Our arrival in Izmir was a little bit unlucky since my backpack was late for our plane. We searched high and low and finally it became clear to us that we had to wait for another plane to get my backpack. Fortunately the event organizers were patient and called us several times. The first night in Izmir was a little bit hectic because we were tired and suddenly there were a dozen new faces around eager to introduce themselves. After the first night and welcome party I didn't have any clue who was who. With only a few hours of sleep we were ready to leave to sunny Foca, a town in Izmir province. Our accommodation for the next five days was in a holiday village near the diving center. After we ditched our luggage in our rooms we headed to the beach. The first day in Foca was just perfect for an exciting holiday. We ran into the water straight away and enjoyed the warm sea. Just when all of us were already in the water we were warned that we shouldn't go into the water directly from the beach. Instead we should use the stairs because of the sharp rocks and stingy sea urchins. Well at least nobody got hurt.
The next four days were just meant for the diving and we were divided into two groups. Those who were in the PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) course getting an international diving license and those who went on so called discovery dives. The first group was immediately referred to as ”PA(R)DI people”. Both groups went diving, although the PA(R)DI people needed to do more hours for their license. During discovery dives we searched for underwater life and found a lot of different life forms in there. We saw a lot of different kind of fishes, sea urchins, a squid, some corals, and a sunken ship, too! We dived in pairs so we could help each other if we were in trouble. First we put the fins on and tested the breathing and checked the equipment. After that we just dived. To the person who has never been deep in underwater it's quite an experience to see massive amounts of water above their heads. It was a fascinating feeling when the underwater scene opened before my eyes. The main point in scuba diving is to be calm and just breathe. We went on our knees to the bottom and started to play rock, paper, scissors. It was quite hard to concentrate on breathing and the game at the same time. Still I was sharp enough and won the game and I didn't forget to breathe. The lowest depth that I was underwater, was only eight meters. But it still felt awesome to see and feel all the water above. When the PADI divers were completing their course they dived into 20 meters. After returning to the surface, gravity took hold of us again and we lost the awesome feeling of flying underwater. It was refreshing to wash away all the salty water and return the diving equipment.
During the exchange we had also different kinds of parties and a boat trip. We spent a whole day on a ship and cruised along the coastline and islands. There were few cool spots where we stopped to just jump off of the boat and swim some rounds and jump again. During the trip we also ate some delicious fish, fresh from the ocean. In the evening we had a pirate themed party. During the last day in Foca we had an international night, where all people were supposed to serve some food and drinks from their home country. After returning to the city of Izmir there was a city rally left to accomplish. We were led by a couple of organizers and our mission was to do several tasks so we could be introduced to the local culture. When it was time for departure we were happy to leave with a few experiences richer.
Antti Peltotalo
I have bookmarked your page that is explain very well, I am excited to see more of it. I am glad that I came to see this, I really loved it. Thank you for sharing it.freediving and yoga course in tulum
ReplyDelete