Testimonials

PADI IDC Testimonials for the year 2019

PADI IE December 2019

You really find something about yourself and your passion, but, as I guess happens to everybody you struggle to make the right choices to make them become true, NOT THIS TIME!
I got recommended from the other side of the world to take a step forward into my IDC course and become a professional Padi Instructor recently after completing my DM training and, in a matter of seconds Mr Camille Lemmens was there to answer any questions and provide as much information as I needed. I was struggling for a week to make a decision but this day it only took me few hours to know that if I enrolled in his course I would become an Instructor in no time!

And here I am again,

2 years after my first diving experience as a PADI OWSI + Specialties and can’t be more proud of myself, the knowledge shared in Camilles’ course was simply fantastic and so well oriented to what we really need to know about the industry for fast progress! 10 day course and SO MANY LAUGHS you couldn’t imagine, everyone had their own nickname and we were so close to each other in little time + of course we all passed.

So just wanted to say thank you a trillion times and hope life will put us back together for more fun but specially to carry own learning and absorbing your experience. Thank you Sensei!!!!!

Testimonials by Vito Cascasola, Spain, December 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

The IDC with Camille was everything I thought it would be and more. There was a lot of laughter and good atmosphere, but also serious time when going through the important stuff.

We worked hard, studied hard, had homework every night, and I wouldn’t change a thing. We went over and over the things that we struggled on or that were really important, and Camille has the patience of a saint. I think I asked him three thousand questions a day, sometimes the same question in a different way, but he never batted an eyelid, just gave a good answer and reassured us that we could do it.

He gave us all confidence going forward and I know that I will always appreciate the good course I received.

I have a feeling I will be emailing questions in the future, because Camille is more than just a brilliant course director, he is also a mentor, and a good friend. I have never laughed so much in my life, and of course we all passed 🙂

Testimonials by Jackie Conaghan, UK, December 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

I did my IDC with Camille in Malapascua, Philippenes at the end of November 2019.
As well as being a great teacher and barer of knowledge he is also a great laugh! Occasional days with information overload and endless presentations were made to be fun and educational engaging all 5 of us candidates and creating unforgettable bonds and memories within the group. Every question we fired at Camille he answered in great detail for us all to understand. Even during the IE he came to support us and calm any nerves or apprehensions we may have had prior to the big 2 days with the examiners!
I am very pleased to completed the course alongside all of my fellow candidates and with Camille our mentor for the duration. I cannot thank you enough for helping me open the gateway and educating me into my new career path!

Testimonials by Lucinda Thurston, UK, December 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

My interest in the ocean already was big since I was a little kid. My big dream was to become a marine biologist. Unfortunately life takes unpredictable turns and I had to burry this dream. As I got older I discovered an interest in teaching. But even this dream I had to give up. So I was “stuck” in an office for almost ten years.

At one point, I decided to turn my hobby into my new job and started my Divemaster training. As I finished my DM, I was clueless what I should do next. It was then when a good friend of mine recommended me to do my IDC with Camille at Thresher Cove.

So what at first was a compromise between my dream of working in the ocean and teaching other people, turned out to be one of my best experiences! From the first day I saw in Camille a wise mentor but also a funny friend. The combination of a good laugh and valuable knowledge let me enjoy the ten days of IDC! In my opinion I couldn’t have had a better preparation to pass my IE! Thank you so much Camille for that amazing time and all the tips and tricks you gave us on our way. Only one month working as an Instructor lets me know how much you taught us!

Thank you again and I hope our ways will cross again one day!

Cheers Ruben Pereira, Mexico/Switzerland, December 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

It has been more than a month since my training as an Instructor has ended and now I am working as an Instructor already.

I am local,born and raised in Malapascua. I started working as a boatcrew many years back and later on became a Divemaster and work for more than 10 years.
It was really my big dream before to become an Instructor. But it’s not an easy investment so it tooks longer time for me to save.

And then last year around February,I first met Camille. And I had a chat with him and was really eager to start an IDC with him last November.So I decided to do the November IDC. Camille is a good, kind and respectful person. He is extremely knowledgeable and will put in,an extra time with people when needed specially me.
He gives me the best guidance and teaching, preparing me in the IDC and for that I am very thankful, because his one of the person who helped me fulfill my longtime dream. I’ve learned a lot from him which I can use it as a tool as I teach each day.
For me,he is the best Mentor, I’m so glad and thankful that I met him.A very kind Course Director who is not only serious in terms of teaching but also funny person and a good friend.
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH CAMILLE …..

I would like also to say thanks to Justin who did his IDC STAFF,for helping me when I had difficulties.
Thank you so much also to Ann Christmas.
And thank you Threshercove owner Sir Mark Carter who is behind all my success.

Balt Conje, Philippines, December 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

I joined one of Camille’s IDC in Malapascua, Philippines in February 2019. An amazing place for an IDC. This island is all about diving and one of the only places in the world where you get Thresher Sharks guaranteed.

I planned to do my IDC for a few years.

Every time I found a course and a place that fit my schedule, the course was canceled or moved to a time that didn’t fit into my busy life. This happened three times. Reaching out to course directors was not the easiest thing either. I got lot’s of “maybes” and “I don’t know” after a long time waiting and sometimes they didn’t even reach back to me.

Not Camille. From our first contact, he was very endeavored to write back as fast as he could. I really did have quite a few questions. I did a cross over from CMAS and was therefore not really familiar with the PADI system. Camille answered everything to my satisfaction really fast and if he was unsure, he contacted PADI immediately. The service was excellent and convinced me to do the IDC with him.

The course itself was a pleasure. I was lucky to end up in an awesome and very international group. Camille was teaching with fun. Although he has loads of experience, he didn’t seem to get tired teaching the same stuff over and over again. He was able to fit all the individual needs and found ways to make everything for everyone understandable. What I really liked about his course is that it didn’t feel like studying. After a few days in the classroom and in the pool, I could see progress in knowledge and an improvement in my skills. I was amazed to see such big steps just by doing stuff and not actually sitting down and trying to remember books by heart.

Camille has a wealth of experience

and he knows exactly what the examiners want to hear and what not. He is the best in preparing you for the IE. At this point, I also want to mention and thank our amazing staff instructor Lucio Bellomo who also did an amazing job in assisting Camille and answering tons of our questions. 

Thank you guys for the good times! I would do it again with you! 

Testimonials by Aaron Rösch, Austria, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

I did my dive master at Thresher Cove and decided to stay on and continue with my IDC. I didn’t do any research on the course director prior to.

But with my luck Camille turned out to be a great Course Director. He’s extremely knowledgeable and will put in the extra time with people when needed.

Camille teaches with a great deal of comedy, which lifts the stress level from the room.

Camille showed a lot of excitement and care during and after our IE.

You could see on his face and by his reactions how much excitement he got by us all passing each section of the IE.
I hope I get the pleasure in crossing paths with Camille again in the future. Wish you all the best in the future with many more successful IDC and IE.
Also I would like to give a big shoutout to Lucio who was the staff instructor for the course. He also spent the whole time with us from day one right to the end. Gave everyone as much attention as needed and was always willing to answer questions.

Testimonials by Justin Smith, Canada, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

Ich habe den IDC im Februar 2019 auf Malapascua besucht von Camille Lemmens.

Dazu möchte ich folgendes sagen ich habe mich im Internet erkundigt über IDC in Thailand wo ich diverse Cours Directoren / Resorts angeschrieben habe, leider haben sehr wenige auf meine Angrage reagiert das ich einen Kurs buchen möchte.

Camille war einer der wenigen wo reagiert hat und auch gleich eine Übersicht zugestellt hat was man alles erwarten kann sowie was man noch zusätzlich buchen kann.

Camille war auch derjenige wo sehr schnell und ausführlich auf Fragen geantwortet hat.

Leider musste ich feststellen das der Kurs in Thailand zu spät für mich war und ich Camille eine absage schrieb mit der Begründung das ich nicht über ende Februar 2019 einen Kurs besuchen kann.

Postwenden kam eine Antwort mit der Frage ob ich auch in die Philippinen reisen würde da er dort noch einen IDC hat anfangs Februar 2019.

Ich schaute mir das Resort sowie die Anreise an und ich habe mich entschlossen meinen IDC in Malapascua zu machen.

Es war eine super Entscheidung

den es war eine super Gruppe vor Ort und mit Camille habe ich aus meiner sicht den besten Lehrer erwischt.

Einige werden sich jetzt fragen warum ich dies auf Deusch schreibe, es ist ziemlich einfach den Camille spricht Deutsch und ich konnte meinen IDC Deutsch / Englisch machen was für mich eine zusätzliche erleichterung war nicht in den Übersetzungsstress zu geraten.

Weiter möchte ich mich auch bei unserem Staff Instructor Lucio Bellomo bedanken er war eine super Unterstützung und hat Camille in jeder hinsicht immer untersützt.

Ich kann nur jedem Empfehlen den IDC mit Camille Lemmens zu machen

es ist eine harte Zeit während dem IDC jedoch hatten wir auch sehr viel Spass was das Lernen erleichtet hat.

Zudem kann man nur von seiner Erfahung und seinem Wissen profitieren und er gibt auch gerne Beispiele oder Wahre Geschichten aus seiner Vergangenheit, zusätzlich lernt man noch einiges mehr bei Ihm.

Testimonials by Martin Wicki, Switzerland, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

Déjà bientôt un mois que ma formation d’instructeur s’est achevée et les souvenirs sont toujours bien encrés dans ma tête… 

En novembre 2018, après 11 ans à travailler sur Paris, je décide de réaliser un tournant dans ma vie professionnelle en m’orientant dans une voie que j’affectionne : la plongée.

Après avoir visité Malapascua en novembre 2017, il ne faisait aucun doute que je voulais démarrer ma carrière professionnelle ici. Après avoir accompli avec succès ma formation de divemaster, la formation d’instructeur s’est imposée à moi tout naturellement. Par chance, Camille organisait quelques temps après la fin de mon divemaster une formation d’instructeur.

Après un premier échange de mails avec Camille,

je savais déjà que je participerai à son cours! Les informations fournies ont été claires, précises et je n’ai pas eu du tout de surprise au premier jour de formation. Malgré un environnement de travail pas forcément des plus confortable et du matériel pédagogique un peu capricieux, la formation s’est déroulée dans la bonne humeur perpétuelle notamment grâce à Camille qui a tout fait pour nous mettre à l’aise durant l’ensemble de la formation, répondre à nos interrogations, nous rassurer quand nous doutions… 

Même si la formation est particulièrement soutenue (les journées peuvent être longues), je remercie Camille pour les précieux conseils prodigués et le savoir transmis. En plus de Camille, je tenais à remercier Lucio, notre staff instructor, qui s’est montré tout aussi disponible et attentionné. Bien sûr je n’oublie pas mes camarades de classes sans qui cette formation n’aurait pas été la même. Malgré nos environnements d’origines différents, la magie de notre passion commune a su nous souder pour faire de cette expérience quelque chose d’inoubliable…

Merci encore à toi Camille, Lucio et toute la team, en espérant vous revoir où que ce soit dans le monde…

Testimonials by Steven Anger, France, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

If you asked me, a year ago if I wanted to try diving it would have been a loud and clear “no”. 
Today almost one year later, I’m an Instructor. Hard to believe when it comes from a young woman who used to fear the ocean.

When I decided I wanted to do my IDC I was looking with my boyfriend at several different places and reviews of different course directors, – until we found Camille. My boyfriend who I did my IDC with and I looked him up and decided to contact him. After a few email correspondences, we were sure that we wanted Camille to be our course director. We even moved our IDC location so we were certain that we were going to do it with him.

Some people find the theory part of the IDC the most difficult. It always depends on how much you know already and how much you’ve prepared yourself. For me it was the mental development which I find the most important as well that was the most difficult, – but Camille really made it both changeling and exciting at the same time. He was supporting, helpful and the best teacher you can imagine, – always trying different angles to make you understand better.  

Camille is not just a great teacher 

 but he also likes to connect with each student on an individual level that makes his courses so much more real. He is a very talented course director and I really enjoyed having him as mine. He prepared us very well for the IE and with a patient and open mind figured a way of getting all of us to our goals. His always funny and smiling attitude helped getting all of us through some of the more challenging parts of the IDC. His countless experiences and stories made all the theories to a more “human connectable and understandable level” and actually made each topic interesting and important to learn, understand and appreciate.

Today I’m a Dive Instructor and already got my first job for this summer season in Europe. I’m proud of myself and Camille helped me getting where I am now.

It’s important as well to mention our great Staff Instructor Lucio Bellomo. He was absolutely amazing. An amazing instructor, – and his constantly smiling, helpful and professional mindset helped all of us to succeed our IE. He got me thinking of who I am as a person, what my strengths and my weaknesses are and how to become the best possible version of myself as a new instructor.    

I will definitely keep contact with Camille

and Lucio and forever be grateful for everything they taught me. They made me think of the most important thing about being an instructor, – not just by following the standards but also teach with passion and with the psychology of diving as an important aspect of teaching, – and furthermore understand how to teach the best possible way. They gave me the best guidance and teaching, – preparing me for the IDC and for that I’m very thankful. Two lovely men that I for sure will miss being around (and helping me when I have too many questions).

Once again, Thank you for the best IDC. I can only recommend choosing Camille as your Course Director.

Testimonials by Karen Viuff, Denmark, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

I worked with Camille as IDC Staff Instructor during the February IDC in Malapascua, Philippines. What first stroke me about Camille was his professionalism when we communicated via email. Without knowing me, and despite this was my first experience in staffing an IDC, he just trusted me. This attitude was of course confirmed during the IDC, when I needed just a few tweaks to proceed in complete synchrony with him with a decent load of responsibility.

At the same time, he indirectly taught me a lot. He just knew where to stress a concept and where to let a candidate make a mistake. It took him one or two days to understand exactly every candidate’s profile, including their weaknesses and their strong points. This allowed him to teach adaptively and, as it turned out, extremely successfully. To me, he was the most open and helpful, available for consulting at any moment and keen to let me interact with the candidates during the classroom hours and the practical classes. He would never keep a thing for himself.

His mastery about the PADI system is, evidently, thorough. This, together with his large experience as an Instructor first and as a Course Director later, makes him a monument of knowledge he’s constantly willing to share.

Finally, there’s a point I really appreciated about Camille.

It’s again about professionalism, this time though towards the candidates. Beside being friendly and passionate, he assists them without being too serious or way too mild. He knows he’s dealing with his future colleagues, and he acts accordingly.

I hope there will be further chances to work together, Camille. It will just be a great pleasure.

Testimonials by Lucio Bellomo, Italy, IDCS Instructor, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Testimonials

Aujourdhui, un peu plus de 3 mois après avoir passé mon IDC avec Camille, et suite à mes premières expèriences en tant qu’instructeur PADI, ici en Grèce, sur l’île de Rhodes , je me dois de partager mon ressenti et mon avis sur cette expérience.

Il y a de ça un an, lors de mon voyage en thailande, j’ ai decidé de changer de vie, et de me lançer dans cette aventure, qu’ est la plongée pro. Après avoir passé mes premiers niveaux, divemaster compris, sur l’île de Koh Tao, ma compagne et moi avons pris la décision de nous rendre aux Philippines pour faire notre IDC avec Camille. D’une part, le pays nous attiré , mais surtout nous étions decidé et convaincu que Camille serait le course director idéal, notamment de part la réputation qui le précède sur le web mais aussi à travers les discours de plusieurs personnes ayant travaillé avec lui et évolué à ses cotés lors de l’IDC.

Pour faire court, nous ne nous sommes pas trompé.

D’une pédagogie hors norme, tout en gardant une grande part d’humanisme, il fut un “outil” et une aide précieuse en terme de compréhension, d’adaptation et d’evolution, pour nous permettre d’atteindre une certaine maturité et etre prêt pour l’ IE mais aussi pour bien débuter en tant qu’instructeur.

Pour ma part il fut aussi d’une grande aide au niveau personnel.
Je le remercie pour cela, ainsi que Lucio, qui nous à accompagné, aidé et conseillé jusqu’à la fin de l’IE, qui s’est soldé par une réussite pour l’ensemble du groupe.

A noter que Lucio comme Camille reste disponible pour moi, quand je fais appel à eux pour des questions, conseils et même pour m’aiguiller dans mes recherches d’emploi. Un grand merci pour cette belle aventure.

Anthony Serane, Switzerland, February 2019, Malapascua, Philippines

Our next PADI IDC is scheduled to start 6th February 2020, contact us for more information. Check our 2020 PADI IDC schedule here.