The Geek Goddess

These days the name of 23-year old Nafsika Drossou rolls down my tongue with same ease as Dior, Prada and Chloe. Three years ago, her named belonged in the same school as Ghesquiere, Demeulmeester and the Parsons duo Proenza Schouler. Perhaps it had something to do with the strong Ilonggo blood coursing through my veins that I pronounced her name a hard Naf-seeka for a long, long time. But all I can say is that I’ve never met anyone with such a striking name and face that is unparalleled in brand of beauty.

Nafsika is truly different. Her uniqueness does not stop at her exotic name, which was taken from the Odyssey (Nafsika saved Odysseus from sinking). Being a half-Greek, half-Filipino thing of beauty (an exclusive model of Cal Carries International), her face seems to have been lifted from a Modigliani painting for its graceful linear quality and its aristocratic proclivity. I met her a good three years ago in a party hosted by my half-Greek cousin Geni Psinakis and there she established her persona to me as the anti-cliché model. She profusely apologized for being late and when I asked her where she came from she let an exasperated sigh sounding like class escape from her lips. I almost dropped my plate of pasta when I found out it was a class for Civil Engineering. From then on I called her the anti-model supermodel. And as the years pass she continues to prove me right.

In the modeling world there are two types of heartbreakers: 1) The hell-hath-no-fury-worse-than-a waif-starved Kate Moss type. You know those kinds of models who brood and scratch their noses in a suspicious manner and 2) The I’m so perfect you’ll hate me Cindy Crawford types. Who excel and excel and no matter who they marry bloom the poor chap will only end up a supporting player in her extravaganza of fabness. Nafsika is neither, thus her being the anti-model model, she eats cakes and cookies (both she has admitted are her chief vices) and she can certainly holds her cocktails with more grace than yours truly. She does not bleep out censor-friendly words (in English anyway although she can verbally kick your butt because she speaks five different languages: Greek, English, French, German and Italian) and is courteous to anyone anytime of the day regardless of her own personal delilahs. She is definitely not a Kate Moss. Not a hate-worthy and suspiciously polished Cindy either as she admits to having to work out to burn her cookies and cake. Has moments of unglamorous stress and does not pop a happy pill to achieve that Kathy Lee Gifford outlook in life. And nope she is not known to slope her arm on any junky hunk of the moment (she has been single for quite some time now). She is in her almost surreal and arresting mortal coil– all too perfectly human.

Nafsika decided to come to the Philippines to study after figuring that the construction industry society in Greece was too macho and chauvinistic for her liking. Plus coming from a small town, she knew that penetrating the very political Greek construction world meant more than just having the right aptitude and excellence in performance. She went to Ateneo Davao instead and earned the proper credits to get herself into her dream school, UP. From there a different deck of Delilah cards presented themselves to her. There was the utter loneliness, not to mention her struggle to speak English (she had to learn the hard way coming to the Philippines with just a few phrases in her pocket ) and the doubts she inspired all over in her choice of profession granted she is not a stereotypical engineer wannabe (how many engineers make it to the top 50 of FHM’s sexiest women – without exposing the parts where the sun doesn’t shine)?

The Cinderella story comes in between this part. Nafsika waxes nostalgic about her fairy tale moment, "I met Ariel Lozada years ago in a Penshoppe competition. The boutique owner of Penshoppe Davao (when she still lived there) urged her to submit an application and from there they flew me to Manila. Ariel urged the panel to give me a low score and when it was all over he approached and asked me to seriously think about modeling. I didn’t really take it seriously since I was new in the town and had no idea of Ariel and his influence. A year and a half later in Matina I heard my name being called out and I saw it was Ariel. He told me he had someone to introduce me to and I met Inno Sotto and company. From there I did some workshops with their group and it’s been great ever since." Unlike many other mannequins, the struggling Greek engineer wannabe part of Nafsika’s life has always been separate from her Greek Goddess persona in the modeling world. And because of this, Nafsika has managed to succeed in both departments. "Life here and there is completely different. The pace of life, the way with which people communicate, and the structure of society. There was a lot to learn and even more things that required from me great flexibility and willingness to change without losing myself. At 18 I didn’t even know if I had all it took to make a successful transition but with my persistence and the help of new friends and my extended family here I was able to adapt fast. Luckily they are so many, I have great relatives in Manila and in Davao. But the ones who gave me a sort of crash course in Philippine ways and culture are the two sisters of my grandfather and my Ilang-Ilang dorm-mates in UP. From this whole learning experience I have discovered my limitations and my strengths," Nafsika shares.

Not to say that democratic and mature Manila society has given Nafsika the escape from the machismo attitude that she so despises (she is the hot Olay chick in Edsa that has been reported to cause quite a number of vehicular accidents–you can imagine how many odd pick-up lines that has caused her). As with any idiotic predicament bestowed on an unusually fair maiden, Nafsika takes it all in stride. "As far as the industry is concerned I think that my height, size and look are unusually tall, big and strong respectively, for the local market. After seeing Olay though I think they realized that as a model (a good model) I could change into something more marketable. As far as the general public is concerned yes, I became more recognizable and started having people ask for my photo or autograph. What I think to be funny is the way I answer my professors when they ask me if I’m the girl on the billboard or on TV. Right after the question I answer swiftly with a dry loud yes and with the attitude... "WHY? Any problem with that?" I find that so funny ’cause I don’t mean to be like that especially since they ask so politely but being reminded of my job when I am in my student-engineering mode throws me a bit off," she states.

With no more teachers, no more books, and definitely no more dirty looks, Nafsika is taking her Greek-noy self to unchartered territory."Finishing my BS Civil Engineering degree in UP was a big challenge for me. Now that I have done that I feel much lighter and I am getting ready to finally work as a full-time model here and in other countries," she happily states. Although modeling has been her way of meeting some of her dearest friends such as Joey Espino, Ariel Lozada, Luca Luca designer PJ Pascual and co-model prodigy Anna Shier (who is training to be doctor), it has also made her more aware of the perils of being in the limelight of such a look-centered industry "Every job has its downside. Models are usually teenagers and as teenagers they haven’t been exposed to the ways of the world, they are still searching for their own selves, their own path and they easily get excited over things and lose focus. That makes it even easier for them to be exploited, but they have to remember that no one can make you do something, it’s you who measures the pros and cons and who will make a decision. If you value and respect yourself you will be making the right one." She adds, "You are competing with so many other beautiful girls for the same job, what will make the difference a lot of times is a certain glow, like the people in love have or the ones who are peaceful and happy. To be a good or lasting model you have to have that and a prerequisite for it is to feel genuinely content and happy, to have a healthy diet, not to abuse yourself or your body, to respect and accept yourself."

In terms of her SIM City engineer alter ego, her plans are as big as her future is bright. "I’m planning to take review courses and take the board exams in May 2004. And then I want to eventually practice because I really like the job of a civil engineer. I like transportation and geotechnic engineering. I just don’t want to be in structural engineering – hate it. I just want to give modeling a shot for a few months and a year. But my primary goal is to be accomplished in this field I have chosen. I have turned down really great modeling jobs and offers, here and in half of the continents of the world because of school. Doing that hurt my modeling career a lot. I’m now making space for hoping that I can now receive similar offers. Otherwise, I will always blame myself for not making the most of what was being handed to me."

Nafsika admits to countless nights of crying in her dorm room out of loneliness or sheer frustration despite her unfettered nature. "I have always been very independent so I rely on myself a lot to the point that sometimes I forget that I have good friends who can help me out or just listen," Nafsika intimates.

Now that a chapter in her life as a student is closing, the real world welcomes the Greek goddess with enviable opportunities. The world has basically become her oyster. "I think I had six great years here but I want to experience living in other countries and getting the most of what they have to offer," she discloses.

It’s a cliché to talk about Nafsika being all beauty and brains. Every feature on her in the glossies and newspapers rely on that angle as fodder. However, it’s also hard to look anywhere else. Nafsika inspires many not because she has a face that can launch a thousand beer bottles (trousers, bath gels..., take your pick), she does so because she is an epithet that you can be everything and be fight in every way.

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