"One big advantage of being a water sports instructor is that you can buy unlimited bikinis - your work clothes," she says with a laugh, playing with typical clichés.
It's pouring with rain and the wind is only very light. Mine has planned a trip from her home on Föhr to the mainland. She only wants to use the speed of the ferry on one leg of the journey. However, as there is not enough wind for surfing, she quickly grabs the SUP board and paddles across. "The nice thing about the variety of disciplines is that you get out on the water much more often," says the 37-year-old happily. Water time is limited when you have to adapt to the wind force required for windsurfing or kitesurfing. "Even if it's not so easy to maintain your own riding skills for each sport." And she enjoys each one in its own way, so she wouldn't want to miss out on any of them. "I decided early on not to take part in competitions, but to teach," she says, explaining how she can put her love of diversity to perfect use.
It all started in a windsurfing school on Fuerteventura. At the time, Mine Kirstein had never stood on a board and applied for an office job. But when there were no instructors, she stepped in. Five months after she picked up a windsurfing sail for the first time, an instructor from the VDWS came to Fuerteventura and trained her as a surf instructor together with colleagues. "I thought the training was so great. It was very professional and well organised." So she stuck with it, became an instructor and when the demand for kite instructors increased, she did her second training and was also accepted into the teaching team there.
Mine never took a break. Not even when she was pregnant. At that time, she realised that the water sports scene - away from the widespread clichés of partying and sexy surf instructors - was also sympathetic to expectant mothers. When she gave a course - five months pregnant - and spoke to her participants about it, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. "I wondered how they felt about being taught by a pregnant woman. After all, you act as a role model and embody the sport." And although she wasn't able to join in the celebrations for as long at events such as the mountain and graduation party, everyone reacted positively. They asked a lot of questions and also offered to carry her equipment, for example. However, she declined. Her daughter is now 17 months old, was on the SUP for the first time at nine months and comes along to the courses with a babysitter. Watersports and family go well together, summarises Mine Kirstein.
Since last year, the VDWS has also had a SUP teaching team, in which the 37-year-old also works. But regardless of whether she is training windsurfing, kitesurfing or SUP instructors, Mine Kirstein emphasises the importance of practical relevance. "We can try out everything we discuss on the water straight away. The participants learn to speak in front of the group and practise teaching real students. The instructor is delighted that motivation is high. "They come because they want to and soak up everything. They are on fire." And it remains exciting, because each participant also brings new ideas from other areas, there are discussions and exchanges. "It's a give and take - even after all these years."
