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Is it just me or did this year positively
fly past?! I mean, the recruitment trailers for Miss Singapore
Universe 2002 are already out! Though this may sound cliche,
but it seemed just like yesterday that I was handing over
my application form at the MediaCorp Reception (5 minutes
before they closed!) last year.
Winning the local pageant was unexpected.
However, I must say that the turning point in my life came
when I went to Puerto Rico for the International pageant.
Maybe it was traveling 35 hours there on my own, maybe it
was the friends I made, or maybe it was just the realization
that the world is made up of so many different types of people
who are alike fundamentally. All the delegates missed home
and have the same insecurities about not being tall enough,
slim enough or just good looking enough…. It's made me
more confident about myself, more independent and I think
it's an improved me who returned after the pageant.
Ok, let's move on from my philosophies
and talk about the points of interest when I was in Puerto
Rico. That should be more appealing! The 3 weeks I was there
were a whirlwind of shoots, rehearsals, events and more events.
I'm talking really big scale gala events that we see perhaps
only on National Day here - I'm talking military men lining
long red carpets, ballrooms that look straight out of the
20th century, fireworks, dinners with a beach view out of
postcards, confetti falling from the ceiling like it was New
Year, and the wonderful collage of colours and latin music
that makes Puerto Rico well… Puerto Rico!
I'd be lying if I said it was ALL fun
and play cause it was a lot of hard work! Not just for us
delegates but for the organizers… every excursion out
of our hotel had police patrols clearing the traffic ahead
of us, and helicopters following! One can only imagine the
headache of arranging for logistics of getting us anywhere
because every event during the 3 weeks as we were EVERYWHERE!
Sleep was very severely lacking and many
delegates fell sick (myself included L) It's really tough
to be perky and friendly to the paparazzi (who were ALWAYS
around) when all you want to do is get some sleep. So, I think
all of us basically plastered a smile on our faces during
the ourdoor events. It's really tough when you've been sleeping
for only 2 hours in the bus and have to look instantly refreshed
thereafter. Try it. Really! Just a 15-minute ride on the train
cause we don't have 2 hour rides in Singapore.
In retrospect, it was indeed rewarding
and enriching. I grew by leaps and bounds after this once-in-a-lifetime
experience.
Well, all good things must come to an
end. The friendships I've made have lasted till now and I
hope till a long time to come. It was a teary goodbye and
all of us had tears streaming down our faces when we had to
leave for the airport. But well, the memories are still very
fresh in my mind and will be intact for a long time too...
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