So different to Egypt and loving every minute!

My first week here at Dive and Sea was actually my second week in Tenerife, this beautiful and very peaceful island was exactly what I was looking for. I had worked really hard for my computer science and engineering degree and wanted to experience something different, something that will bring me closer to nature but at the same time be working and not just relaxing on a holiday. It all made perfect sense reliving my diving passion and go pro on a diving internship and further challenge myself in a new cool adventure.

My first week in Tenerife was very peaceful, I checked out the beaches on the island, very different from Egyptian coasts but still liked the rocky terrains where I used to climb and have a magnificent view of the Atlantic ocean while reading some Egyptian books that I brought with me. It was so perfect, I went shopping, cooked and slept early to wake up early and start the day from the beginning.

Then I decided it's about time to pass by the dive center and say hi to Pete and Melissa. When I first went into the shop, Melissa greeted me with her lovely smile then Lydia showed up. I interrupted her DVD session but as soon as we finished our chat it was about time that Lydia goes to the marina to help out Sam who was out diving with Pete. I offered if I can help and was very happy that I joined Lydia and Sam in the Marina. Already, I couldn't wait any longer to start my internship and start a new episode on the island.

Melissa was arranging this great day on the 30th of November for Halloween. At first we were supposed to go diving all dressed up in costumes and celebrate Halloween underwater. Unfortunately, the coast guards signaled a red alert saying the conditions weren't so good so they decided to postpone it for the weekend, I am still very much looking forward to that. But that was just half of the planning, the other half I met Dennis, Andreas and Angela. We were all sitting dressed up in costumes in big al (the restaurant next to the shop). The two Danish guys were wearing great costumes especially Andreas who looked exactly like jack sparrow. Then our night just started in a bar where we had a couple of drinks then we moved to the terrace bar next door where everyone else there was also wearing costumes, dancing and laughing and finally we went back to the first bar where we sang a couple of karaoke songs. We all had lots of fun!

Before the actual start of my internship at Dive and Sea Tenerife I decided to do something I really wanted to do so I took an 18k mountain biking trip up the mountains just behind el Medano with a friend who happens to be very experienced in the paths and all the tips and techniques you can use at specific situations. Was really great but really exhausting. I had some rest till it was time for my first day.

Well, on our first day Alice made us this very thorough presentation of our main duties, responsibilities and what to expect. Then, she gave us a tour in the "dungeon" where most of the equipment lives and finally an orientation of assembling and disassembling the kits, all went very smoothly and I can say that this was our first step towards our professional and hardworking journey of being PADI Divemasters from Dive and Sea Tenerife.

It was very unfortunate that I didn't properly prepare myself for my first diving day. It is really important to have adequate rest and be eating very well to have enough energy to go through the day. After my first dive (it was a shore dive) I felt really exhausted and couldn't even do my second dive and had to go home for the rest of the day to eat and sleep. The next day though I was surprised to see Lydia and we spent a nice day out in El Medano, it was a really nice sunny day by the beach.

The following day I spent the day at the shop and it wasn't until my fourth day until I went diving with Angela, Andreas and Sam. It was a mapping dive in Yellow Mountain that I really enjoyed maybe too much to end up with a good map of the dive site. The second dive I was really focused to draw a beautiful map but unfortunately we got lost in the middle so I decided to keep enjoying it and have a good laugh with the situation.

In general, the diving here in Tenerife is very different from Egypt. The wildlife is thriving. Everything that I have seen is at least twice as big!
Everyday is different, one day with strong current and many costumers which of course you need to take care of whether they are experienced divers or not, it is a very rewarding feeling when you are there and be able to aid someone. Another day with no costumers but very windy with high waves but no currents at all, other sunny days with perfect conditions.
So every situation teaches you something new and with every new thing you learn you become more experienced and more knowledgeably.

Angela and I also passed our rescue diver exam after doing all the knowledge reviews we were surprised to find Pete bringing our exam sheets and asking us to take the tests. It was very funny because we were studying together but decided to come again to certain topics and revise them when it's time to take the tests. It was great to pass the tests and then get back to those topics later.

On my first week I learned alot from Pete, Melissa, Alice the older two interns Sam and Lydia. I learned that being a good professional comes only from your own strong will, with the proper mindset and dedication it will be alright to do mistakes and learn from them as you go and as soon as you know what you need to be doing, how perfect in every way to do it and when to actually do it, the rewarding feeling will overwhelm you and you will always thank yourself for coming to Tenerife.

Mahmoud