After obtaining her university degree at 22 and launching her career, Dr. Lara Mouawad decided to dedicate a large part of her time to her hobbies. She indulged in scuba diving and delved further into outdoor activities practiced in nature, such as hiking, skiing, cycling, tennis and climbing, in addition to her weekly exercises at the gym to stay fit. Her professional path and family life require a high level of physical fitness.
Her main focus is on scuba diving, of which she talks with great passion. Should she want to, Lara could teach scuba diving but she keeps these special moments to herself and doesn’t share the happiness she feels underwater on her weekly dive. She clarifies that practicing this hobby goes year-round, irrespective of weather conditions.
The deepest she has reached below sea water was 105 meters. She doesn’t aim to reach deeper levels that would qualify her to partake in international competitions, noting that this would distract her from her main objective and would prevent her from enjoying her favorite sport. She emphasizes that competition kills passion.
Lara explains some of the weekly two-day preparation techniques that she follows before going to the sea. She insists that in addition to being calm and maintaining strong nerves, it is necessary to respect the highest safety standards. The deeper the dive, the higher the risks. Reaching the surface quickly becomes difficult and takes longer.
For this reason, she depends on herself, on her 18 years of experience, and one the limited number of professionals who accompany her. Lara denies any physical health effects that weekly repetitive dives could induce, with the exception of a minor tiredness that is only natural when the body releases the inhaled nitrogen and helium.
Being the mother of two, a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old, she believes that the responsibility has doubled. She deals with the situation seriously to avoid risks. However, this doesn’t prevent her from encouraging her kids to partake in age-appropriate sports.
Lara compares between sea discoveries in Lebanese shores and other sea grounds. She notes that the types of fish and sea found in Lebanon are few. However, the sights and landscapes are very special, as they include hills and caves. There are also old shipwrecks resting on the seabed, dating to former World Wars, especially across from the shores of Tripoli.
She insists on her dynamic personality as she likes to benefit from every moment to the largest extent. She believes that physical fitness and a balanced diet are key to leading a healthy life.
The key question asked to Dr. Lara Mouawad concerns finding sufficient time for these activities, knowing that she is the physiotherapist of the National Tennis Team, and she also
accompanies some first-level sports clubs. She answers confidently: Power of will and time management are necessary for all matters. Each aspect of one’s life should be given due focus.
Lara is a wife, a mother, an athlete, and a full-time physiotherapist running her own clinic. She recently obtained her PhD and insists that the aim in life is self-development and capacity building through hobbies and what they bring to the table in terms of challenges and adventures. She will never stop.
Interview by Ghada Abou Adal
