As part of the AIDA Instructor Course, candidates are required to complete a written and oral assignment. Each student writes a short essay on a freediving-related topic that inspires them—ranging from technical concepts to personal experiences. They then present their essay in front of an audience, giving them the opportunity to share their knowledge, passion, and perspective.
These essays are more than just a test. They often bring fresh insights, shed new light on familiar ideas, or tell the personal stories that led candidates to become freediving instructors. On this page, you can explore their work—sometimes informative, sometimes moving, and always worth reading.
From Spearfishing to Freediving: A Journey of Respect and Transformation
by Osama Zifh
In this deeply personal and reflective essay, Osama Zifh shares how his early passion for spearfishing gradually evolved into a profound commitment to freediving and ocean conservation. From the thrill of the hunt to the heartbreak of witnessing ecological decline, his story highlights how experience, discipline, and adversity shaped a new relationship with the sea—one rooted in harmony rather than extraction. This presentation offers a heartfelt look at the path from instinct to intention, and from action to awareness.