Probably some IDC Candidates misbehave a bit (in the nicest possible ways) after their courses as they are probably letting off steam but what happens when one takes too much advantages of the local ‘hospitality’ while actually on the course? This was sent to me to demonstrate that PADI Course Directors will always have the best interest of the candidate at heart and to do their best to help them though the course. I have also heard the candidate has gone on to become a working instructor.
[PADI IDC] Please be warned in advance that as she never completed the courses she booked, he is not entitled to a refund on the deposit he paid, it being his choice to cancel the course in the first place, which is the whole point of a deposit after all.
I realize that you will be disappointed in this, however I am compiling a report from the other members of Staff, other candidates, Guest House owner etc re: Jane and her conduct on this IDC which I will think will make things clearer to you. I will also be filing a copy of the same report that I send you to PADI for their records should this become relevant in the future in Jane’s “Career” as a PADI member.
[Candidates Mum] The reason that Jane did not complete the course, was because two of the specialities she requested i.e. “underwater navigation” and “search and recovery’ in her email to you (please see attached for ease of reference) he was told would have to wait until next week. As you were aware her flight was already booked and it was not possible for her to extend his stay any longer due to her visa time allowance. He understood that he could have taken other specialties but he specifically wanted to do the ones she had requested. Through no fault of her own he had to cancel the course and therefore we are entitled to be refunded with the deposit paid.
We look forward to receiving a copy of the report you are compiling for PADI. We are also in the process of filing a detailed complaint to PADI for their records regarding your treatment of Jane. We are very disappointed in what Jane has had to say about you and your professionalism and treatment of her. The reason Jane didn’t complete her msdt is because she was once again too hungover to complete the course.
The specialties she requested she was told she could take but she said she had already changed her flights so she couldn’t do them as scheduled, despite the fact that she had previously said that a few days ago she would change her flights so she could stay longer ??!?! I have no idea why you think i told him she couldn’t do them??
[PADI IDC] For your interest this is one of reports we have received re: Jane’s performance:
“I was on the instructor development course and it was during this course that Jane became a disruptive and distracting member of our class. On the first day Jane came to class still drunk and under the influence of alcohol. It came to light that she had been out all night and had not been to sleep at all during the past 18 hours.
Being the first day of the IDC my attitude towards Jane was one of ‘everyone needs to adjust to Australia and that was her way of doing it’
For the following days of the IDC this behaviour did not stop and gradually became worse. Jane would not come to class prepared or in some cases coherent. About half way into the IDC Jane came into class saying that her passport and 25000 baht had been stolen from her room. This came as no surprise to me or the others in the IDC as Jane had developed the reputation of someone who does not know when to stop drinking and partying. She constantly complained that the latest girl she had brought back to her room from the night before was still in her room and she needed some help getting her out.
As we investigated the theft of Jane’s money and passport information came through that in fact the money had not been stolen as had been claimed but was in fact payment for her ‘girlfriend’.This was confirmed by the owner of the hotel that Jane had been staying at.
It has to be noted that all of these issues that had befallen Jane were being played out before, during and after our instruction which became extremely annoying.
Jane quickly fell behind with her assignments and it was not uncommon that the whole class would have to wait for Jane to get organised. This began to put strain on everyone’s nerves. We as a class were starting to get really angry towards Jane.
On the day before the instructor exam the class were put into two groups and we were supposed to do a workshop to hone our skills in rescue and techniques that would help us get through the final exam the next day. Because Jane had been behind during the IDC I missed out on some really helpful skills while we had to wait for Jane to do the things she had missed out on in the preceding 2 weeks. I was really angry and went to the Course Director asking for Jane to be kicked of the course.
Following the instructor exams Jane’s antics escalated to the point of the ridiculous and everyone from the class began to withdraw away from Jane.
On the day before she left i was walking down the main street I was asked by no less than three people if i knew were Jane was because she owed them money.
The purpose of this email is to make you aware of what has been going on over here in Australia. I mean no ill will toward Jane and wish her all the best for the future.
I do however think that Jane has a drinking problem and possible alcoholism and needs some sort of counselling and/or professional help.
Jane needs to learn that her actions have a direct effect on those around him and that she has to take responsibility for her choices.”
You may find this hard to believe but when other IDC candidates, other Course Directors and 1 IDC Staff are all saying and writing the same thing about Jane you might just wonder why?? Do you really believe that I have somehow turned all these intelligent human beings against Jane and “poisoned” them somehow and am now somehow forcing them into putting these things down in writing knowing that they will be sent to PADI???
I will not forward you any more information as you obviously have decided not to believe anything anyone over here says, however this is from someone who tried to help Jane and she has children Jane’s age and older, one of whom is currently working as a PADI Instructor at the age of 25 I think.
“I perceive Jane to be somewhat of a mixed up young woman. It is my opinion that she lacks certain life skills that were apparently overlooked during his up-bringing. It is also my opinion that, given the current situation, Jane was put out on her own in an environment that would have surely swallowed her whole had he not made his way back home. The family needs to look within for the answers to these problems.
That being said… the conduct Jane displayed was beyond adolescence and appeared to be of a chronic nature. She definitely has a problem with drinking, once started there does not seem to be an “off” switch. Her mis-guided affection for street girls, one in particular, caused her to lose her way, among other things, often. She was quite disruptive to the Course Director and the IDC staff as well as his classmates on more than one occasion.
Her IDC roommate stated that out of the 14 days +/- they shared a room – Jane was only there for 3. I will leave it for anyone to decide where she was.
I shared a room with Jane myself for 3 nights and she was not there for any of them – this after stating “she had no money and was not going to drink any more”. Then appearing the next morning drunk and/or just sobering up. Jane appeared at the IDC on the morning of her plane ride home drunk and abusive toward the Course Director. On another occasion I, myself, and one of the other IDC students had to physically remove Jane from a drunken, rude and abusive scene at a local bar where her friend worked. This apparently was the girl mentioned in the passport and stolen money incident. I am also personally aware of two occasions when he did not pay his bar tab.
As a parent I felt that I had some duty to help Jane find a way out of the hole she had dug for herself. I attempted to council her about his behaviour on two occasions. Her complete lack of understanding the role she played and her responsibility in that role goes back to what I mentioned about her up-bringing. It seems Jane has managed to convince his family just exactly that – she has no responsibility in the current situation. There is a real problem with anyone who takes their own wellbeing at the expense of another. The PADI Course Director and the IDC staff did everything they could to accommodate Jane’s position and in fact were able to get her through the IDC successfully as well conduct numerous personal details for her.
It is my appeal that everyone involved in this circumstance take a step back, take a deep breath and remember that quite possibly this young woman’s future may be in the balance – what example are we setting…”
So you choose to believe the contents of these reports from people who were with Jane every day that she was here, and had to study and work with her in and out of class hours or you can close your eyes and ears and choose to believe what you wish.
The ONLY thing that the staff and myself have tried to do is help Jane become a PADI instructor and do what is best for her.
I will e-mail a copy of the accounts when they are finished, and let you know when the report has been compiled and sent into PADI, from that point onwards you will need to contact PADI to file your complaint against me (and my staff??) and if you wish to see any of the 11 personal reports sent in, you will have to ask PADI’s permission I guess, although most candidates said they were more than happy to talk to you and repeat the same things to you.