Sarahmagazine:
You are earning good money as a model. But your professional goal is to
become a medical doctor. Why?
Philine:
I did quite well in my final high school examination, which gave me the
chance to study whichever subject I was interested in at a German
University. I was interested in different professional fields;
journalism, law, business management, marine biology, re,
veterinary medicine and human medicine. I wanted to have a profession
that would make me financially independent as a woman. Though, I could
feel my natural affinity to re, I was undecided and
contemplated working for a year in one of the fields as an intern to help me in my
decision.
My
parents noticed my difficulties in deciding which profession to go for
and indirectly helped me out. They made it clear that working a year
before starting my studies at the University is not a good option. My father
talked me out of journalism. He was a high-profile journalist with the
Leipziger Volkszeitung, a respectable newspaper in Germany.
According to him, journalism could be a fulfilling profession but there
are other political facets of journalism that could be frustrating.
Journalists are often under the pressure to write what the society
is expecting to read rather than what the journalists actually want to
write. He was in the business and knew what he was talking about. I heed
his advice and dropped journalism. Through discussion with a friend of
mine who was studying law, I realized that to study law would not be the
right decision for me. The contents of the courses seem to be boring and
not compliant with my expectations. I discarded law. My idea of
becoming a marine biologist was associated with my interest in dolphins;
as a teenager I found dolphins really cool. As part of my high school
program, I did an internship with a veterinary consultancy, which gave
me an insight of the profession. Generally speaking, I like
animals but I do not like cats. As a veterinarian I should be able to
offer medical services to all sorts of animals. I dropped the idea of
studying veterinary medicine.
Comparing human medicine to business management, I saw the possibility
in helping others as a medical professional. I love to help. I believe
that one has a good feeling at the end of a working day to know that one
has contributed to helping others or saving a life. Inputs from my
mother also brought other advantages and opportunities of the medical
profession to light; with business management, I could start my own
business after working for a while. But every business start-up has its
own risk. As a medical doctor, I could specialize in an area I am
interested in and have my own consultancy. Eventually, the inputs from my
parents and information from other sources provided clarity and helped
me in deciding which profession I should pursue. I finally decided to
study human medicine at the University of Leipzig in Germany. Studying
medicine has not been easy for me. In fact, the work load was sometimes
so overwhelming that I was totally exhausted. But I am very happy with
my decision to study human medicine. I am now in my final year and my
expectations have so far been fulfilled.
Sarahmagazine:
Were science subjects your favourite subjects in the high school?
Philine:
Biology was my favourite subject which I selected as a major with
additional advance courses. I was not exceptionally good in physics,
chemistry and mathematics but I made the necessary grades. I also had
English and French in the school and as a medical student, I took
courses in Latin as well as Greek. But I am not a language genius. I
have lost my French vocabulary but hope to have a good command of
English through further courses and practice. I believe that knowledge of
English language is a prerequisite to compete in the international
professional job market. I have chosen to do part of my internship as a
medical doctor in a hospital in Dubai. Hopefully, I would be able to
practice and improve my spoken English.
Sarahmagazine:
Apart from your interest in biology, did you have a favourite pet?
Philine:
I am fond of horses and I love to ride horses. I started riding horses
at the age of nine and it is just wonderful. The feeling I have when
riding is really amazing. I would like to own at least one horse.
However, it is quite expensive to care for a horse and maintain a
stable. It is even more expensive if one has the ambition to participate
in competitions relating to horse riding. This is one of the reasons why
I would do whatever it takes to achieve my professional goals and earn
enough money to afford a house and space for my horse amongst others.
Sarahmagazine:
You decided to study in Leipzig. Did you grow-up in Leipzig?
Philine:
I grew-up in Halle, a city in the German federal state
Sachsen-Anhalt. But since I was born in 1981, the whole of my family
usually spend the vacation in a small village called Wredenhagen
in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, one of the 16 federal states in
Germany. I grew up to know the area very well. The area offers forest
with typical German wildlife. My parents love the village and wanted to
have a property there. Four years ago, they realized their dream by
building a house of their own in the village. I have a lot of nice
memories in connection with the place and my family. My parents made
sure that my two sisters and I were busy with recreational activities
such as playing music instrument, riding horses or doing ballet or
gymnastics with lots of fun. Unfortunately, my father passed away
recently. It is a very sad incident for all members of the family and I
am still fighting to overcome the shock. As grown-ups, my sisters and I
now live in different cities, but my parents’ house in Wredenhagen is
still a meeting place for the whole family.
Sarahmagazine:
You seem to have a loving upbringing. Would you say that your
childhood was all beauty, happiness and fun?
Philine:
My father was very strict and orderly. My mother was not as strict as my
father but very orderly. My father did not tolerate poor performance in
school assignments or examinations. As punishment for poor performance,
I was banned from going out to meet friends. My two sisters and I were
only allowed to have female friends and naturally no late-evening
outgoings were allowed. My room must be kept in order and clean. If this
was not the case, there was trouble. We were drilled to behave well
within and outside the family circle. Etiquette and table manners were
extremely important for my father and we had to follow the rules; no
talking during dinner, eat decently and many other rules. For my taste,
the rules were over emphasized and exaggerated. They got on my nerves
and sometimes, the situation was unbearable. However, I tried to
understand him and relate his strictness to the nature of his job and
his high position in the media company.
Sarahmagazine:
As a teenager, did you contemplate moving out of your parents’ house
and living by yourself?
Philine:
Yes. I decided to have my own apartment when I started studying and the
stress of travelling long distances to attend lectures was getting too
much. I sometimes had to wake up as early as four o’clock in the
morning. But this was not the only reason. I was also having problems
with father due to his strict rules. The burden of coping with my
father’s stringent regulations and the demanding work as a medical
student was having negative effect on me. I started loosing weight. It
got to the extreme that I had a feeling I could be blown away by the
wind. I rented an apartment in Leipzig and moved away from home.
Sarahmagazine:
when did you start modeling?
Philine:
I started modeling when I was still living in Halle. It was
coincidental. I did not plan to be a model. I was approached by a design
student to model her collections in a public show for the jury of her
design school. The collection was her diploma work. At first, I did not
want to do the show. I was 16 years old, very slim, not sure of myself
and even perceived myself as not beautiful. But the design student was
able to convince me. She told me that I had the required height and
figure for a model. Moreover, she offered me her support and I
eventually agreed to model her collection. The presentation was successful, she got
her diploma as a designer and thereafter organized other shows in which
I was engaged as a model. I saw the possibility of earning good money
and decided to work for other companies in the fashion and advertising
business. Through private contacts, I started receiving offers to do
promotions, catwalks at trade fairs and fashion galas. I later contacted
an agency in Leipzig for professional information and was advised to
provide a sedcard with my details. The sedcard was expensive to produce
but I was lucky to be offered a contract that paid for all my expenses
as soon as it was ready. The acknowledgements I was receiving from the
public gave me self-assurance and I was enjoying the shows. I registered
with different agencies and organizations in Leipzig and neighbouring
cities for exposure and more contracts. The job offers started flowing
in.
Sarahmagazine:
You started modeling without any form of conventional training as a
model. Did you ever think of taking a course in modeling?
Philine:
No. A friend told me she paid over one thousand Euro for a course on how
to catwalk. I find it expensive and would never pay such an amount for a
course in the modeling field. I am lucky that I am naturally slim. I do
not have to do a lot of sport or follow a diet plan in order to stay
slim. It is my gene. I thank my parents for that. I also began
practicing rhythmical sport gymnastics as a child and was practicing for
many years. This has a positive effect on the way I walk naturally. For
the catwalk, I noticed carefully the way other professional models do it
and I learned from them. In the beginning I made my mistakes but most of
the girls were very friendly and ready to help. Other very useful sources
I learned from include fashion show choreographers and fashion show
programs on the TV. I also tried to develop my own style using a mirror
to control and assess my movements.
Sarahmagazine:
You are earning very well as a model. Have you thought of making
modeling your full-time job?
Philine:
The idea is tempting. However, my father thought me not to
depend on my good looks but on my intelligence. I decided to study
medicine and I am proud that I have been able to pass all my
examinations despite the additional burden of working as a model. I had
very stressful periods but I was happy to learn. Being a medical student
as well as a model does not create positive impression by all fellow
students. Some students assume that I am arrogant because I am earning a
lot of money with my looks. I did not let some of the negative attitudes
bother me and with time, those students that get to know me better
realize that I am just a normal student and not arrogant.
No,
modelling as a full-time career is not an option for me. In some years
from now, I would be older and my good looks might be gone. I want a
profession that I can practice till I am very old and earn enough money
for a good living. Like my parents, I want to be able to afford a house
of my own and have a comfortable lifestyle. I know some older models
that are not earning enough money to make a living and are forced to
accept awkward jobs or look for a rich man to marry.
continue> |