Who is Nicole Tsai-a-Woen?
Nicole is a very ambitious and simple woman. She tries to enjoy every moment of her life and embraces adventure…
I am currently working at KPMG as a senior auditor, and simultaneously is finalizing my post-bachelor degree in Auditing. Although I am fun and outgoing, I cannot live without her calendar.
Why did you enter the national Miss TBS pageant?
As long as I can remember I wanted to experience a pageant. My priorities after high school shifted to study and work. However the adventurous part in me never forgot about entering a pageant. Last year I was ready to embrace the challenge. I looked at different national pageants and Miss TBS was the one I could relate the most. The pageant did not only focus on outer beauty, but also on personal growth, the Surinamese community and social issues.
Describe the moment you became the new Miss TBS?
The first thing I felt was a sense of relief. The journey was long and that night in particular was very long. The next thing I felt was pride. My parents and family where watching all night and the first glare I got from the audience, after I heard my name, was that of my parents looking at me. That’s when the tears came in.
What social activities have you already done during your reign and what other you’ve planned?
It started very soon after the coronation night. The second day after coronation I started working again and that same weekend I visited two villages in the interior of Suriname. There I made a donation towards school supplies for children of the villages for the coming school year.
After that I was involved in several small projects in which I generated donations and also contributed myself for these causes.
In December I will enter another pageant. After that I have a project planned in which I will collect and donate as much schoolbooks as possible to orphanages and schools in need.
Do you think Suriname is pageant minded?
I do not think that Suriname is very pageant minded, yet… I think that the awareness can increase somewhat that a Miss represents the entire country on an international stage. Hopefully by achieving good results on the international pageants we can increase this awareness. I can actually say that Team TBS is doing a very great job till now.
Some people think that the pageants are a money making business, what is your opinion?
I think that a lot of aspects or events in our life have a commercial aspect. However I never entered the pageant to earn money or to get rich. I think as a Miss you have a platform and podium where you can broadcast a message. So I try to use this platform and try to show and tell about my journey and the hard work I have put in to achieve my goals.
If you win the Miss Supranational pageant, what are the first things you want to do?
One of the first things will be celebrating my birthday in a very grand manner. I would really want to spend some time at the end of December with my family and love ones. In Suriname new-year is celebrated very huge. So I will indulge in everything Suriname has to offer!
In the new year, I would like to devote myself to child-friendly education because I believe that education ensures development and progress. Also, I want to devote myself that young girls and women attend school. We live in a society that civilized and there is no place for this phenomenon. Every woman or young girl who does not go to school means that as a country you are behind in the world economy. Because it has been proven that women are more peaceful and disciplined.
Do you have a special message for your fans?
First of all the idea that I have fans is surreal. But the message I want to give is that with hard work, determination and personal sacrifices you can achieve more than you think. At times it was a struggle to do everything at once, but I am glad that I stuck through. And for all the people that support me and wish me all the best, thank you very much!
