A year of being a WiseOceans Marine Educator
Having completed a year as a WiseOceans Marine Educator at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and just starting another year here as Senior Marine Educator, Charlotte provides the answers to everything you every wanted to know about being life as a Marine Educator.
How did you end up working as a Marine Educator for WiseOceans?
I originally came to Seychelles to volunteer on a marine conservation project. After interning there I applied for the job as WiseOceans Marine Educator at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and haven’t looked back.
How long have you been in Seychelles?
I have been in Seychelles since March 2013 and working for WiseOceans since October 2013.
Do you live in the resort?
Sadly not! I do however live in the employee housing situated just outside the resort so my walk to work is through the resort with views like this…
What do you like best about the job?
Oooh – hard to answer. I guess the variety of tasks and responsibilities is the best thing – I get to go diving, survey the reef, take guests on guided snorkels, watch turtles nest, play top trumps (marine-based of course), enthuse and educate about the marine life of Seychelles, and play a part in the conservation of this little piece of paradise.
Any bad bits?
It seems churlish to even contemplate this answer!
What has been one of the highlights of your year with WiseOceans?
It’s always the connections you make with the guests. When you take someone who has never been snorkelling before (who perhaps doesn’t even swim) and you turn them on to the incredible beauty beneath the sea whilst they are on holiday – that’s a privilege and a thrill. There have also been some incredible moments in the sea snorkelling with thousands of fish around you or being passed by a school of mobula rays…the list is endless…
I can’t believe how awesome your job is – can I be a Marine Educator too?
People say this to me all the time…all I can say is jobs like this do exist. If you have the passion and commitment to marine education then get yourself out there. You can start with volunteering like I did. Check out WiseWork on the WiseOceans website for a whole range of opportunities.
What do you do when it is raining?
The job is not just snorkelling and diving (although there is plenty of that!) there are always jobs to do like creating new resources for our Kids Club activities, keeping our records up to date, writing newsletters, blogs and newspaper articles, creating presentations and quizzes…. However, it is all done at the best office and desk in the world!
What else does WiseOceans do?
We have a lot of guests who are really interested in what we do as a company. Some want to know how they can follow us on social media (you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Linkedin), others sign up for our newsletter. We also have guests who really get the bug for marine biology and want to know more about the species they’ve seen or see more pictures of marine life.
What question do you get asked the most?
Not surprisingly a lot of guests ask about the safety of the water and in particular sharks. It gives us a great opportunity to get the message out that sharks don’t deserve the reputation they have. Hopefully by sparking a passion for marine life we can get our guests to be new ambassadors for the marine environment and help counteract the ‘Jaws’ effect!
What is the strangest thing you get asked?
We are lucky enough to have five giant Aldabra tortoises at the resort. Guests often ask if we take them on swims in the bay not understanding that whilst they love to sit in water they are not the same as sea turtles, which live in the sea. Whilst the question makes the Marine Educator in me smile (I actually have pictures in my head of us heading out with the tortoises on a lead) it is actually a great springboard for more education and learning,
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