Monday, August 9, 2010

Touristing out

I have been checking off the days on my calendar, and as the end of my trip is quickly approaching, I've also been crossing off the places I want to see before leaving. This week, I managed to squeeze in a visit to the Meiji Shrine and Asakusa amongst my busy casting and workout schedule (I'm making it sound much more hectic than it is in reality). It's finally sinking in that I'm going home soon, I've become so settled here in Tokyo that it felt as though I'd never leave. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for lots of jobs in my last 11 days here, but I plan to embrace all the free time I have; and soak up every bit of Japan possible. With a 5 day holiday coming up, I'm sure I'll be able to tick off all the attractions I had hoped to visit.














Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Indulgence

Sorry its been so long! With only 2 and a half weeks left, I've been feeling the need to squeeze in as much as possible, and documenting my adventures has been pushed to the back burner. There's always an excuse, isn't there? As much as I know I'll love having all this to look back on, it's so time consuming! Luckily, there is a 3 day holiday coming up next week, and as the end of my trip is approaching, things should be slowing down a lot. Not that I mind the work! My efforts to 'tourist out' this past week have been relatively unsuccessful, and my willpower seems to have flown out the window. Frequent shopping trips and Starbucks runs with my new friend Martina have left me feeling rather uncultured, but satisfied nonetheless. I did, however manage to visit the Imperial palace grounds- and get inside this time! Sunday brought another test shoot, which was a lot of fun! I managed to pick up some Japanese, and the stylist was really cool. Despite the Sound of Music inspired wardrobe and location (I managed to resist belting out 'the hills are alive...') I had a lot of fun. However, the many rice balls and sweets I consumed throughout the day were probably unnecessary. I did regain some dignity today, though, by hitting the gym and the grocery store; then undid all the hard work by devouring a delicious sushi dinner cooked for me by my Japanese friends. Hey, I'm experiencing Asian cuisine- it's all part of the experience!
I'm unsure weather to be excited to come home, or sad to leave! I've been meeting so many amazing people, and spending most of my free moments with my new friends- but I miss all my buds back home, too. I'm realizing I'm good at making myself happy wherever I am, though. Good thing, too- because this trip has given me the urge to see (and taste) as much of the world as I possibly can.








Monday, July 26, 2010

Out and about

Does it every feel good to have a moment to sit and relax! Even with castings and work slowing down, I've been keeping myself very busy the last few days. Although going out nearly every night has become a constant, I'm making a point of seeing the city as well. Having been tucked away in the model van for a few weeks , it's refreshing to get out and enjoy the sun. And boy, is there a lot of it! With my gym membership motivating me to get up early in the mornings and the late dinners keeping me out all night, I should probably be feeling exhausted. But of course I haven't had a spare moment to let it set in. Although I'm loving the free time, it would be great to book some more jobs before I have to come home. Hopefully my recent test shoot brings in some bookings; the photos are hilarious, I can't believe I'm conforming to Japanese style! Check out some snaps from Yoyogi and the behind-the-scenes.










Friday, July 23, 2010

A good week!

The long weekend of social events seems to have carried through into the week- and oh look! It's Friday again. After three days of going out, bowling, hanging by the poolside and visits to Japanese strangers, you'd think one would be exhausted. But it hasn't stopped me the past few days. I'm getting ahead of myself, though. I spent most of the weekend with my roommate, Kirsty- galavanting around town, and being escorted by her Japanese friend, Yasuko. The best way to see Japan is of course, with one of it's natives. She took us out to dinner, not to one, but two restaurants, showing us street shops and all the good places to eat in central Toyko. As if that wasn't enough, we were invited to lunch at her friends' house the next day- who were all too happy to make us a delicious meal with ingredients straight from their vegetable garden. I can't get over how accepting and helpful the Japanese are- it's truly an amazing culture.

The fun continued as my good friend from Toronto, Laura, came to Tokyo for a wedding job on Tuesday. Although we've been in the same time zone for nearly a month now (she has been staying in Osaka) it has been a challenge to get together. Being reunited in Japan was the craziest experience, and made for a great night. We also recruited Nate and Martin to come along, who I've been hanging around with a lot. With all the friends I'm making, on top of my new gym membership, I'm not too worried about being bored for the next few weeks! It will be a little more quiet around the apartment, though, as Kirsty is leaving tomorrow. I'm going to miss her, but I'm sure we'll run into each other again someday! Until then, I'll have to put to use the Australian vocabulary I've picked up. FAR OUT!













Thursday, July 22, 2010

Mid afternoon rambling

(POST RANT) It seems I've come down with a bad case of writer's block. As the week has flown by without updates, I am left with a memory card full of photos, and too much to recount at once. I apologize for my recent lack of dedication, but I promise to fill everyone in on the week's events soon. For now I leave you with this...

I've learned a lot in the past 6 months about relationships; how easily they can be formed, and also how quickly people move in and out of your life. I didn't come to Japan with the expectation of making lifelong friends, but I have come to realize in the past weeks, that life is too short to not fully embrace the potential relationships this industry hands us. Nothing is as powerful as a simple 'hello'. You could be meeting your best friend, your soulmate, or at worst, someone you may never speak to again. But is it not worth the risk? In the modeling industry, it's very easy to lose touch with people, as we are being placed all around the world, sometimes for less than weeks at a time. We are thrown into an apartment, often with a handful of strangers, who we may have nothing more in common with than our 5'10, lean figure. Although we begin to run into the same faces over and over again, those we keep in close contact with are few and far between. It can be lonely at times, but I've learned through this that many of my friends are simply people I know by association, and have been forced to get along with because they are a part of my daily routine (when I have one). Don't get me wrong, I have formed some very close bonds this way. I have also learned, though, that once distance is added to the equation, it is very easy to grow apart. This is why I have made some of my closest friends in the fashion industry. Because amongst the traffic of models zooming around the world, somewhere in the mass of friends come and gone, we meet someone too important to let pass through our lives. I have lost some people close to me this year, but also made some amazing contacts. This trip has really opened my eyes in terms of who my friends are, and how many I have left to meet. Although this may seem unsettling, I'm have come to accept that those who are meant to stay in our lives will, and the friendships we form for short periods of time can be just as impactful, if not lasting.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Behind the scenes of GISELe

Just as I was beginning to feel a tug of homesickness, I was reminded yesterday of how lucky I am to be here, and how much I love this country. I had the best shoot for GISELe magazine. Funnily enough, I was shooting with my roommate, Kirsty, which made for a fun day. The client drove us to the location, a rustic beach house just outside Yokohama. The setting, wardrobe and weather (a refreshing 21 degrees Celsius) all made for some great photos, not to mention the team of people were great to work with. I wish every shoot was so easy! As the clouds broke momentarily, I also managed to sneak a glimpse of Mount Fuji. No warning or description could have prepared me for the enormous volcano. Although slightly intimidating, I now feel all the more inspired to reach it's peak. Now to find someone brave (or stupid) enough to conquer it with me...