From Zero to Superhero: Edi’s journey from Open Water to PADI Instructor

Our man Edi and how he has accomplished a feat nothing short of the title.

Physics. Physiology. Two words that makes the best of us cringe in dire anticipation. You’re introduced to these concepts in school and then again in your PADI Open Water Certification. It’s overwhelming at first (you mean we have to actually understand math and Boyle’s Law to dive??? What the heck!) but then with the guidance of well-explained videos you start to easily grasp the concepts of diving as you’re taken through the course.

Edi started with his PADI Open Water Course when he began working with Blue Corner Dive and made his way up to PADI Divemaster through the counsel and support of fellow local legendary diver Made P. Thanks to PADI and their scholarship program, Edi had the opportunity to take on the Instructor Exams and share his passion for the underwater world with students.

This is where Edi started. Years ago Edis' job at Blue Corner Dive Lembongan was to fill the tanks in preparation for the day’s diving. His English was limited and he had never had any formal language lessons.

Going Pro: Tackling the IDC Lembongan PADI Instructor Development Course

Both Edi and Made have two significant things in common: both locals of Lembongan who made their way up the PADI ranks to professionals, and they both did so with a beautiful smile, despite the PADI Instructor exams not being available in their own language.

So getting back to those scary words. Physics. Physiology. Exams. Eek. All at an exceptionally high standard and in English. The Instructor Development Course (IDC) and Instructor exams (IE) are taken over 3 weeks consisting of teaching demonstrations, presentations, theory and standards exams. It is a full on course with no days off and long days of training. For Edi, even longer for the extra time for translation. Yet, each morning Edi was always the first to arrive and still found helping out around the shop.

The moment he emerged from the theory exams, with a smile radiating more than the sun and high-fived his fellow candidates, was our proudest one, knowing that the most challenging part of the journey, for him, was in the bag! He still needed to complete the practical skills but having been a great Divemaster already he was already set to succeed!

Edi is now officially a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor! With a very bright future ahead. The diving industry in Indonesia is growing. With some of the most stunning and biodiverse reefs in the world, working as a Scuba Diving Instructor is exceptionally rewarding. As an Instructor, Edi now has the world at his fingertips. Should he wish to explore the underwater world in any part of the world, he now has his teaching ticket! However, for now Edi and his family reside on Nusa Ceningan (the most beautiful little island) and the urge to leave isn’t strong, which anyone who has visited the Nusa Islands would understand. Everything a dive enthusiast could wish for is here! Glorious undamaged reefs, exciting drift dives, manta rays and oceanic sunfish (Mola) to the name the big stuff!

And even then, being a macro enthusiast, Edi really appreciates the small stuff. Frogfish are his favourite marine creature to find. And when he’s not hunting for the little critters he entertains at the safety stops like no other.

We wish Edi the best for his PADI teaching career and are sure he will succeed in his endeavours! Edi is currently working with us at Blue Corner Dive as an Instructor. If you would like to learn with Edi or find out about how to follow in Edi’s footsteps, check out IDC Lembongan for details.