Gina Myers: following a fairytale

TALI FEINBERG

“I’m not what you see on Instagram. I’m a homebody, who loves chocolate and a glass of red wine at the end of the day,” she laughs. She entered The Bachelor SA with one thing on her mind, namely “whatever is meant to be, will be”.

“My friend sent me the entry, and I asked my mom if I should enter. She said yes. Without thinking any further, I just went with it, because I hadn’t met anyone, and I believe in fairytales. I’m a hopeless romantic. I thought to myself, wherever this takes me, I’ll go,” she says.

The show has had an impact on her life. “I’m so much stronger than I ever thought I was. On this journey, you have to trust your gut and listen to your intuition.

“You have to separate yourself from all the girls, and realise that none of them are competition because you are not there to compete. You are there to find love. I can do that – I can sit and talk to a girl about her date, listen to every detail, and still manage to separate my feelings from hers. That is powerful for me.”

Some of the highlights include international singer Calum Scott’s invitation to sing for the girls. “What a beautiful surprise! Sky diving was also a huge accomplishment for me in terms of facing my fears, and being able to do that with Lee [Thompson] was a special moment. But my one-on-one date with him has to have been my greatest highlight. I’m all about smells, and the perfume date was perfect because you learn to listen to each other’s senses.”

Some of the challenges include not being able to talk about the show when everyone wants to talk about it, as well as the stereotypes attached to it. “I am learning to use the platform that I have in a positive way – that is all I want.”

Everyone she has spoken to since the show started has been kind and supportive, she says. “I experienced so much anxiety before the show premiered as I wasn’t sure how it would be received. So, the support is greatly appreciated.”

It was announced that Myers would be on The Bachelor SA on 14 February, six years to the day since her best friend, Reeva Steenkamp, was killed. Myers says that Steenkamp’s death has influenced her outlook on life.

“Losing her was the worst experience of my life. But I’ve gained an angel. I know she would have been proud, and would have supported me in my journey to find love. Leading up to the show, I saw so many signs. I saw that The Bachelor SA was going to premier on 14 February, and that was when I decided that if I got through the final interview, I would definitely do it. I got the phone call two hours after I made that decision.”

Myers’ advice to young girls about navigating current challenges is, “We get lost in social media, society, and in what magazines say we should be. I hope that these girls know that you have a choice to be you. You have a choice to be strong. You don’t have to compete to stand out, or push someone down to stand up. Speak your truth!”

To the South African Jewish community, she says, “Thank you again for all your love and support. I can’t wait for you to watch the rest!”