BELIZE - From Sunrise to Sunset 31
BAC K TO
SCHOOL
«I know that diving certification is very importa n t . S o , h e r e i s w h a t I n e e d f r o m yo u ” , - Fa u r a at the front counter is both, taking our routine temperature checks and typing something with her other hand. “ PA D I o p e n w a t e r c e r t i f i c a t i o n r e q u i r e s 4 o p e n w a t e r o c e a n d i v e s . I c a n s c h e d u l e t h o s e f o r yo u o n c e yo u c o m p l e t e t h e e - l e a r n i n g c o u r s e ” . Every thought that was simultaneously running t h r o u g h m y m i n d d u r i n g t h e c a s u a l c o nv e r s a t i o n stops. An e-lear ning course? What course? How? “ We h av e t o d o t h e c o u r s e ? ” - m y b r a i n i s s t i l l h o p i n g t o h e a r t h a t t h i s c o m m e n t w a s a m i s t a k e. “ Ye s . I t ’s r e q u i r e d by PA D I t o f i r s t c o m p l e t e t h e c o u r s e b e f o r e yo u c a n s c h e d u l e yo u r p r a c t i c e a n d ocean dives”. Not the news I want to hear today… …”So, it looks like there are a few sections. I’m sure we can get it done soon enough and pass the test, too”, - not passing the test is not even an o p t i o n i n m y m i n d a n y m o r e. T h i s d i v i n g t h i n g h a s b e e n t h e m a i n r e a s o n w e c h o s e B e l i z e ov e r a n y o t h e r p l a c e r i g h t n o w. C a n’ t b e l i e v e I d i d n’ t k n o w a b o u t t h e e - c o u r s e b e f o r e. The sunrays playfully glimpse through white curt a i n s . T h e s e a w av e s a r e d r a w i n g m e i n . “ D o yo u w a n t t o g o o u t s i d e a n d s t u d y a t t h e b e a c h ? ” - i t t a k e s a n e f f o r t t o u n g l u e m y e ye s f r o m t h e w i n d o w. B o b by s h a k e s h i s h e a d : “ i t w i l l b e t o o d i s t r a c t i n g. L e t ’s j u s t g e t i t d o n e a n d ov e r w i t h ” . T h e r e i s n o a r g u i n g h e r e. “ D o n e a n d ov e r w i t h ” i s a l l I w a n t r i g h t n o w, t o o . We l l , h o w h a r d c a n i t be? My mind dives into memory archives, trying t o b r i n g a l l t h e i n f o r m a t i o n c o l l e c t e d ov e r t h e p a s t ye a r t o s u r f a c e. We l l , R i c a r d o f r o m M o m b a sa said it was an easy process. I’m sure we will be d o n e i n n o t i m e. … “ 1 0 0 % ! ” - B o b by ’s v i c t o r i o u s t o n e r u b s i t i n d o u b l e. 9 8 % i s n o t a f a i l i n g g r a d e b u t i s s u r e l y f e e l s l i k e i t t o m y ov e r l y p e r f e c t i o n i s t i c m i n d .
“ O k ! T h a t w a s n o t s o b a d ” , - B o b by ’s d e f i n i t e l y r i d i n g t h e h i g h w av e. “ S e c t i o n t w o ! ” A silent extra second alerts my attention and pulls my half-g rieving mind away from dwelling on the defeat. “ Wa i t … ” , - B o b by ’s t o n e s o u n d s c o n f u s e d a n d c o n c e r n e d a t t h e s a m e t i m e. “ I s t h i s j u s t a p a r t one of first section? How many are there?” T h i s a n s w e r I w a n t t o k n o w m y s e l f . M y e ye s s c a n through the page as the brain makes simple calculations. “ T h e r e a r e … f i v e t o t a l . Te s t a f t e r e a c h . A n d t h e exam at the end”, - the mind double checks on c a l c u l a t i o n s . Ye s , e v e r y t h i n g i s r i g h t . “ F I V E ? ! ” - t h e h e av y s i g h o n m y l e f t s a y s m o r e than words can ever express. “A t t h i s r a t e w e w i l l b e h e r e a l l n i g h t . ” - B o b by ’s tone sounds defeated. … ” I m i s s e d yo u a t l u n c h ! D i d yo u h av e l u n c h i n yo u r r o o m ? O r w e r e yo u a w a y f r o m t h e r e s o r t ? ” , - o u r w a i t r e s s ’ c u r i o u s e ye s a r e b o t h , m i s c h i e v o u s a n d k i n d . I t ’s f a s c i n a t i n g h o w m u c h o n e ’s e ye s can tell about the person. “ We d i d n’ t h av e l u n c h ! ” , - B o b by ’s t o n e s o u n d s b o t h , s c a n d a l o u s a n d v i c t o r i o u s a t t h e s a m e t i m e. We w e r e S T U DY I N G ! A l l d a y ! F i r s t s a y i n t h i s p a r a d i s e a n d w e s p e n t A L L DAY s t u d y i n g f o r d i v i n g c e r t i f i c a t i o n . B u t i t ’s d o n e ! We b o t h p a s s e d a n d n o w i t ’s j u s t d i v e s ” The waitresses’ head nods in support as she skillf u l l y n av i g a t e s b e t w e e n t a b l e s . A s u d d e n r e a l i z a t i o n h i t s : “ B o b by, l e t ’s h u r r y u p a n d e a t . We a r e p r o b a b l y t h e i r l a s t g u e s t s . A N D ! We h av e t o b e u p a n d r e a d y t o b e p i c k e d u p by 8 t o m o r r o w m o r n i n g. ” Diving! Finally diving! Exciting and exhilarati n g. A c o l d s h a d o w o f a f e a r t r i e s t o m a k e a n a p p e a r a n c e b u t m y ov e r l y - w o r k e d a n d d e t e r m i n e d b r a i n s h u t s i t o f f . Ye s , i t w i l l b e I N t h e o p e n w a t e r. A n d i t w i l l b e G R E AT. I t t a k e s e v e r y f i b e r o f m y b e i n g t o f o c u s o n t h e p o s i t i v e. I’m facing my biggest fear tomorrow: the open w a t e r. Wi l l i n g l y.
