Hi everyone,
Thanks for reaching my first post. I hope you will enjoy my blog.
I feel extremely lucky and privileged to introduce myself as the 2013 European Rolex Our World-Underwater Scholar to succeed Oscar Sevesson.
My name is Chloé, I grew up in Lyon, the second largest city in France. I am a passionate diver currently pursuing an Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (embc).
I only found out about the scholarship two weeks before the application deadline. We were about to start the last semester of the master degree, I had no idea about what I would do after it and I was missing diving. I just wrote “scholarship+Diving” on Google and the link about the OWUSS scholarship was the first to appear. I could not believe that such a program exists. How amazing it would be to spend a year learning about the diving industry, the marine world and traveling around the world? Too good to be true…. The first week after I knew I was chosen as the new scholar, I had to re-read my emails every morning to be sure I did not dream everything during the night!
I was still not really realizing what was happening when I arrived for the 39th Scholarship Society’s annual meeting in New York. – an unforgettable weekend.
It was my first time in New York, actually my first time in USA. The big apple was exactly like I had imagined it: huge, high, yellow taxis everywhere and people rushing. I had the feeling of being inside a blockbuster movie, ready to see Spiderman or King Kong appearing from out behind a building.
During the weekend I could finally meet my two partners in crime: Jeff Hester the North American Rolex Scholar and Stefan Andrew the Australasia Rolex Scholar.
We were introduced to the Rolex representative, to the Board of Directors of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society, to the Explorer Club, to some hosts, sponsors, former scholars… Well to a lot of people, all extremely friendly and passionate.
The highlight of the weekend was the Rolex Scholars Reception at the New York Yacht Club yacht where the 3 new Scholars are officially introduce and receive their Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date . It is also where the 3 previous Scholars presented their movies of their scholarship year. Emotional moments for all of us.
I am now back in Portugal where I am finishing my master thesis. I am really impatient to start my first journey.
You can also follow my scholarship trip each month in Sport Diver.
I wish you all happy dives.
See you soon.
