36 SurfGirl Magazine
A
fter travelling around Indonesia and South
East Asia, always ending up sat on a
beach somewhere watching people getting
barrelled, Flora finally decided to head back
to Bali after spending her savings. Leaving a well-paid
job in Jakarta for a less than desirable wage in Bali was a
gamble, but it paid off.
With little funds to pay for a surf coach, Flora rented a
surfboard for six months and taught herself the basics.
When a local surfer offered her a second-hand longboard,
her talents in the water flourished. Learning to cross-step
and nose ride, her wave riding skills didn’t go unnoticed,
and sponsorship opportunities and invitations to surf
competitions came flooding in.
The experience of surfing has shaped Flora’s life in the
most beautiful way, allowing her to travel, surf and enjoy a
happier, more relaxed life. In her own words she’s, “living
the life,” connecting with nature and exploring the freedom
that she didn’t have before. “I never thought I’d make it
this far. I get to make a living doing what I love, and at the
same time inspire others!” says a stoked Flora.With women’s surfing slowly increasing in Indonesia,
Flora is helping to pioneer the longboarding scene and give
Indonesian women a platform in the surf world. “I want to
see more of my girls out there experience the lifestyle of
freedom.My goal is to get more women in Indonesia to
follow their dreams, not just to follow the culture by getting
married and having a family when they are super young.
My dream is to have an umbrella for these Indonesian girls
who want to be different and follow their dreams.”At the age of 25, Flora
Christin started
to take surfing
seriously. Fast-forward
three years and,
as Indonesia’s first
female competitive
longboarder, she’s now
inspiring others.THE
DREAM
MAKER
20s
“Nothing is easy in
life, but everything
is possible if you
try hard enough.”