Every trip is filled with memories, particularly if the model has a contract in a different country. There is nothing more satisfying than packing up the luggage and chopping it before moving to another continent. New friends, new feelings, new places and tens of thousands of photos show the paradise. Castings and fittings. Rehearsals, shopping, strolling around the town. After that, the girls will return to their new homes dragging themselves and exhausted.
Models will first live in hotels with large windows, TVs that are huge, beds that are plush, and bathrooms that have mirrors all the way to the ceiling. The contract stipulates that the apartment or house must meet European standards. Here begins a adventure when 10 models, each with a different personality and view on life, are brought together under one roof.
This time, my model trip takes me to the wonderful and amazing China. We have a two story apartment with a shared kitchen, two showers and six large rooms with stunning views. The first time you open the door to a new territory there is an unspoken competition between the models for the best rooms in the house. They literally run around the house looking for and choosing the best spot for themselves.
I’m lucky to be able to live in the large room with three other girls until the end of the contract. After a week, I start to doubt the choice. The girls’ completely different tastes in music and their simultaneous Skype conversations are now very apparent.
We all have our own beds, but for some reason they are not as soft and comfy this time around. They are wooden. Everyone starts to understand why the bruises appeared on our bodies the next morning. Our wardrobe is the second miracle in our apartment. It is honestly a frame with some fabric on it, one shelf, and a zipper. The “European standard” can sometimes be quite surprising.
The only option for the washing machine is cold wash. When we turn it on it begins to move around the kitchen. Each time it gets closer and closer towards our mini-fridge which is tightly packed with fruits, vegetables and yogurts. You will be taken to a fairy-tale world where all your products are lost if you open the door.
One interesting aspect of living under such conditions is that the Chinese residents can spend hours watching the European girls and taking pictures of them. Thank God, China has blocked all Russian websites as well as the notorious Facebook and YouTube.
The magnet board is my favorite part of this temporary house. We always post the latest news, draw funny pictures and write things like “Let’s have a goodbye summer party!” Or “Who used shampoo?” Buy a new one!”
You may notice that some things disappear when you share a bathroom with seven models. My precious burdock (which is known to have a great effect on hair growth) that I brought from home was no exception. We started planning revenge when it became “half empty”. We decided to pour our new “recipe”, which consisted of sunflower oil, a few drops a medicine in a bright green colour intended for throat treatment and a small amount of dish detergent, into this bottle. After waiting patiently until the bottle containing our special mixture was empty, we organized a meeting in the room to tell the other models about our clever plan. So, we were able to identify the little thief. We didn’t call anyone out, but we got to know the person from whom we should hide our conditioners and shampoos.
The model business has a bad reputation. In this industry, there are no real friends and everyone is out for themselves. Life in a foreign land is still a good experience despite the challenges. You need support when you’re far from home, so those who at first were strangers to you now become like your second family. If I had to choose between a modeling apartment and a hotel I would choose the former, as it is always an adventure and a new experience.
This is the end of the contract. On one side, there is the sadness of leaving the girls and the city and country. And on the other, you have the joy of returning home. Bon voyage!
