Today I spent some time with Finalist Gin Zaks and his lovely wife Docka Denja, at their home in Guanacaste Noroeste in Costa Rica. Gin found his way to Second Life™ by way of a business client. He wasn't impressed straight away.

"I assumed SL was some sort of online video game, so I didn't really care for it when I first got here. But after reading up on it and understanding more of what it was about I really loved it."

Building and scripting are usually some of the first things we dip our toe in after getting our avatars in order. But Gin found one of the best things about Second Life he enjoyed more. The people.

"I will be the first to say that I am in no way a good builder, scripter. The friends I have made here are simply amazng. All walks of life and the cultures are something I love to learn about. Playing was what I loved to do. When I met my Docka, that was something I found that we had in common."

After playing and grid hopping, and deciding he wanted to settle in somewhere, he happened along some homes that led him to Costa Rica.

"I'd heard of it [Costa Rica] for a while but I would say November 2009 was when we came to have a look. It was funny, I told Docka about a guy I know named Rawly Rousselot and that he built homes. We first went to look at his homes and she fell in love with one."

Which of course led them to buying land and becoming part of the diverse community. How do you get from there to entering the Mr. Costa Rica Sims pageant?

"No really I saw it and thought, hmm well maybe I should. And Docka was like, 'Why not? Let's see what happens?'"

This leads to some light teasing from Docka. "I did that for selfish reasons, baby. I wanted the whole world to see what kind of man I have!"

While he's never done anything like this in RL, he did enter a contest quite some time ago for HUNK magazine. The kind where you put up your pic and then have all your friends come vote with money. :P

"And it was nude."

Did he win?

"LOL! No."

Okay! He won't have to worry about that this time. With a panel doing the judging things are sure to be different. Gin's not worried.

"Everything has been created and well thought out that I see none of us having any problems. Since this is my first time, I don't have anything to base what works and not, so I will just wing it. It is pretty much straight forward I think."

And if he wins?

"Well, if I win I would feel happy and a bit sad. I have no experience with modeling nor have top model friends or well known people helping me. My wife is it. We are just having fun and joking around. I would feel sad if I won and they did so much more work."

Generous and charitable, Gin says he'd be just as happy if he won in title only, letting the sponsors instead donate to a charity. Looking at Gin, he's a big guy. I certainly wouldn't nick his drink off him in a pub. It makes me wonder how he looked when he came to Second Life. Would his newbie avatar have had a chance in the contest I ask?

"Pretty much like this only shorter, uglier, less detailed. LOL! Wait! OMG! Docka, baby do you still have that before and after pic?"

I'm afraid, that is off the record ;)

Check again soon for the my interview with Trevor Spore as he shows me around his Costa Rica home.

Peace & love,

Keshi