We're back, I'm still a little queasy from a heatstroke I managed to arrange on the final day of our vacation but for the rest everything was great. We did found out that all-in arrangements on animated hotel sites are probably not our cup of tea, but the diving course made up for it by taking a great chunk out of our hoteltime.
I did not realise beforehand that we were going to spend the first two days watching instruction videos, doing exams and quizzes and doing tons of exercises in the pool but in the end you do see the value of it. First of all, it reduces any possible anxiety you might have when submerged with 10 meters of water above you and secondly it makes it seem like you're busy learning something pretty important. I don't think I studied longer for my theoretical driving exam than I spent here learning about oxygen to nitrogen rates, risks of decompression illness, navigating underwater, checking and assembling your equipment,... There were quite a few people around us who didn't take a PADI course and who were in the water sooner, but somehow our two days of labour really seemed worth it.
Moreover, this was the selling point for the course: you were busy learning a new thing and since you have exams and quizzes (admittedly, they were not that hard) it really feels like like being in school again, but for something that youI really want to learn. Reminds me to take some more courses in different subjects if I ever get the time.
Teaching people about the value of the service of the product or service they are buying adds value, and it takes away a lot of post-purchase cognitive dissonance. I had similar experiences when I went to pick up my car this afternoon: the garage manager went to the trouble of spending almost an hour in the car with me, to explain every button, nook and cranny of the car. Recently we went shopping for beds, where the sales guy spent about an hour discussing our different sleeping needs and expectations. In all these situations there was a lot of input they needed from me, the customer, and I really felt valued while shopping there.
Anyway, diving is great and we're looking for ways to continue for advanced diplomas, even though the temperature of the water in Belgium doesn't really get me running. After two days we started doing open water dives (in the end we did five) so 4 full days of course did not leave me a lot of reading time. Dan Brown was the victim...
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