Scuba Diving

Before fourth of July I was certified in open water scuba diving. Fourth of July celebration in the DR for Peace Corps volunteers is one of the few big celebrations for all of the volunteers. This year I was lucky enough to travel to Samana, which is a big touristy destination in the northeast of the Dominican Republic. There is a dive center in a town close to Samana, which gives nearly half-price discounts to peace corps volunteers. To get to Samana it took me nearly 12 hours, but oh it was so worth it. After getting a lost a couple of times and calling my dive instructor who responded in a heavy English accent, to try to guide me to my final location, I finally arrived at the site where we were tried.

For this course the other volunteers and I were able to stay in tents and be fed awesome food, while we learned the basics of scuba. In order to become scuba certified, you must complete a serious of skills practices and a written exam. A group of 4 other volunteers and I all put on our masks, fins, wet suit, tanks, took our regulators, and dove into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

Scuba diving was one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life. We did not go beyond 14 meters, but we still saw incredible things. Gearing up, I felt heavy and awkward, almost tripping over myself multiple times as I waddled into the sea. I then would scramble and float trying to put on my fins. I felt clumbsy and like a newbie, but once in the water it was so much easier. As I submerged myself in the water everything was so quiet and all I could hear was the bubbles rising to the surface and the air beyond. This quiet is something so rare in the Dominican Republic and so welcome. While under water we practiced our boyancey, emergency procedure, and saw incredible things including a ship wreck, tons of corral, lots of fish, swim throughs, underwater plant life, other divers, and just the great sea beyond. We got to dive starting on a boat and from the beach. I would love to go diving again. I am thinking about taking my advanced certification here as well. I’m in the carribbean, why not right? I never thought I would come out of Peace Corps being able to dive, but so glad I have tried it.