Corina joined the team at Trawangan Dive a few months ago, after doing her PADI Divemaster and PADI Instructor Development Course with us. As well as being a semi-permanent fixture at any party at the Irish bar, she’s also keeps guests entertained with her quick humour and funny stories. We love her to bits and hope she never leaves!
Tell us about yourself Corina..
Young, sexy, big boobs, nice bum. That kind of sums it up!
Quite! Ermm.. anything else?
I’m from Switzerland, I’m 21 years old and I speak English, German, Italian and a weird local dialect called Romanch. There are only 15,000 people that speak it. So super useful.
How did you end up on the island?
I was on a bus in Bali at 6am and I met Sarah one of the dive instructors at Trawangan Dive. She seemed really friendly and she knew I was on my way to Gili Trawangan. She basically dragged me to the dive shop.
Had you been here before?
No. But I heard about it from a best friend who visited it two years ago. It sounded like a lot of fun.
How long have you now been here for?
Since May last year .. almost one and half years.
What made you decide to stay?
I originally came to do some fun dives. But Sarah, with her great sales technique, sold me the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course. After one week and lots of diving, I tried to leave. My boat and flight to Singapore were booked. After a big night out at a snorkel test, and a little encounter with one of the Divemaster trainees, I was ready to leave, bags packed and everything. I paid my bill. But Adam, Sarah’s boyfriend and also a great salesman, told me to stay and to do my PADI Divemaster.
A group of friends at the dive centre then created a pros and cons list on the whiteboard. The pros list for staying was much longer (of course) and so I decided to stay. The boat, by that point, had left anyway. I crawled back into my room and started my PADI Rescue Diver course the following day. The course lasted ten days because I was in no rush and it was so much fun.
Do you remember your PADI Divemaster course or is it all a blur?!
At that point, my English wasn’t so great and it took me a long time to read the books and study for my exams. My mentor helped me though. Otherwise, it was great fun. I learnt so much and did almost a hundred dives during the course. This was invaluable for when I became an instructor.
Did this mess up plans you might have had at home?
Totally. I was meant to study Geography. I went home after my Divemaster course. I was depressed and cried a lot and I didn’t want to see my friends. I started university but quit two weeks later because I couldn’t be bothered. My heart wasn’t in it. I booked a one way ticket back to Indonesia with the intention of staying for a few months.
And then you did your PADI Instructor Development Course!
Admittedly, I was a bit of a star student because I had done my PADI Divemaster training at Trawangan Dive and all the others had done theirs at different dive centres. It made me realize what a high standard we have here.
What was your diving experience before coming to the island?
I did my PADI Open Water Diver course when 14 in Egypt. When I arrived on Gili Trawangan, I had about 20 dives. As well as Egypt, I’d also dived in Australia and Turkey.
What are you doing now?
Sitting in the office all day and drinking coffee!
I occasionally teach but my main job is now Marketing Manager. I’m responsible for administration of the accommodation at Trawangan Dive. I organize bookings, and travel arrangements for people and make sure all of the rooms are looking lovely.
What are your plans for the future?
Taking over the world. Why not! I’m staying for a while. It’s very difficult to leave. I hope to teach some more. Party some more. Find a rich husband. You know, what every girl dreams of…
If you'd like more information on how to follow in Corina's footsteps, please contact us!
This article originally appeared on www.idc-gili.com.
