimes gives in the blues. However he does not despair of seeing them come to visit him in his sunny paradise. To make them discover the diving is a real dream that he wishes to exalt.

A positive vision of work in a dive center

For Aydin, there is no job in which there are only positive aspects. However, as he chose to make his passion his job, he feels that the less interesting aspects of his work. (logistics, maintenance of equipment, preparation of diving equipment, …) appear minimal compared to the pleasure he feels to spend a good part of his days under water. In this universe he loves so much. Especially as he takes the opportunity to learn more about the material. And to link with his colleagues in the dive center.

Aydin also greatly appreciates the human side of his job and is not stingy with stories and other explanations.

Spend a day with him is the promise of a moment full of laughs, discoveries and good mood. He will tell you tons of anecdotes in his 4×4 on the way 😉

We immediately feel that he knows how to take advantage of a job that puts him in contact with people on vacation. In a friendly spirit of exchange and sharing experiences. I had so much fun with him. That we asked the manager of the center to give us the pleasure of going back diving with Aydin for our second Cenotes day.

On the other hand, Aydin tells me that he takes advantage of all the training he participates in to perfect his knowledge. Training on corals, sharks, the environment, … information he shares with us on the journeys to Cenotes, for our greatest pleasure.

The only real downside of his job. According to him, is respect for the environment that he would like even more present and not only in the dive center.

Sometimes, some customers think that because they paid for their dive, everything is theirs, everything is allowed.

Also, during the diving briefings. Aydin and the rest of the team really insist on the respect of the environment. So that the divers realize that they pay not for a right but for a service and they have to respect the environment in which they will dive.

Despite this, Aydin is sometimes afraid that the greed of some people goes beyond the respect of a unique and wonderful environment to the detriment of the ecological awareness and good practices that ensure the sustainability of the Cenotes.

A life, a philosophy

What particularly touched me with Aydin. Besides his smile, his good humor and his really great skills for a young instructor, is his philosophy of life.

If you have the chance to dive with him. You will quickly realize that Aydin has decided to be “retired”, a period of life that represents for him the moment when he passes on his skills and knowledge to others while doing only what he love. He says with a smile that he’s done with the job as a constraint and that he really likes his job today and also the dive center … and you can see that in his eyes.

He appreciates the osmosis he feels with customers in sharing the passion of diving. And also loves to learn from others which makes exchanges with him really enjoyable and constructive.

Is it his secret to be so happy in his job?

Un instructeur montre le plan d'une Cenote

An advice to work for a dive center.

When I ask him if he has any advice for those who dream of diving, he responds naturally …

… that we must just decide to change, let ourselves be guided by our desires and our passion for diving.

For Aydin, the more you think about your dreams, the further you get away from them. The manners and practices of big cities and society pushing us, according to him, to be formatted, he insists on the importance of breaking the walls that are holding us back … and I love this idea 🙂

Sometimes when I meet passionate people like Aydin on my way, I wonder if the managers of the shops who hire them are aware of the human wealth of those workers who live their jobs with passion. The benefits for divers, who will have the chance to evolve with them, having a direct impact on their overall experience at the dive center.

Un instructeur devant le centre de plongée Phocea au Mexique

And you, what is your dream?

I would love to discuss this directly with you through the comments posted on the blog (below ⬇️⬇️⬇️), feel free to share your impressions on the story of Aydin or yours; -)

And above all … do not forget to be happy 🙂

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Helen

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