gator1 wrote:
IKO = some travelling butthead cramming as many lessons as he can into a season regardless if the students learnt anything or not.
I for one am most definitely not a butthead trying to cram as lessons ad possible. How can you even cram lessons? You teach classes when it's windy the cramming part makes no sence to me ? My aim is to get people interested in the same thing I love. Your blanket judgment of a whole community of guys most who are making a living and loving it is negative and complete crap ! I'm amazed at how negative some people are about IKO instructors and also the Organization itself !
As an instructor myself my aim is genuinely share my passion with people who are interested and want to give kiteboarding a try and I love it ! Of course IKO is a money making business it's not a charity organization and for sure there are bad instructors out there just like there are bad school teachers , dentists, lawyers doctors whatever.
I'm earing a very decent living from this lifestyle along with my partner and our students are getting stoked and loving the experience of learning to kite , 6 of my fellow instructors are hard working people who are all IKO instructors and very happy with the money they are earning and the nice office they get to be spending their days surrounded by enthusiastic people who all want to be out on the board .
Previously I was a big earner with a very nice income but terrible lifestyle and now I'm earning more than enough and living in a lovely kite spot with like minded people...
IKO is far from perfect and there will always be people with poor intentions and giving the IKO a bad name but I do believe the majority are just like me and my partner who are just out there to enjoy the healthy lifestyle while sharing our love for the sport with others.
From my experience quite a few guys end up continuing to kitesurf and even come back to the spot with their own kites and that is pretty nice ! The ones that dont keep going or never continue, well at least they gave it a try and got out on the water too so it's all good either way right?
I had to post my opinion about this because from where I am it's not as horrible, poorly paid or buttheaded like that pessimistic Gator seems to think it is . . .
Maybe have a chat with some other instructors and you will see we are not all air headed gangsters rather just passionate guys who are eager to get others to go kite !
Happy kiting and good winds