My Experience at Miss Tourism Planet in Greece

Over the last three weeks, I have travelled throughout Greece as part of the Miss Tourism Planet international pageant. I have a feeling when I get back people will ask me how was my trip, and I don’t think I could describe it in a few words.

We were able to take part in so many different things, see so many cities, and learn so much from our experiences.

It was a pause from what usually is a hectic schedule of driving, event planning, and figuring out what I’m doing with my life. As soon as I graduated college every few days I would go back and forth from Miami to Orlando. I was planning Model 4 Miracles with my mom and modeling on the side. I was waiting to hear back from a job I’ve dreamed about being a part of, but was worried about missing out on my trip to Greece and spending time with my significant other. I wanted to see and catch up with my friends from college and childhood, but as we’ve grown older and lived in different cities it’s been harder to plan.

In truth, I worried that me doing these things were distractions from my future. My fear of people’s expectations of me as an adult. I am so comfortable with the way I have lived my life and I don’t feel ready to take on the world head on. I’m not sure what graduate school I’m going to, where I’m going to work, or even what I really really want to do with the rest of my life. And it feels like I keep pushing the deadline, but I question if there really is one.

This trip was a getaway from all of my worries back at home, and it made me realize how unnecessary it was for me to fixate on small concerns as they do not need to be done immediately. As a person who usually schedules things minute by minute, this was the first time in awhile that I would play things by ear.

“The Greek Way” had a 9 am meeting mean 9:30 am, and then 9:30 am meaning 11 am. But those delayed hours didn’t take away from the production and experience of the pageant.

I never felt tense or pressured to be anyone but myself. I didn’t have to put up a front or kiss anyone’s tail end because everyone there was so honest and real. If we were upset about something, we could say it and try to do something to fix it.

Being there for three weeks, there was some observations I found interesting about the contestants and Greece itself.

When we were not in public, we would talk about our significant others all the time. In the evenings when we’d get back to our room we would call or message them to see how they’re doing. And over time, conflicts arise within each girl’s relationship. It’s most likely because of the long distance, there’s such a difference in time and space. It’s easy for misunderstandings and feelings of neglect to arise. I was very very lucky that my significant other was there for me and always a call away. While I missed his physical presence, I was happy I could communicate with him on a daily basis just like I would when I am with him.

Each contestant had a lack of awareness on countries they are not familiar with. While that statement is extremely obvious, international pageants give us the opportunity to understand more about those things. One contestant didn’t know that most South American countries speak Spanish, while another didn’t know that people from India also practice other religions besides Islam. Most contestants didn’t know where Macao (the country I represented) was. Something one girl would think is so obvious another girl would be completely clueless about, and vice versa. Each girl knew something that another girl did not, so we were able to exchange this new information to one another. Even myself, I didn’t understand why Greek people called Greece “Hellas,” Macedonia “Fyrom,” and Belarus “Belarussia.” Many of the things we learned from each countries is the influence of post-colonialism and political breakdowns. I was fascinated to learn Miss UK’s feelings on Theresa May, the difference between Australians and New Zealanders (known as Kiwis), and the history behind Greece.

Initially, I thought the girls that would not dance at the parties were rather introverted and didn’t want to dance like a fool in front of other people. Then we went to the biggest night club I had ever seen and it was amazing. The lighting, atmosphere, and surround sound was like nothing I had seen before, yet there were times I couldn’t get myself to dance because I couldn’t connect to the Greek music. It made me realize that not every contestant is familiar with American music, and had it been a popular song from their country they probably would’ve felt more comfortable dancing. I was ignorant to assume that everyone is as familiar with American songs as I am.

Every restaurant or retail store we would go to, the first question would be “What’s the wifi password?” Every girl would want to know so it came to a point where we made the employee right it down on a sheet of paper for us to pass around.

I was extremely impressed with the 17 and 18 year old girls that were competing in the pageant with me. I tried to put myself in their shoes, and I know that when I was that age I could not handle taking care of myself for three weeks. At that time I was terrified to drive, socializing in a club atmosphere, and compete in a pageant without my mother by my side.

Greece would have elevators that required you to push and pull a door, bathrooms where men and women shared the sink, and doors that opened through pushing a button on the knob rather than rotating it. The air would be hot and dry enough in the evening to basically blow dry my hair after a deep conditioning. I saw more stars in the sky than I ever did in my life. I realized the more I stared more stars would appear, and I’d be unsure whether a shooting star was an airplane. Greek people greet and goodbye each other with a kiss on the left and then the right cheek, and I accidentally kissed two people in the face because I was used to the right cheek Miami greet.

Throughout the pageant we would go dance at parties, relax on the beach, take tons of pictures of us in front of beautiful scenery, and glam up for mini competitions or fashion shows. It was like I was on vacation, with so much time to relax and no need to feel rushed or in a hurry. I would be able to sip coffee at the most beautiful villa I’d ever seen, as the sun would set between the ocean and the mountainous island nearby. I would talk nonstop and probably annoy people who were trying to sleep. When I was not relaxing, I would be doing something fun, like modeling in a fashion show or dancing at a club. Everything was so enjoyable. It was such an incredible experience. I didn’t feel obligated to be anything but myself and could enjoy everything Greece had to offer.

The trip has been amazing, but I’m excited to go back home and get back on track with everything else I’m looking towards in the future. It was the perfect break for me that allowed me to destress about my future. Many instances throughout the trip I was reminded that everything happens for a reason, and to not worry if things do not go my way because I can work around it. I am ready to take on the next challenge with an open mind and full determination.

This post was originally in my personal journal misselizabethtran.wordpress.com but transferred over to Lashes and Sashes