Biography of Miss World Denmark 2011

My story starts from the time before I was born.

My parents met each other in England. They slowly developed a sweet romance through their passion for music. My father taught my mother how to play the guitar. This was the beginning of a relationship that stretched across the world. My father is from Denmark and my mother is from the Philippines. After a year, they decided to get married: the start of an adventure as a couple. They travelled to many countries via their work as missionaries. It was their mission to spread the message of God’s love and to help people who were less fortunate. After 6 years of marriage,followed by the birth of their two girls, they got me as their third child.

The 24th of August 1991 was the day I was born. Conceived in Nepal, born in the Philippines and raised in Denmark,I’ve always presented myself with my awkward slogan; “Conceived in Himalaya, my name is Maya”.But there is a deeper meaning to my name. Maya means love in Nepali languageandit means a songbird in the Philippines. My middle name, Celeste, comes from my grandfather, Celestino. He died long before I was born, like my grandfather, Andreas, whom my younger brother is named after.

We are 4 children with 2 years gap between us all; all conceived and born abroad, and all raised in Denmark. I love my siblings and don’t know what to do without them. They are my best friends, my honest critics and my funniest companions. We always have each other for support and to learn from. I have never for a moment felt alone in my childhood.

My family moved to Denmark when I was 3 years old. We moved to a multi-cultural residential area called Brøndby Strand.Some would call it a ghetto, though I never thought of it that way. I loved my childhood and I loved the fact that all my friends lived in the same area as me. There was always someone to play with. My everyday life, therefore, was marked by different cultures, religions and nationalities. This knowledge of these differences fascinated me and taught me to respect people no matter what background they come from.

After my sixth grade, we moved to a town that was quite different from Brøndby Strand. Christiansfeld is a town which is famous for it's gingerbread and honey cakes. It is a town where everything appears idyllic, trees facing each other across the stone bridge streets, where historic buildings are protected and preserved, where tourists come and go. It is a tourist attraction where you really feel the essence of a town with it's own history to teach to generations. But it is also a town where time seemingly stands still in the peace and order this town is more noted for.

It was hard to get used to our new life. Missing my friends, my school, and the life I already knew. I found it hard to get used to everything but after a while, I realized that it was the right decision for our family. I quickly gained new friendships and it was actually nice to have a house with a garden. The town is a small community with a safe environment with good opportunities for sports and hobbies. I started going to football and handball, and I found joy in playing the piano. At home,I quickly learnedto be responsible when I got my first pet, a rabbit named Stampe. One rabbit suddenly became to 3, I loved them all and they became my new hobby. I always spent several hours in mywoodwork lessons in school, making toys and other stimulants for them.

Shortly after, I got in contact with a wild cat that always stayed near by our house one cold winter. One day I had some food ready for her and that was the beginning of a new relationship. She returned every day and since then, she is still here and has become a beloved part of our family.

In 9th grade I started at the boarding school at Rudehøj, a Christian school in the middle of Jylland. It was a rewarding year, which taught me to become more independent, responsible and social. It was the first time I had been away from my family for a longer period.

While I was away, my usual family situation at home changed. At this time my 6 year old cousin, Bastian, was brought in to our family for good.His parents got divorced and my family was given the responsibility to take care of him.All this was not really clear to me before I moved home again to start studies in Gymnasium. So far, I only had been home during weekends and saw him as a guest in our house. Now I see him as a regular part of the family and consider him as my own little brother.

I started at the Haderslev Cathedral School in 2007. Even though it was a different experience than Elementary School, I became a proud student in 2010. From my stay there, I acquired a lot of knowledge, new experiences and new friends.

The autumn after I graduated, I moved to Sweden for six months. Once again, I tried what it was like to be outside of the family’s safe environment. In Sweden it was not easy to find work and the days quickly became too identical and indifferent. I missed my family so incredibly much and that was when I decided to move back to Denmark. I used the rest of that year to work and save money in order to be financially stable when I would startmy higher education.

This winter I will start nursing studies in Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark. It is significant larger city, more than the 3,500 inhabitants of Christianised I have been accustomed to. I look forward to the new challenges and experiences that belong to the next chapter of my life.

My dream for the future after my education is to travel with international organizations such as Doctors Without Borders. This is a personal wish I have been having for a long time. Ever since I was a little girl during our visits to the Philippines, I clearly remember how deeply I was touched upon seeing all the beggars who sat on the street, completely filthy with no food or shelter over their heads. I always shared all my pocket money and sweets with them. But it just did not seem enough for me. I still have a burning desire to help others who are in dire need.

I am a strong believer in destiny that's why I don't feel so defeated if things don't go my way. But I also believe that we are a part of shaping our own destiny, if only one is willing to fight enough for one’s dreams. My biggest wish is to find a cure for cancer. It’s one of my major concerns, which is very important to me! It’s not pleasant to be sick, but diseases are part of our human life and one of the problems in life we must be aware of. Cancer, for example, remains a frightening disease that brings much sorrow to many individuals and families. This problem lies very close to my heart because my mother herself has been a breast cancer patient. My aunt died of bone cancer and my uncle died of  barin cancer . The cure to cancer means a lot to me and I hope my participation will draw more attention to the problem which cancer has inflicted upon so many people.

Anders Houmann placerede sig i Top 15 til Mr. Universe Model 2010 konkurrencen, som den første danske mand nogensinde?