Friday 4 May 2012

Pageant Vixen Talk # 29: Anna Calvo


"The Chamorro Earth Warrior"

1. Who is Anna before being a beauty queen?
Before I became Miss Earth Guam, I was (and continue to be) a high school English teacher and a graduate student studying Business Administration.

2. What got you interested into beauty pageants?
I was never interested in beauty pageants until last December, when I saw all the environmentally friendly activities the local Miss Earth pageant was promoting. I decided then that I wanted to be a part of this movement, and I've never looked back since.

3. 3 things you can't live without?
I can't live without God in the center of my life, a good night's rest, and a satisfying meal. 


4. What is your environmental advocacy?
Coincidentally, my environmental advocacy is to educate our youth to be more environmentally aware so that they may develop earth-friendly habits that will reduce carbon emissions, wasting our resources, and squandering valuable opportunities to give back to the earth by replenishing what we've selfishly taken. 


5. Attending different environmental activities during Miss Earth 2011, which among those activities which is the most memorable? 
The most memorable environmental activity was our visit to the Montfort Bat Sanctuary in Davao. We had a better appreciation for every creature, most especially the bat after we learned about all the good they accomplish through pollination. Every living, breathing thing on this earth has a purpose, whether we recognize it or not. But the sooner we recognize it, we can better protect and preserve the life-giving cycle we all belong to, thus perpetuating a greater existence for all. 

6. How did you bond with the ladies?
I bonded with the Miss Earth girls over shared experiences (trekking into the forest in stilettos), over culinary adventures such as tasting durian for the first time, over tubs of ice cream after late night rehearsals, and over tears of frustration and laughter from countless inside jokes. 


7. Who were your close friends during the pageant?
My room mates were my travel buddies to the island of Davao, and consequently, my closest friends. South Africa (Dominique Mann), Paraguay (Nicole Huber), Slovac Republic (Romana Procházková), Australia (Deedee Zibara), and Macau (Cherry Ng). We've promised to visit each other in our respective countries and I'm really looking forward to that!


8. Now Miss Earth is done, what will Anna do as Miss Earth Guam?
Now that the international pageant is over, I have more time to focus on my advocacy. It is my hope that by the end of my reign as Miss Earth Guam, every school on Guam will have recycling programs and incentives, every mall will have recycling receptacles, and we will reduce the use of plastic and paper bags in grocery stores and shopping centers. In addition, I hope to increase the environmental awareness of every citizen on Guam so that we may work together to make Guam a greener island.

9. In a scale of 1 to 10, how will you rate your overall performance?
I rate my overall performance in the international pageant as a 7/10. Since Guam is relatively new to the pageant scene, I will pass my experience on to the next Miss Guam so that she may be better equipped to represent our island.

10. Now, let's be like Miss Earth Q and A, why education is important to saving mother earth?
When people are educated about the state the earth is in, they are aware of the effect their actions have on the people they love, and the environment they live in, and they are more likely to change their habits to conserve, reduce, reuse, and recycle. Education is the key to preserving our earth and thus the future of our children, and our children's children. Everyone wants to live, and to live well. If we realize the ones we love the most (our children) will not have the opportunities we take for granted (clean air, fresh drinking water, etc.), then we are more likely to take action to save our planet.

11. What type of girl to whom you want to pass your crown?
I want to pass the Miss Earth Guam crown to a woman who is humble, kind, and focused on advocating earth-friendly habits.


12. How will you celebrate victory, even though you did not win?
Although this may sound cliché, I believe that every girl who competes for the Miss Earth crown both locally and internationally is victorious because she is publicly showcasing her environmental advocacy and promoting the preservation of the earth through her actions. Therefore, although I did not win the crown, I will celebrate my victory and success in coming this far by continuing to promote environmental awareness in my island of Guam. 

13. Beauty Tip to all. 
Sleep well and drink lots of water! It is the best gift you can give to yourself. 

14. Message to your fans!
Thank you for all your prayers and support! I appreciate every one of you and each message you send to me encourages me to continue to advocate our cause! Together, we can make the earth smile again!

" We wish you luck for your future endeavors Anna!"
Greetings from UBC


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