I would like to take this moment to say thanks to EVERYONE involved with my training and development - let me take a second to explain my involvement,
At 18 i left Cape Town in search of a "life" and i headed for Johannesburg (can you believe that?) with no idea of where i was going what i was going to do, nothing? i was like 80% of all teenagers out there "LOST"
I never heard anything or grabbed sight of diving at all and it all started with that 1 DSD. I will never forget that day, i was upside down and all around weightlessness i was hooked! and as i surfaced There was "the man" Colwin Setzkorn, he looked down at me and saw that glimmer all divers get for their first time underwater and asked me what i was doing with my life, where i was going bla bla long story short, he offered me a job, and for 2 years i dedicated every thing i had to Scubaversity, why? BECAUSE IT WAS THE BEST PLACE FOR SOMEONE TO GROW AS A HUMAN BEING!
I learnt things there with that i made many many mistakes but that taught me the valuable lessons that the big wide world has out there it prepared me for what i needed that no university out there can give you - It gave me independence, problem solving, logistical planning, how to understand people from all walks of life, responsibility as well as an Education in the Dive Industry which i so craved.
During their education and Internship i assisted in planning trips, packing tailors, counting and servicing equipment and guiding dives for weekends and holidays of groups of more than 60 people (big responsibility at 18 years old). All under the watch of Mandy and Colwin.
As the time went on i grew as me, Branden Hallick and became the Branden i wanted to be i created my "Own Brand".
Because of Scubaversity and everyone involved in it i sit here now typing this message on the Island in Indonesia Bali with the sun at 33 degrees celcius, working for one of the biggest comanies in the dive industry worldwide at the peak of high season.
After spending some time in Mozambique, 2 Years in Thailand on a VERY REMOTE Island "Koh Lipe" having visited places like Malaysia, Australia and Singapore in my little off time i had (welcome to the industry). Completed more than 2000 dives and over 150 certifications, I assisted as one of the 3 first ever people to help clean the beaches around Thailand "trashhero.org" and Myself started that project in Indonesia. The best part, why i keep doing it - is for the people i meet and the REAL friends you make worldwide and it all started at the worlds best Dive Club Family of more than 4000 people SCUBAVERSITY!!
In closing i would like to say that i am for sure living my dream!! I'm 25 years old and almost completed my mission through South East Asia (4 years). The next step for me is to head north for Europe the Americas and back home to buy a boat and do it again in opposite direction.
The one life you live, i ask anyone reading this, "if you could live your life again, what would you differently?" well for me i would for sure have started my educational internship at Scubaversity and begun diving earlier than i did.
