Nine days and counting… Today is the start of the single digit countdown to the pageant. The Grand Finale for MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2010 will be held at the Patch Thibaud Auditorium on December 19, Saturday 11AM SLT. There is nothing else like this in Second Life. See you there!

Miss Russia, Agtaope Carter

Agtaope: I m very proud that my fans support me because they think I have some qualities for being a good Miss and I would like all to know that I’m very passionate. All  I do, I do with passion and I want to thank them  all for trust in me I LOVE YOU ALL ty for be here for me ))

Kate: Besides being a MVW finalist, what else do you do in SL?
Agtaope: I’m in love in fashion. I use most of my time for BESTYLE MODELS AGENCY where I am CEO. I manage shows.  I try to create fantastic ones for the beauty of the fashion to showcase all the work of the designers. I work hard but its  pleasure for me. All my free time is for the love of my life my husband Tesan Lane “Mister SL International”. We are doing here same job and I can say that I have find my soul mate in this fantastic person. Tesan is a gorgeous Top Model yes but he has the most beautiful soul that I have never meet in my life and like you know we have only one life because behind each avatar there is  real person )
Kate: Have you been with your husband long? Is it purely an SL relationship or does it go further?
Agtaope: We have been together for a long time as friend first and after we fall in love. It’s a fantastic relationship with a deep true love and what I want to say now is that I have only one heart and here in SL I don’t play a game with  relationship like he doesn’t play too. We are in love yes !!  A REAL and Passionate Love and I can say that  Agy is an extension of me.  It’s me all the time. Cocteau a French writer one wrote ”There is no love there is only PROOF of love.” My husband is the illustration of this quotes each day in my life the real one like the pixel one he proves his love for me each day ))
Kate: I see… so to you, SL is an extension of RL instead of a game?

Agtaope: SL is a game where you can choose to be who you want you can be a dog , you can be a fairy, you can be evil or you can be what you can imagine to be you can create your own world. Each day there is an extraordinary possibility to create in the world as you like. I’m a teacher, passionate by fashion. I can express this in RL, but I can’t manage show and  models. In SL I can )
Kate: As we discussed when we set up the interview, you are not in SLT time zone. Do you find this a challenge for your fashion shows?
Agtaope: No  I don’t think so because I always do all this work managing this but it’s an easy problem to solve with motivation.
Kate: Well, I was thinking more about drawing a crowd… I think still the majority of SL people are on or near SLT… I was wondering if publicity or attendance was an issue with your shows. What you do to bring the people in?
Agtaope: I’m in European time zone and I work in fashion industry in this time zone. Bestyle is Italian but international but most of our designers are European time and when we have done bigger shows we have done what’s necessary for good publicity, everywhere at every time.  We have a big team with people for all time zones.
Kate: I see. Do you think MVW could change anything to be more inclusive or fair to participants from different time zones or different languages?
Agtaope: MVW is the biggest competition in SL and English is the most common international language. Speaking English is necessary to reach the more people possible and to represent MVW in SL.
Kate: So you wouldn’t recommend changing anything?
Agtaope: No I really don’t. It’s a colossal work. It would be easy to make critical without solution. I think all the team is doing a fantastic work.
Kate: The grand finale is near! First rehearsal was yesterday. Are you ready? How do you feel?
Agtaope: Oh yes it’s soon, omg, I’m stressy. In my head I think all the time of what I am missing. I want to be the best as possible. I have fire in head, haha, but I will do my best. I’m so honored to be part of the fantastic MVW pageant. It is a dream in a dream. Part of me is walking the finale already. I’m so happy already… but stressy… )
Kate: I haven’t seen the choreography yet… do you think it will be a difficult walk?
Agtaope: I don’t think so. I have modeled for a long time and I have a lot of experience. The only big problem is the lag. If I have a wish, it would be to not invite lag to the finale.
Kate: You can’t predict if SL wants to pick on you
Agtaope: No I cant, lol, for sure. I have a secret, Kate; don’t repeat to anyone… for sure, lag will attend the finale!
Kate: It’s no secret. I believe he has a confirmed reservation.
Agtaope: Ha-ha!
Kate: What advice would you have for someone who is thinking of entering the pageant next year?
Agtaope: I would say to this person to work hard and to be patient its a hard competition and you need all your potentiality for be in and I would like to repeat that the more important is to participate not to win because all candidates are fantastic…and all this gorgeous models can try to join next year )
Kate: okies… thank you… this has been fun. Is there anything you would like to add? Anything we did not cover already in the interview?
Agtaope: Yes I would to thank you, Kate for all the time you took with me today and then you helped me when I was real busy and when I was late. I want to thank you for your understanding )
Kate: Well, you were very flexible, too, and I appreciate that. I think we got your message out, so everybody wins.
Agtaope:  ty )

Kate Stockholm is a featured columnist for Best of Second Life Magazine, a retired SL Mentor and a Miss Virtual World Organization executive. She was last year’s Miss Sweden and winner of Miss Congeniality.