Learning with Lemur: How to Save Thousands in Diving Through Internships and Non-Profits

Today I want to share with you how you can save up to $10,000 dollars in pursuing your scuba and freediving education, and it's a secret that I think every diver or would be diver should know! Tune in to learn about diving internships and diving nonprofits, and how to score an internship!
If the dive shop or non-profit offers internships, here are some questions you should ask them:
1) How long does it take to get certified to the professional level?
2) How long is the payback period where you work off your education? (Usually, the payback period for dive shops is 2.5 - 3 months, but you also have to factor in days where you may not be able to equalize and therefore can’t work)
3) For Dive Shops: Does it make more sense to come during high season or low season? (In high season, it may take you longer to get certified and costs of lodging may be higher. However, you have the opportunity to make more from commissions!)
4) Are you required to have your own dive gear?
5) Do they provide assistance with meals or housing?
6) For Dive Shops: Are you required to work in the shop and sell dives?
7) For Dive Shops: Do you get commission for selling dives?
8) What does a typical day of work look like?
9) What expenses will I be required to cover? (For example, course textbooks, dive computers, etc)
If you are seriously considering pursuing an internship with a dive shop or conservation non-profit, here are some questions you should ask yourself:
1) Am I in a place where I can take 3.5 - 5 months out of my life to pursue a career in diving?
2) Can I give up my current living arrangement or sublease it for the duration that I’m gone on my diving internship?
3) Do I have a place to store my stuff?
4) What are the visa entry and exit requirements for my citizenship? (People from the US and Europe have it pretty easy, and the required visa runs to leave a country make for good time to explore new places)
5) What are some current events that may affect my experience? (For example, Indonesia has been experiencing quakes in well-known diving areas, and Thailand has been cracking down on illegal workers, including divers)
6) Do I have enough money to cover flights, housing, living expenses, visas, and tourist experiences? (Keep in mind that the money saved from the rent you’re not paying in your home country can go a long ways in a country like Thailand or Indonesia)