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.

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!

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.

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...

Werk

After a week of shoots, Im feeling the exhaustion a little bit. Although I've slept off most of my cold, I can still feel the remainder of a cough, so have been opting to take it easy. Unfortunately this means I havn't got a whole lot of Tokyo to share with my followers, save my cooking and bedroom. Luckily I failed to upload some behind the scenes shots until now, so here's a sneak peak into the working life. I should be up and running (litterarlly) soon!

Odaiba Fun

With Tereza leaving Tuesday, we wanted to make one last day trip together. Having stayed out late the night before, we (meaning I) decided Mount Fuji was out, so opted for Odaiba Island. Our original intent was to visit the aquarium, but after realizing it was quite a trek (to the Japanese, that means a 25 minute walk) from the island itself, we decided to explore. Although not deemed swim-able, we walked along the beach, which was a nice contrast to the busy core we had just escaped. I managed to refrain from shopping, although we did browse through the hilarious shops (Hello Kitty everything?!). We also discovered a car museum, confirming the Asian obsession with technology. After an hour wait to sit in an automatic punch buggy for five minutes (way longer than the line to ride the world's largest Ferris Wheel) I have to say I think I'm turning Japanese... I think I'm turning Japanese... I really think so. Adventures around Tokyo just won't be the same now that Tereza is gone, although she's promised to return with me next year- I smell trouble and a crepe overload!