Today – on February 26, 2024 – I am returning for the third time to the migration police station in Songjiang district in Shanghai for another defense, after which they will determine my fate regarding further stay in China in the coming days. Will I manage to get a visa for another year or will I have to pack my suitcases shortly, return to Slovenia, and adjust my plans for the future? This is now the question I am awaiting an answer.
The company, which has been arranging my work visa for the past three years, closed its office in Changning less than a year ago and moved to Songjiang district, thereby falling under the auspices of another police station, and I fell – when I started the visa process about three weeks ago – under the auspices of a high, authoritative and extremely unfriendly, but professional and precise cop from that station. This cop stumbles upon every little thing, mine as well as the company’s. I don’t want to be critical of the cop, not at all, he just does his job, and he does it very well. Things have started to be complicated and unpredictable, so I am ready for any decision, even such that I will have to say bye to China just overnight.
So, as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I am called, together with the director of the company, to the police station for the third time in the last seven days, and the visa process is frozen until the final decision is made from the migration police. They are bothered by the record in the system under my name – the report of an unknown person/company against me – which happened a year and a half ago, when we were still in COVID times and when there was practically no work, especially not in my field (of work). Despite all this, a report was made to the Gubei police station, accusing me of working not only for a company with which I have a contract and work visa, but also for other companies, which is forbidden in China. I later learned that the report application was made from one of the modeling agencies in Shanghai. I still don’t know which one. In the age of the internet and with all these social networks, images can easily circulate everywhere, and Shanghai, although it is a metropolis of almost 30 million people, the circle of people with whom you share common interests is actually very small, and soon everyone knows about everyone. It seems that my modeling contributions were not at someone’s will, and they decided to ”get rid” of me. Later in my defence with a police officer, I received only a verbal warning, as there was absolutely no proof that I had worked for anyone else. At the same time I was also seriously warned by the police, if a similar report happened again, I would have to leave China immediately. I was not an isolated case. While talking to a police officer, I noticed papers and documents with pictures of some other models on the table in front of her – some models I knew personally, some only in appearance, and the rest I had never met. The fact is, however, that the “whistleblower” has made great efforts to “clean up” models that are not under its wing and to give more opportunities to his protégés. Malevolence and jealousy know no boundaries for some people, and many are willing to do a lot to harm another. This is something inconceivable for me, but that is the world we live in, was, is and will continue to be, unfortunately. To conclude – in the end everything worked out well, and in a few months (February 2023) I successfully extended visa for another year. However, the note of the report under my name remained in the computer system – and it will stay there for good – and this, despite the case being closed, has attracted the officer’s attention to the current visa process. That’s how it is. I have no choice but to follow all procedures and requests conscientiously, and hope for the best.
These days (late February) are exactly 10 years since my first visit to China. Ten years ago, two or three days after my 30th birthday, I had a flight for Beijing as I signed a three-month contract with the local model agency Absolut. Back then I’ve never flown that far. I was even afraid of flying. I first flew by plane from Greece when I went on a graduate trip – late, at the age of 25. Until the age of thirty, however, I flew only twice more, and none of these flights exceeded more than 3 hours of continuous flight. Therefore, I do not have to lose my words for you to know that a flight to Beijing, which lasted almost 20 hours, was quite a big deal for me at the time.
I remember the first day in Beijing as if it were yesterday. It was just after Chinese New Year. Many shops were still closed, not many people were seen on the streets, only the New Year’s decoration left from the celebrations was enough at any major streets, hanging on street lights and trees. After landing, one of the agents of the modeling agency waited for me at the airport and took me directly to the agency’s office with all my luggage and without any rest. There I met the rest of the agent crew. They right away made all the necessary body measurements and new polaroids of me. I handed them my model book with physical pictures of my previous works and they, in turn, gave me some useful tips I needed for a new start in such a big city, a Chinese mobile number, model apartment keys, and a list with all important contacts and addresses, in case I get lost. When meeting was over, I was immediately sent to a casting by taxi, accompanied by an agent. I left all my luggage at the office and headed to my first casting. They really didn’t waste any time, that is for sure.
I was full of adrenaline and excitement, and despite the fact that I had not slept for almot two days, I didn’t feel tired. There, at the casting, I have already met some models with whom I have shared many moments in coming months. After the casting, Peter, a model from Slovakia, who then turned out to be my roommate, and now my good friend, helped me with luggage all the way to the apartment. When I entered the apartment, I immediately smelled the smoke after cigarettes. I was most afraid of this, of smoky model apattment, because I simply hate cigarette smoke inside. Peter then showed me around the apartment. All kinds of things, clothes, a few bottles were scattered around the living room. He pointed to the bed, saying it is the only one available. This bed was special, special in a bad way. It was placed right in the hallway, right next to the toilet, so everyone had to pass by me later if they wanted to go to the toilet or shower. No doors, no privacy. The rest of the beds, which were in the rooms with doors, as beds should be, were already taken by other models. Smoke, special bed, junk everywhere… At that moment I whispered to myself: “Marko everything is OK, calm down, it is only three months, you can survive this somehow”. Peter and I were alone. The three or four models, the number was always changing, were, when I was unpacking my things, probably still on castings, at work or at the gym. After settling in, I went to the street and just below the building where I was staying, a few tens of meters away, I found a street food place, where I tried my first dumplings (包子) in my life (*certainly several thousand to this day). Because of the air pollution, so thick you could cut it with a knife, I wore a black mask over my nose and mouth. I ordered a couple of dumplings and, despite the cold, sat down on a bench in front of the food kiosk, put my face to the sun and with the mask over my bottom face took a selfie for my family, showing thumbs up and adding “I arrived, everything is OK” in the message.
The period of 5 months in Beijing as a model – after 3 months, I extended the contract for another two months – later turned out to be one of the most beautiful periods of my life. There were so many great memories, adventures, parties, hangovers, dinners, trips… I shared with such wonderful people from all over the world. With agents and models, we became like brothers and sisters. We laughed a lot together. Over time, we formed an inseparable bond that still connects us today. I might not seen this people ever again in my life, but one thing is certain – the memories on Peter, Pablo, Yana, Olga, Wilco… will stay forever!
A lot has happened since my first day in Beijing until today, so much that it is practically impossible to describe it in words. In the meantime, besides living in China, I lived in some other countries as well, countries as Turkey, Italy and England. Whenever I could, I returned to Slovenia, and then soon travel again. Back and forth, back and forth. I also spent two months in CongQing, but most of the time in the last 10 years I spent in Shanghai, which became my second home. Over a period of ten years, I have experienced things that, as a civil engineer, I would never have thought I would. I have visited numerous cities and many provinces in China. Work has taken me to the most elite locations of China – to most beautiful beaches, deserts, green valleys and mountains. From the previous three flights in my twenties, I after, in my thirties, made as close to 100 flights and at least twice as many high-speed train rides. Along the way I worked with people from all over the world and met many new friends. I worked as a model, a basketball coach and a teacher. I model all across China and I have taught at least thousand of kids of all ages. I have taught in many international schools and basketbal clubs and sports companies, such as: Flamingo, SECA academy, You Can, Jump High, YBDL, Riptide, China Sports United, etc. I didn’t just teach basketball, which is my primary sport, but also other sports as: baseball, netball, badminton, tennis, rugby, American football, dodgeball, handball, soccer, fencing, pilates, yoga, cross fit, fitness, etc. For the vast majority of them, I had to learn myself before, so that I could then pass on the knowledge to others. Living abroad has forced me to take on many jobs, and each of them, although sometimes it was really difficult and challenging, I really enjoyed doing it.
To wrap this up. China gave and taught me a lot. China faced me with challenges that I would previously think I would not have been able to cope with. They were beautiful, but also a little less beautiful moments, there were many ups and downs, there was joy and sadness, and all this definitely shaped me as a person now and made me stronger. Did it make me more mature? This is already a question for another time.
Either I will stay in China or there will be time for change, it is difficult for me to say at the moment, I really do not know, but I do know that China will forever be in my heart and that, whenever possible, I will always come back, perhaps not in the role(s) I do now, but certainly as a tourist. Thank you for ten years, China. Thank you for all these fond memories and moments – forever grateful!
*Addition: The visa was approved after quite a stressful process.
