My Life Changed After I Became A Scuba Diver

For me, I became a scuba diver in one of the most typical ways, word of mouth. My journey to becoming a scuba diver started in a country where there is absolutely no scuba diving, Afghanistan. In 2010 I was a 24-year-old male in the Australian Army serving my country in Afghanistan and while I was there I met a fellow Australian soldier who showed me these amazing photos and videos of his wife scuba diving, she was a scuba diving instructor. Something instantly said to me: 

‘Anthony, it’s your time, go try scuba diving’.

Not for 1 second, I thought about the dangers, the study materials, and the practical learning to become a scuba diver, only the joy as I see it on other people’s faces. In late November 2010 I returned home to Brisbane, Australia with one new goal in life, Become a scuba diver!
2 weeks later I signed up for a popular dive shop with great reviews called GoDive. They explained everything to me in detail, who the organization certification will be with ‘PADI’, and showed me all the materials I needed. It was only then I realized how much work I need to put into becoming a scuba diver, however, I was not letting that stop me.

GoDive Brisbane

‘Becoming a scuba diver is my new short term goal and nothing will stop me’.

The day came, my PADI open water course, and yes, I was nervous but my excitement completely took over that feeling. I met the other candidates and my instructors. There were 8 of us in total and we were all eager to get started. A long first day of learning all the theory was painful, to say the least, however, I had no idea the dangers and elements of scuba diving that I will face when scuba diving. I take my hat off to all the organizations for putting together the course structure, theory videos, and documents that makeup just 1 course.

In just 1 day I learned and understood more information about scuba diving and the ocean then I did in the first 24 years of my life.

Day 2 came and finally all practical from now on, time to visit the pool, and put everything I learned the day before into reality. We spent a lot of time in and out of the water but there is one moment from this day I will never forget. The first-ever feeling of breathing underwater. This sensation is a must-do for every living soul on God’s green earth. Even if you are scared, cannot swim, or even have some kind of disability, whatever it may be stopping you from completing the whole scuba diving course, you must for once in your life experience for a moment of kneeling down in a pool, breathing normally and looking up and seeing the surface of the water. It was then I was hooked like nothing else before. My life has now changed. Of course, at first, it felt a little weird but after 10-20 seconds, I knew this was where I was meant to be. I wish I could write here the overwhelming feeling of pure joy and freedom I do not think ill ever have again. There is a saying: 

“You only get one chance to make a first impression” 

and breathing underwater in the first 5 seconds completed me. It felt like no time at all and we were done, the confined water lessons and skills were explained in so much detail that at the end of the day I was so confident that when we visit the ocean to complete the skills tomorrow I have absolutely no fear.

Waiting for my first ever ocean dive.

The above picture is the first photo I have of me before I explore my new underwater life with all the new skills I have just learned in the previous 2 days of the course. Day 3 are 2 dives in the ocean to practice exactly what we achieved the day before in the pool and day 4, the last day was more fun than anything, We worked on a hard skill called buoyancy, well for me it was at the start, however, look at riding a bicycle or driving a car, it took all of us to practice to become good at it. Scuba diving and maintaining correct and comfortable neutral buoyancy didn’t take long to master but when I did I felt free, I guess like a bird or an astronaut in space. It was that moment alone that My Life Changed When I Became A Scuba Diver.

The day I became a scuba diver

Today 10 years later, I am a scuba diving instructor in Mexico and when I explain to people what scuba diving is to me, the passion and feeling I still have when I put the equipment on and feel the bubbles on my face I say this:

When I am scuba diving I feel so free that nothing above the surface maters, not if I have any bills to pay, what am I going to eat for dinner or even why my girlfriend is upset with me, absolutely nothing above the surface matters.

This is a feeling only a free man or woman can have once you scuba dive the incredible blue oceans we have. If you read this and feel like me, comment below and tell me your story.
If you have not dived before and want to experience the same feeling I had, visit my profile HERE and send me a message or find other profiles like mine on Express Divers. They are the leading and largest online scuba diving directory for correcting scuba diving buddies worldwide.