MG: Okay, this story moves around a lot, so try to keep up. I was born in Oakland, California but didn't live there long. When I was two-years old, my family moved to the island of Oahu, Hawaii. We called Oahu home for seven years. Our next stop was Ventura, California, where I lived until I was 15. Are you still with me? (Laughing) Right before my 16th birthday, we moved once again to San Diego, which is where I live now.
DS: What was it like growing up on the island?
MG: Well, I'd like tell you that I was a good girl, but my mother would tell you I was a bit hard headed (Sorry mom!). I was a jungle girl, I'd roam barefoot around the island in a Sesame Street bathing suit until it was pitch black outside and the mosquitoes were tired of chasing me. I would catch geckos and feed pineapple to red ants. I remember jumping fences to pick fruit and flowers from the neighbor's yard to give to my teachers.
DS: Leaving the laid-back lifestyle of Hawaii to move back to the faster-paced mainland must have been a rough transition. Was there any culture shock when you settled back in and starting going to school in Cali?
MG: I really liked school; I ended up attending four different high schools, all of which were pretty exciting. I'm one of those girls who walks around smiling all day, so I made friends very easily and got along with just about everyone.
DS: Being the new girl at four different schools probably had its pros and cons. You were probably noticed by all the kids in school, how'd that go?
MG: I usually do whatever makes me happy and I'm really not hard to please, so you're guaranteed to have a great time hanging out with me. I was always the girl that got invited to all the parties and was voted "Biggest Flirt" and "Best Dressed" at my school.
DS: How has your easy-going attitude and fun personality influenced the person that you are today?
MG: I am a very down-to-earth island girl at heart. I really do enjoy the natural and simple things in life, as well as experiencing the luxuries this world has to offer. Material possessions have never determined my happiness. I get enjoyment from visiting beautiful beaches, seeing a rainbow, or exchanging a smile with a stranger.
DS: Then it's probably safe to say that you have a passion for the outdoors and traveling right?
MG: Yeah, I enjoy just about every outdoor activity. Eating, traveling, hanging with my girlfriends, reading, dancing, going to the beach to check out the babes, listening to audio books on my iPOD, long walks on the beach… should I go on?
DS: There are only so many pages to this magazine. You're on the road quite often, where can we expect to see you the next few months?
MG: I'm one of the HIN Touring Models, which means I travel with the HIN family a lot. This summer alone I'll be traveling to Aruba, Venezuela, Key West, Puerto Vallarta, and Alaska. And in the winter months, I'll attend events in Guam, Brazil, Korea, and the Philippines. I'm really excited!
DS: With a packed schedule like that, you must spend a lot of time in front of the camera. Is it as fun as people think?
MG: I love it. I'm really comfortable in front of the camera. I've always felt that my job is to create art with the photographer. It's just like putting a bookmark in time. I can always go back to that exact time and place by looking into a picture. I can't wait to show my future grandchildren what grandma did and what I looked like back in the day.
DS: From the looks of it, you'll definitely have a lot of good stories to tell those rug rats when that time comes. Aside from modeling, what have you become really good at?
MG: Here's something not many people know about me, I have a hunting license! When I was 11-years old, my dad taught me how to hunt duck, deer, and wild boar.
DS: Now that's not something you hear a model say everyday. You don't exactly fit the description; but what's better than girls, guns, and camo? What's your weapon of choice?
MG: (Laughing) I have a whole camouflage outfit that I wear; we even have to spray ourselves down with an odor repellant. As far as the guns, it depends on the season but I shoot with a 20 gauge, 12 gauge, and .270 rifle. I just took up archery last winter too but haven't used my bow and arrow in the field yet.
DS: Damn, you weren't kidding when you said you were a jungle girl! So, where do you see yourself in five years from now?
MG: I'm modeling almost full time right now and that's been taking a lot of my time. Maybe in about four or five years, I'll open up a health-oriented restaurant. That's always been a dream of mine. Eating is great; it truly is one of my greatest passions. I love food!
DS: Thank you for a great cover shoot and a little glimpse into your life. Is there anything you'd like to say before we print this?
MG: Thanks to all my MySpace friends, my funny, beautiful girlfriends, and my handsome best friend. Thank you Mom and Dad for following my work and being my coolest friends and fans ever. I love you.
Melyssa Grace
