The Return: The Rules are Different in Brazil

In Brazil, the rules surrounding a lot of things are different: relationships, notions of time, how to get things done, respectable topics of conversation, clothing, how much beer is too much, how much sun is too much. In sum, lots! One activity that also has a different set of rules is the fact that one can scuba dive without any kind of certification or training. Really! It's called Baptism, and it involves 40 minutes in the pool learning to use the equipment and emergency procedures followed by a full-fledged dive! Well ... when in Rome, I say!

So during our two weeks in Recife, we made plans to go diving with one of our dive-mad friends. Since I left Brazil in 2007, Flávio had become a certified instructor. So it was easy. He could do the 40 minutes in the pool and then we could all head out for two dives (also in rule flexibility, Mark did his PADI theory course in Canada but never managed to complete the test dives due to allergies to neoprene.... In Brazil ... no problem, but I digress!).

First stop: the pool. Not bad, this whole thing seems easy enough:



Second stop: 24 meters under! Still not so bad, except for my poor ears!


Okay, I admit, I was a little nervous about the whole prospect. I mean, dive courses must exist for reasons other than just to employ people and make money. But Flávio convinced me that all was well, and indeed, it was. Quite enjoyable in fact. No turtles or sharks were spotted, but in among all the colourful fish was a ginormous manta ray that was quite worrisome. Being a nervous Nelly, I kept my distance. It all makes for a good story though!