|
Drea's Overseas JournalDecember 11, 2021
Drea is a Chantale Nadeau model, currently in Shenzhen, China with Glamour Women.
Dreazilla
It's been a fun past few weeks.
The girls and I moved into a new apartment here in Shenzhen to be greeted by a new model from Brazil we'd be living with! Our agents were here too - they are so great like that!
They helped us clean the whole two-floor pad (which is on the 24th floor!) and promised to hook up our internet the day after - I told you they're amazing!
It took a few days to get used to the new place because it wasn't as cozy as our old apartment. The new girl, who is only 15 years old, asked to sleep with me the first night. I was half asleep and confused - so I said yes. I was out of it for a few days after that because I didn't sleep for more than a few hours. The only people I feel comfortable sleeping with are my mom and best friend. I remember curling up in one corner of my bed with my eyes wide open and just feeling someone breathe on my neck all night. I'm over it now. It was actually kind of adorable - because I knew she felt the most comfortable around me.
She has gotten a lot better but it is still a little hard for me to understand why a girl so young would come half way around the world alone. It's her first trip too. Just my opinion, but I think anyone that young should be chaperoned by a parent.
Things have slowed down a little bit here. Both casting-wise and work-wise.
Drea with Jack (her booker)
We have tried to do some sight seeing but everything is so new here. My booker Jack told me that this whole city was put together about 15 years ago - and that it's still growing (so no museums or galleries).
I know this for a fact because Lauren and I have been woken up in the middle of the night, every night, to drilling and other fun construction noises. We try to bang back on the walls but it doesn't work. The noise continues. We kind of like it now. Hehe.
All of us are going to different places within the next few weeks.
I'm going to miss some of the girls, and some not so much. Well just one in particular - but I'm sure I'll even miss her yelling at me to get off the computer and swearing at me in Polish! We have all gotten really close. I hope that we can all stay in touch somehow.
We all lead such different lives back at home. Last night we all stayed up late and talked about life. And why we are all so far away from home. I almost teared up a few times - there I go again! We are all so different. One girl is married, one just broke up with her boyfriend (she yells at him on Skype every night), one just started highschool - ah it's a great mix of us here. We have taught each other so much. About modelling and just plain 'ol life. Some of us are here to make money to send back home. Others because they want to build their book and go to another country. Some out of pure vanity. A few because modelling is seen as a lifelong career and gets you out of a life of poverty.
Shenzhen from Drea's balcony
It was a great night! We all woke up like teenagers after a great slumber party and thanks to moi - watched America's Next Top Model season finale on youtube! It took hours to download - but was worth every second of it freezing during the process. We all huddled around our ugly coral furniture, half of us cheering for Melrose and the other half (my half!) for Caridee! It was so funny - I wish someone could have videotaped us all swamped and acrobatic on one big puffy chair. That probably explains my leg cramp... hmmm...
During the last few minutes of the show a nice little fellow joined the celebrations. He strolled in from under the table. And looked about 2 feet long and 2 feet high. I have never seen such a big cockroach in my life, nor have I ever screamed so loud. It was complete chaos. I was screaming with my legs curled up because I was sure he would just fly up and sit on me. The smart one in the bunch ran for our great supply of RAID and blasted him to death. I'm sure we all have some RAID in us... as do our neighbours. We wasted half the can! Haha! It was also the first bug I've seen since I got here, so I guess it's not too bad.
We ended the day with a shopping trip to Luo Hu station. If you go to China and love to shop like me - this is one place you cannot skip out on. It's the last stop in the Shenzhen subway and 7 floors of everything you can think of - clothes, purses, shoes, jewellery, and custom-anything made on the spot. You must have a lot of patience if you go here because all you hear is "MISSY MISSY come in! I have best deal for you! What you need? You buy OK?" It's hilarious! Even more hilarious when they say something is real leather and we pull out a lighter (I'm working on quitting smoking, I promise) and ask to do the LIGHT THE LEATHER TEST. We burned one purse and ran for our lives laughing our bums off.
Luo Hu Station
I got a beautiful suit in the works and I must have paid less than 50 Canadian dollars for it (jacket and pants). The Chinese tailor kept screaming OH MA GAWD when he was measuring my legs haha! [EDITOR'S NOTE: Drea might have the longest legs I've ever seen - for a tailor in China she must have been positively alien!] I made him high-five me when I left. You know... I'm cool with making fun of myself and walking around like a valiant Godzilla. I even got random people asking to take pictures with me, or they take them with their camera phone when I walk by. I could start a business out of this.
Well... that's all that's really up at the moment. Tomorrow work begins again.
My time is almost up here - and I've had the best time ever!
I have some surprises in store... but I'm not ready to reveal them yet. Plus I have to keep all of y'all in some kind of suspense.
I'm wishing you all very Happy Holidays - whatever it is you celebrate! Be safe, stay warm and really spend time with those you love this year. I say that because... I wish I could. It will be a little hard this year, but knowing all of you are happy and jolly will make me smile!!!
PS: na na na na na it's not snowing here! (Sorry... I had to...)
Drea
xoxo
More to follow...
|
|
