Nienke | SSI Assistant Instructor
Nienke started her Divemaster internship at Porto Mari in April 2024 and eventually stayed for three periods, until May 2025, during which she advanced to Assistant Instructor. What began as a short practical internship turned into a year full of development, hard work, and lots of fun within the team.
Hey, I'm Nienke!
I came to Porto Mari in April 2024 with the idea of doing my Divemaster internship for a few months. Before that, I had tried a study program that turned out not to be the right fit for me. I quickly realized that I much preferred learning in practice rather than sitting in a classroom, so a DM internship seemed like a great next step. And I enjoyed it so much that it didn’t stop at just one period.
Instead of just one five-month stint, I ended up coming back two more times. Spread over three periods, I worked at Porto Mari from April 2024 to May 2025, and during that time I grew from Divemaster intern to Divemaster and eventually Assistant Instructor. What started as a plan for a short internship turned into an adventure of over a year.
I was initially trained in the PADI system, but at Porto Mari, together with the team, I made the switch to SSI, where I was able to continue growing to Assistant Instructor. The great thing about that time was that I really got the chance to develop myself, take on more responsibility, and discover what I was good at.
I was able to hold my own within the team. We laughed a lot, worked hard, and above all spent a lot of time together in and around the water. That combination of learning, working, and having fun made my time at Porto Mari something I won’t soon forget.
What started as a search for something that suited me better ultimately became a period in which I grew tremendously—as a diver, as a professional, and as a person.