Diver! I can help you! Are you ok?

I am now a certified rescue diver. I sincerely hope no one around me needs mouth-to-mouth resucitation in the water or otherwise needs serious help from me until I get to practice these skills some more. I do take this stuff seriously, but the PADI certification system for certs below the level of divemaster seem a little sketchy at times. At least I took the course with a group that all feels like they want to practice some more and we're going out on dives periodically together so I will get a chance to.

This group also wants to join me on a trip to the Philippines in March. I am very excited to go with other divers and head back to the spots that I wasn't fully able to explore before since I was not as experienced as I am now. However, I watch the news nervously, somewhat expecting that the troubles in Zamboanga are going to spill out over the rest of Mindanao -- particularly Davao. Reinforced my decision not to go back for Christmas -- if they're targeting Christians & Americans the holiday season seems to be potentially quite bad for me (and others) to visit. I don't usually make decisions like that, but this time the bombings seem to be in escalation mode.

However, March is a ways away and I can pin my hopes on that. Will be nice to dive in warm water again!