I was 16 years old, standing on the sun-drenched beaches of the Polish seaside, when my life took an unexpected turn. Up until that moment, modeling had never been part of my plan—actually, it hadn’t even crossed my mind. My thoughts were preoccupied with basketball practice, high school exams, and the various ambitions that rattled around in my teenage head. Maybe I’d become a lawyer, perhaps a psychologist, or even a businesswoman. In my family, education was everything. It was the foundation of success, and I took it seriously, just like my parents expected me to.
As fate would have it, a simple holiday with my sister would change all of that. We were relaxing by the sea, enjoying the simplicity of summer, when a talent scout approached us. I was skeptical from the very beginning. “You have the look,” he told me, with a certainty I couldn’t quite understand at the time. At 16, I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted in life, and parading around in front of cameras wasn’t on the list.
Despite my skepticism, I decided to give it a shot. If nothing else, it would be an experience. Little did I know, this brief holiday discovery would mark the beginning of a completely different journey—one I never planned for, but one that would take me places I couldn’t have imagined. Could I pull it off? Turns out, I was about to find out. After the initial shock of being scouted settled, I found myself signing my very first modeling contract in a place as far from home as I could imagine—Tokyo, Japan. I wasn’t just stepping into a new industry, but a whole new world. At 16, I had never imagined my first real step into adulthood would involve leaving my family, my friends, and the familiarity of home to live in a bustling city of neon lights, skyscrapers, and endless crowds.
Arriving in Tokyo was nothing short of overwhelming. I had been used to a life of basketball practices and schoolwork; now, I was thrown into castings, photo shoots, and the peculiar social dynamic of living in a model apartment. These shared living spaces were as much a crash course in social diplomacy as they were in modeling. I was living with other models from all over the world, each with their own stories, aspirations, and unique experiences in the industry.
It was in this apartment that I began to understand what being a model truly meant, and it wasn’t just about looking good in front of the camera. There were long days spent hustling through Tokyo for castings, moments of rejection when a client simply didn’t think you had “the look,” and constant lessons on how to navigate this strange new career path. The older, more experienced models were my lifeline. They taught me the unspoken rules of the industry—the tricks to nailing castings, how to deal with the inevitable rejections, and, most importantly, how to maintain your sanity in a profession that often felt more like a game of survival than glamour.
Tokyo itself was both exhilarating and terrifying. It’s one of the busiest cities in the world, and it took time to adjust to the rhythm of it. I got lost more times than I can count, wandering down unfamiliar streets with signs I couldn’t read and subway systems that seemed like labyrinths. But even in those moments of confusion, I found kindness in the most unexpected places. The Japanese people were always ready to help, guiding me with patience and generosity, whether I was trying to figure out the train or just looking for a place to grab lunch. Those early days in Tokyo were tough, no question about it. But they were also full of moments I’ll never forget. The hours spent driving to castings with my fellow models, music blasting in the background, windows down as we took in the chaos of the city. We’d laugh, share stories, and bond over the highs and lows of our new lives. Our favorite ritual was stopping at the local “7-Eleven”—far from just a convenience store, it became our haven. The snacks, the instant noodles, the quirky Japanese treats—it was our shared comfort zone in a foreign city that could feel so alien at times.
That first contract in Tokyo was only the beginning. What started as a skeptical experiment soon became a decade-long career, one that took me across the globe, from Europe to South America, and everywhere in between. Over the years, I found myself in places I never thought I’d see—Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Buenos Aires. Modeling turned into an unexpected passport, allowing me to experience different cultures, people, and lifestyles in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I first stumbled into this industry.
The most difficult contract I faced was in China. This wasn’t just another stop on my global fashion tour; it was a true test of my adaptability and resilience. The culture shock hit me the moment I arrived. While I had grown accustomed to traveling and adjusting to new places, China felt different.
The work culture was a shock to the system. The fashion industry in China operated with a level of intensity and rigor that I hadn’t experienced before. Long hours, constant castings, and a relentless pace made it feel like I was always running just to keep up. There was little room for error, and the pressure to meet expectations—whether it was for clients or agencies—was suffocating at times. I began to question if this was really for me for the first time in my career. Up until that point, I had found ways to balance the difficulties of the job with the excitement of travel and the thrill of success. But China tested that balance in ways I hadn’t anticipated. There were moments when I felt completely out of place, like I was navigating a world that I didn’t quite fit into—culturally, professionally, and personally. it was in these challenges that I learned the most. The contract in China forced me to dig deep, to find a level of strength and resilience I didn’t know I had.
For the past few years, I’ve found myself splitting my time between three places I now consider home—Spain, Paris, and Poland. In between work commitments, I made sure to pursue my education, something that had always been important to me and my family. While working in the fashion world, I earned two degrees: one in the psychology of business and a master’s degree in management of IT. These studies were more than just a backup plan—they were a way to enrich my understanding of people, business, and the world around me, skills I could apply in my future.
As I look back on the past ten years, it’s hard to believe how much has happened since that fateful day on the beach. Modeling was never part of the plan, but it ended up being one of the most rewarding, challenging, and surprising parts of my life. It took me to places I never thought I’d go, introduced me to incredible people, and taught me lessons that extended far beyond the fashion world. Now, as I move forward, I carry with me the best of both worlds—the experiences I’ve gained as a model, and the knowledge I’ve acquired through my academic journey. I may not have set out to be a model, but the road I’ve traveled has shaped me in ways I never expected. And as I continue to evolve, I look forward to the next chapter—whatever that may bring.
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