photo: laszlo-photo
I came across two couples who maintain their nomadic lifestyle through an awesome profession: diving!
1. Ben and Sarah
photo: Dive Safari Asia
Ben Stokes and Sarah Kemsley met in Malaysia in 2003, learned to dive while traveling, and went on to work as diving instructors in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Egypt, Honduras, Belize and Fiji. They now run their company Dive Safari Asia from wherever they happen to be in the world.
Check out the Guardian’s article about Ben and Sarah: The escapees travelling the world while working online.
Visit Ben and Sarah’s blog: Dive Safari Asia
2. Ayesha and Wilco
photo: Learn to Dive on Koh Tao
Ayesha, from the UK, and Wilco, from Holland, traveled the world teaching people to dive for four years. They dived in Thailand, Honduras, Egypt and the Maldives, before opening a diving school in Koh Tao.
Here’s an interview with Ayesha: Diving into a whole new way of life.
Visit Ayesha and Wilco’s website: Learn To Dive On Koh Tao (English) or Leren Duiken Op Koh Tao (Dutch).
How to become a professional diver
You need professional training to become a divemaster or diving instructor. According to diver Brittney Bush, however, the investment can pay for itself in a few months. Look for information and diving jobs at scubadiving.com, Divewise or ScubaBoard.
Don’t email me with specific questions–I would love to help but I have no personal experience with diving–yet! Next time we’re in a place where we can learn, I’ll document the experience. It should be fun, especially since the sight of me “swimming” generally causes people to ask, “Do you need me to throw you a rope?”
(I just googled it, and apparently it is possible to learn to dive if you’re a crap swimmer, but it’s not recommended. So I may need a few swimming lessons before I take to the open seas.)
Do you have experience diving professionally? Where have your diving adventures taken you around the world?
I want to help you find your calm center and experience travel with courage, curiosity and compassion.
[...] Diving certification leads to exciting jobs in amazing places, as these two professional diving couples [...]