Teiki Ballian

What’s your story? Where are you from?

I am born in France. One week later I joined my parents for the constant nomadic lifestyle on their 72 feet sailing boat. I grew up sailing around the world, I never went to school, just got taught by my parents and all the different cultures I encountered. I learned 5 languages along the way: French, Spanish, English, Thai, and Indonesian.

When I was 13 year old, we sailed to Indonesia and fell in love with the place, especially the Mentawai Islands. My parents saw how fast my surfing was improving and that there was a possibility to run some Surf charters so we stayed for 12 years. Growing up in the best waves in the world was so amazing, Maccaroni’s and Lances right became my home spot.

In 2011 the Indonesian government made a new law where foreign flag boats couldn’t work in Indonesia anymore. So we moved the boat to Thailand and I had a big opportunity to travel and make a few tv series for a travel channel in France. My sponsors support me and I now travel to do my web episodes, Salted Memoirs. I am now working on a possible tv show about surf travel. I grew up in a really green environment sailing, minimum pollution and making our own energy. All my sponsors work their hardest to be as green as possible, so when I heard about Indosole i was like I need to ride for them, super stylish shoes made from re-purposed Indonesian tires, are you kidding me!!!

What do you do?

Surf and travel as much as I can. I would say I’m a free-surfer, I love to go to remote places to make videos and take photos. I do contests some times but its mostly for marketing purposes.

Favorite place to travel to?

Mentawai’s

How have you impacted the community/environment or thoughts on how to?

I don’t know about the impact, but I grew up being environmentally aware and I try to keep my lifestyle that way. I grew up in a really green environment, sailing, minimum pollution, making our own energy.

Who is someone you look up to?

My Parents.

What are your plans in the next couple years/near future?

For the moment I am focusing on getting beautiful photos in international magazines and keep going with my web episodes, SALTED MEMOIR’S.

Any sponsors or things to plug?

7shores clothing, 69 slam underwear, Swop surfboards,
www.surf-sail.com, vimeo.com/saltedmemoirs

What’s the best and worst thing about growing up on a boat?

Worst would be fixing the engine in the hottest engine room in a storm while drifting onto the reef, not fun……Best would be sailing around the world 2 times and meeting all the different people along the way, and seeing the most inaccessible and untouched places on earth.