Xin chao (hello in Vietnamese) world ! It is I, George Ruiz, ready to let the world know what the Southeast Asia group had done this past week. As student directed travel week continued, the group and I did made good planning with a ton of teamwork to have an awesome and successful Student Directed Travel. We started Wednesday morning in Dalat, Vietnam hyped up for the Crazy House. Yes, I said Crazy House, and trust me it was CRAZY ! To be descriptive about this Crazy House ,it’s a house of cement in the form of a wild tree house. This was such a great and and fun activity we the group planned. Great job group !
Thursday has to be one of the most memorable days of this trip for me. Thursday morning we decided to head to a waterfall about 40km away from our hostel. At first, none of us knew what this waterfall looked like. I thought it was going to be like any other waterfall that I have been to, but this waterfall was something else. From the beautiful view, to the power and amount of water streaming down from rock to rock, to the temperature and clearness of the water, everything about this waterfall was so perfect. We thought we weren’t going to be able to get wet due to signs that said “no swimming” and a security with his whistle for use when people were doing something that they shouldn’t be doing. Luckily after a few mins of waiting for someone to get in the water first, a stranger made his move into the water and I joined him right after. Phong, David, Chris, and Alondra then joined me for an awesome and unforgettable moment that will always stay with me.
Friday morning, we headed to Cam Rahn city where we awaited a nice and peaceful beach close from our hostel (as Phong informed us). As we get off the bus and find the location of our hostel, we begin to to think the beach is nowhere near us. Turned out that there was no beach that was walkable distance and some group members, including myself, thought we made a poor decision coming to Cam Ranh city. With a little research from the incredible Phong, he found a beach resort about 30 mins away from our hostel, and we all agreed as a group to make this beach resort happen. As we got to the resort, and down the steps we went to reach the beach, I remember hearing “OOOHHHHH WOOOWWW” from every group member as an excitement of such beauty. Even I was amazed because I was never expecting such a stunning and glamorous beach resort. We had an active day there playing Frisbee, shuttlecocking, tanning, balling out on the pricey food, which Chris and I did, and a lot of memorable exquisite photos were taken. Huge shout outs to Phong for finding this resort ! As student Directed Travel came to an end, we all learned something about ourselves as leaders. I learned that my quite leadership skills stepped aside and I was able to experience a different type of leadership where I could express my ideas more freely. I am glad Student Directed Travel was part of this trip because It has made me see what I capable of.
-George Ruiz-Chi
Leaving Cam Ranh we had a leisurely morning, not heading out until 11am. We left the hostel all tired and content from the beach day yesterday. We hopped on a public bus, about an hour ride to Nha Trang. After arriving we walked to our hostel hot, sweaty, and amazed by the new city in front of us. We arrived, dividing up into small dorms designed like train carts; small bunks, even smaller rooms, bracelets that unlock doors and cabinets – and most importantly, air con that cranks.
Our first day in Nha Trang was spent however we liked, most of us venturing around the city, getting a feel for the vibe, and seeking out our second beach scene in SEAsia (our first being the day prior). Although touristy, Nha Trang is an awesome place just to hangout and explore. Plus, who doesn’t love a good tropical beach every once in a while?
The next morning is when the magic began – SCUBA. Waking up ready to begin our class, we all walked the short three minutes to the dive shop, Rainbow Divers. Eight hours of sitting in a hot, sticky classroom was something forgotten to many of us, but we were certainly reminded today. We watched videos, filled out paperwork and eventually took an exam, testing us on our knowledge of diving. Luckily, most of us passed the exam (and those who didn’t just simply re-took it). Admittedly, it was not the most exciting way to begin an exciting thing, but it had to be done. And the next day, we would actually begin to dive. Grasping the concepts of everything we learned became much easier once we were actually doing it – although we were only in a pool. Nevertheless, it was exhilarating. That first breath you take underwater is something you’re likely never to forget. There’s a lot that goes into SCUBA diving, so as we split into three smaller groups we spent a long time practicing the basics which become essential knowledge in a panic in the open ocean. Unfortunately, for Alondra and Chris SCUBA was not for them, so they had two free days following the pool day. But they are both one step closer to becoming certified another time, if they so chose.
The next two days were magic to me, and I’m sure others as well. We woke up at 6.30am to head off on a boat to dive in the ocean. Nerves and excitement flooded through my body for the duration of the ride. Gearing up with our instructors, a smile couldn’t help but emerge from everyone’s lips, excited and amazed by what we were about to do.
One hand pressed against our masks and regulators (the mouthpiece used to breathe out of) and the other holding onto our weight belts (belts worn with ~4-8kg that help to control buoyancy), we took one large stride into the water. You may think that the water would be warm and tropical, but it was actually very cold.
Our first two dives were mostly practicing skills with short dives toward the end. It’s important we reminded ourselves that we were becoming certified, not just going out for a pleasure dive. Regardless, it’s safe to say that many of us found pleasure in the wonders of being deep below the surface, floating in the depths of the sea. It was incredible. Our first two dives though were both very cold, and with a low visibility. Still, the dive was amazing and I doubt I will ever forget it.
The next morning (another 6.30am wake up call) was our last day of diving before becoming certified. It was warmer today, not a cloud in the sky. It was almost sad in a way, to have this be our last day with these awesome instructors, our last dive (for now) in Vietnam, but the determination to make the most of this day was real.
The visibility was much clearer for our third dive. It was awe-inspiring (at least for me). We practiced only a few skills, and were able to go on longer dives. My group swam through canyons of multi-coloured coral, fishes nearly touching us so peaceful and calming. For me, this is when I fully fell in love with diving. The water was warmer (although it might have something to do with my two wet suits instead of one), and although it was still a bit cold my amazement made me forget about the chill. It’s something I can’t fully describe, but that feeling of being so close to the life in the sea and being so still and silent – it’s such an incredible feeling. Our fourth and final dive was even clearly visibility, causing the corals and sea creatures to seem even more vibrant. SCUBA diving is so special because you can get up close to the ocean floor, and life in a way that snorkeling or swimming doesn’t let you. I am so grateful to Rainbow Divers and their instructors for being such kick-ass teachers and having determination to make us have an awesome time. After our fourth dive, we officially became open water SCUBA certified.
Those four days becoming PADI certified were some of the best that I’ve experienced here, in SEAsia. I was ecstatic to feel like a mermaid and have the skills to become certified. We ended our last day happy, accomplished and ready to dive anywhere in the world. I would highly recommend everyone to do this, because I’ve never felt so alive.
-Olivia Svanholm (17-20 April)
