In a world where entry-level scuba often stops at buoyancy checks, mask clears, and safe ascents, GUE Fundamentals felt like something entirely different: a deliberate reshaping of how I view diving. The course wasnât just about learning new skills and checking off some boxesâit was a concept called a paradigm shift that ends the disconnect between dive training and passion, exploration, conservation, and research, building skillsets which ready and enable divers for âaggressiveâ diving, with extremely high standards, which is a concept I really liked.
From building rock-solid foundational techniques to recalibrating mindset and purpose, GUE Fundamentals gave me a roadmap for passionate, exploration-driven, and conservation-aligned diving.
But hereâs the kicker: it took me three Fundamentals classes to get my technical pass.
Hereâs what I learnedâand why Iâd take the class again in a heartbeat.
Jan 2024: PDC, Mexico
Instructor Arthur Nguyen-Kim
- Provisional -
Nov 2024: High Springs, FL
Instructor Jon Kieren
- Recreational Pass -
Apr 2025: High Springs, FL
Instructor Stretch Altenhein
- Technical Pass -
May 2025: Cyprus
Instructor Imad Farhat
- Technical Pass -
January 2024 â Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Instructor: Arthur Nguyen-Kim
Result: Provisional
Letâs be honestâsome of us were GUE skeptics before becoming GUE divers. I was one of them.
As an engineer, I loved experimenting with dive gear setups, figuring out what worked best for me. The idea of strict gear standardization and protocols felt... limiting. âWhy are they so serious? Why so rigid? Isn't there more than one way to dive?â
But I was hungry to improve. I knew I wanted to become a better diverâand someday, a cave or tech diver. GUE Fundamentals had a reputation: world-class instruction, brutally honest feedback, and a curriculum that challenged even experienced instructors. So I decided to give it a shot.
By pure luck (and a little bit of eBay adrenaline), I won a spot in Arthur Nguyen-Kimâs class through GUEâs 25th Anniversary Conference silent auction. At the time, I have about 40 dives under my belt and Iâd never used doubles before, but I was determined to go all in. I and my dive buddy headed to Mexico with a lofty goal: crush Fundies, get a tech pass, then go home to celebrate the victory.
Arthur asked if we were sure we wanted to do the class in doubles with the experience we have, We said yesâbut not with confidence, just determination.
The reality hits HARD. We were completely overwhelmed on day oneâbarely comfortable in our gear, still figuring out how a properly fitted backplate even should feel. Our first dive? We were turtles in the water. I remember focusing just on surviving. We didnât even know what properly fitted backplate and wing setus felt like.
Looking back, we aimed too high, too fast. We came in ready to absorb, we learned a lot, but we were focused too much on proving ourselves. The result? A humbling Provisional pass. This only leaves me eager to continue in this path.Tthe real victory was internal. I saw diving differently. I thought differently, and I know what exactly I need to work on. That was the true beginning of this journey.
Arthur, with his Matrix metaphor on day one, summed it up perfectly:
âThis course is like the Matrix. Take the blue pill and everything stays the same. Take the red pill, and suddenly, you start seeing everythingâevery weakness, every disconnect, everything that can be better.â
I took the red pill.
Instructor Arthur demonstrating how to don and doff the gears
My buddy and I planning GUE Edge at the gorgeous cenote Aktun-Ha (Carwash)
My buddy and I posed in front of the Cenote Orquidea on our evaluation day
The hike down the stairs to Cenote Orquidea, in the middle of the jungle
November 2024 â High Springs, Florida
Instructor: Jon Kieren
Result: Recreational Pass
NextGen YouTube Vlog from the class: https://youtu.be/rTxzMSpH6I0?si=MyqpJqVbL4lhm03f
Just a few months and 16 dives later, I received the GUE NextGen Scholarshipâa once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that opened doors to further training and mentorship in the world of GUE training.
My first stop? A conversation with my scholarship mentor, John Kendall. After some research on the available classes, John encouraged me to reach out to instructor Jon Kieren for my second Fundamentals attempt for a full rating.
Jon didnât hesitate to welcome me into his class, and what followed was a deep, refreshing dive into refinement. With a calm demeanor and massive exploration experience, especially in the field of cave diving, he shared practical techniques and detailed reasoning, never gatekeeping advanced knowledgeâeven though this was still just a Fundamentals class. He made me want to explore further, train harder, and eventually pass it forward.
The most lasting lesson from this class wasnât just technical:
âItâs easy to get caught up in trying to pass,â Jon said. âBut donât forget why you started this in the first placeâbecause it's fun.â
That hit home. Whenever I find myself stressed about performance or results, I return to that reminder: Have fun, and look cool underwater. The class went really well and I learned a lot more. This time, I earned my Recreational pass. Still not quite at Tech level, but far closer. And more importantly, I was really enjoying the journey.
Instructor Jon Kieren detailing every part of the equipment setup and "why we set them up this way."
The GUE team at Blue Grotto
November 12, 2024
Meeting with all the cool people in High Springs!
Post-fundamentals dive at Royal Springs, FL
April 2025 â High Springs, Florida
Instructor: Stretch Aaron Altenhein
Result: Technical Pass đ
With a recreational pass under my belt, I set my sights on the elusive tech pass.
This time, I came preparedâwith drysuit training, 23 more dives, and months of practice across the springs, rivers, and ocean in Florida, Texas, and Mexico. I had also completed the GUE Drysuit Primer with instructor Kelly Colwell in Panama City, and GUE Rescue Primer in the cenotes of Mexico with Instructor Annika Persson.
Instructor Stretch Aaron Altenhein kindly invited me to join his Fundamentals course for a tech upgrade. Though I could only make it for the last day, I trained alongside a new team at Catfish Hotel in Manatee Springs State Parkâ one of instructor Stretchâs favorite sites.
Despite the short timeframe, the day was packed with value: We ran the classic Fundies drillsâBasic 5, S-drills, Valve Drills, and SMB deployment, along with tech-level protocols such as secondary light deployment. Practiced multiple timed ascents and unconscious diver rescue. It was a long day of intense, focused, and incredibly rewarding training opportunity.
Finally, on my 100th dive, it happened: I passed!!! A hard-earned, full GUE Fundamentals Tech pass :)
Beyond the skills, what I valued most in this class, and every GUE class Iâve been to, was the team diversity. Different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives shaped the class dynamicâand thatâs where GUE shines. Itâs not just about personal growth. Itâs about collective development, shared learning, and community-driven improvement.
Tan's practice with PCUE community at Morrison Springs, FL
Photo by Janina Cooper
PCUE skills practice day at Morrison Springs, FL
Photo by Janina Cooper
Volunteer diving at Spring Lake, TX
Awesome backplate and doubles wing from Halcyon
Instructor Kelly Colwell while cruising to the wreck site on the Big Blue Dive Boat
Tan's very first openwater dive in a drysuit - Black Bart Wreck
Photo by Kelly Colwell
Emil, Annika, and Tan during a GUE Rescue Primer class in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
Running a line with teammate assisting during GUE Rescue Primer class
Photo by Annika Persson
Walking down the stairs to the "Catfish Hotel", Manatee Springs State Park
Underwater Scenery and light beam in the "Catfish Hotel", Â Manatee Springs State Park
Trying out the Halcyon Symbios handset computer
Tan, Billy, Dani, Stretch, and Mike during our GUE Fundamentals Class with instructor Stretch
May 2025 â Protaras, Cyprus
Instructor: Imad Farhat
Result: Tech Pass (again!)
My final Fundamentals experience came by chance. As part of the NextGen Scholarship, I was invited by instructor Imad Farhat to join the GUE DPV1 course in Cyprus. While there, I also got to jump in as a teammate during one of his Fundamentals classes in Protaras, Cyprus.
Even after three prior Fundies classes, I still learned something new.
We trained in the crystal-clear, blue Mediterranean waters of Green Bay, Protaras. Imad is incredibly passionate about teaching and giving back in every one of his classesâhis courses are structured, detailed, very efficient, and built for success. He went above and beyondânot just in teaching, but in logistics, mentorship, and hospitality. Heâs also a talented underwater photographer and passionate about building dream dive vans. DPV is his favorite tool, and it evidently showed in our GUE DPV1 class, but thatâs story for another time, perhaps a DPV class vlog (stay tuned!)
It reminded me: no matter how many times you take Fundamentals, thereâs always room to learn something new. Even though I didnât need another Fundamentals pass, I came away sharper, more confident, and more inspired than ever.
Tan enjoying the crystal-clear, Bule Meditteranean sea during GUE Fundamentals class
Photo by Marcel
Instructor Imad's fabulous retrofitted airport van to suit his diving needsÂ
Tan, Marcel, and Instructor Imad Farhat
Massive MS Zenobia shipwreck off the coast of Larnaca, Cyprus, compared to a diver
Photo by Imad Farhat
Yes, GUE training is standardized. Thatâs its strength. But every GUE instructor brings their unique background, expertise, teaching philosophy, and passion into the courseâlike different university professors teaching the same subject, but with different approaches and implementation.
I was incredibly lucky to experience that first-hand, across four Fundamentals classes on three different countries:
Instructor Arthur opened my eyes to what GUE is really about. He helped me reshape my mindset, challenged me to slow down and stay intentional, and laid the foundation for success with practical, repeatable skills that finally clicked.
Instructor Jon made me fully understand what it means to âbegin with the end in mind.â He painted a clear picture of how everything we practice â from trim to team protocols â connects to cave diving, exploration, and long-term goals. For the first time, I saw not just a class, but a path.
Instructor Stretch built my fluency, until repetition turned into reflex. He drilled rescue techniques, ascents, and valve drills until they became part of me â and I came to appreciate not only the high bar GUE sets, but also the powerful sense of community and mentorship that drives it forward.
Instructor Imad embodies the full ecosystem of great diving. From logistics and team planning to mindset and presence, Imadâs focus on commitment, precision, efficiency, his passion for teaching, and his generosity to all the students left a lasting impact â not just on my diving, but on how I approach challenges in life.
Each version of Fundamentals gave me something different â something essential. A new layer of understanding, a sharper skill, a deeper connection to the global GUE community. That's why I firmly believe: if you ever get the chance, take the class again. Learn from different instructors. Meet the divers in our global community. Youâll grow in ways you never expected.
And don't forget, you're in this because it's fun, so Have fun, and look cool underwater! :)
Jan 2024: PDC, Mexico
Instructor Arthur Nguyen-Kim
- Provisional -
Nov 2024: High Springs, FL
Instructor Jon Kieren
- Recreational Pass
Apr 2025: High Springs, FL
Instructor Stretch Altenhein
- Technical Pass -
May 2025: Cyprus
Instructor Imad Farhat
- Technical Pass -
Iâm deeply grateful to GUE HQâJarrod, Dorota, Jenn, Kady, Nico, and the GUE Boardâfor creating not only a world-class training system, but also a global community that lifts people up. Your support through the NextGen Scholarship and the NextGen Legacy project made this entire journey possible, and I carry that trust with me in everything I do.
To all my GUE instructors: Instructor Arthur Nguyen-Kim, John Kendall, Jon Kieren, Kelly Colwell, Annika Persson, Stretch Altenhein, and Imad Farhat â thank you for your mentorship, passion, dedication, and the generous time youâve invested in my development. Each of you taught me more than skills â you taught me how to think, how to train, and how to become a better teammate and diver. You made me feel welcome no matter the country or conditions, and that sense of belonging will stay with me.
And to the extended NextGen communityâmy mentors, teammates, hosts, and dive buddies across the globe: Mig, Gordon, CP, Nicole, Tyler, Kyle, Nina, Max, Rita, Austin, Zach, Xiangfei, Scott, Like, Matt, Billy, Dani, Mike, and Marcel âthank you for being part of this wild, beautiful ride. Every conversation, every shared dive, every post-dive meal added to this journey in a way Iâll never forget.
The Fundamentals course may have ended, but the foundation it built is just the beginning. Here's to the next dive, the next lesson, and the next chance to growâtogether. đđ
đ„ Related vlog:
GUE Fundamentals Vlog: https://youtu.be/rTxzMSpH6I0?si=gMostIOO3cCHbKjd
GUE Vlog: Becoming a volunteer diver in Spring Lake, TX: https://youtu.be/06Za91Ni0vw?si=2y63PhW877Q72CSD
GUE Vlog: Rescue Primer in Mexico: https://youtu.be/L6UlIB0cctM?si=bjTG7A95TqVHDet6
đŹ DM me if youâre curious about taking your own Fundamentals journey!
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