A vast majority of beauty analysts claimed that this year’s Face of Denmark contest reserved its very best for the Miss Earth pageant. Whether that is true or not, Alexandria Eissinger is focused on bringing back the crown to her native Denmark which was first won in 2001 during the pageant’s inaugural contest. In between her hectic schedule, Missosology caught up with Alexandria for an exclusive interview.
1.) You’ve said you had been after the Miss Earth Denmark crown for years, what made you decide to go for it, finally in 2016?
When I first started pageantry three years ago, it was for a different reason. At that time I had hoped to simply broaden my horizons by travelling and interacting with empowered women of different nations. Now my intentions have altered and my main ambition is no longer for my own personal benefit, but to use my education within the Earth Sciences to help educate others on what we can do as a society to benefit the environment in the long run. Environmental conservation is something that I’ve become more and more passionate about over the years and to be an advocate for mother Earth and to contribute to solve environmental issues is a position that is undeniably one of the most important positions in our world today.
2.) You’ve gone to Miss Supranational and Miss Intercontinental, proudly representing Denmark, but you failed to place, why do you think that was, and how will you prepare differently?
At the time of participating in these pageants, I was young, unaware and unprepared. Prior to the finals, I did not receive any training or guidance whatsoever. I did not receive any direction on how to give a successful interview, how to use proper body language or how to approach various situations. I was not made aware of the purpose and values of these competitions and was simply told that if I just ‘tried hard enough’, I could win, which is very far from the truth. Like any competition, whether it be swimming, singing or chess, you must have background knowledge and you must prepare yourself mentally and physically in advance.
3.) Some people believe you were handpicked by Larissa Ramos (Miss Earth 2009) and Catharina Svensson Brink (Miss Earth 2001), what are your thoughts on this?
I think this is a very generous assumption and it is a compliment I will proudly take. Both Larissa and Catharina have competed at Miss Earth and know what kind of person it takes to win, and if they feel that I’m that candidate then I will do my best to live up to those expectations.
4.) Some people believe you are more American than you are Danish, what would you say to those people?
Simply growing up in one country does not make you more characteristic of that country than another. I was raised as a Dane in a partially Danish household with the liberal and open mindset of a Dane. My personality and ambitions often stuck out as being unusual in the small town I grew up in and as I visited Denmark over the years, I felt like I had finally found a place where I fit in. After graduating high school, in 2009 I moved to Denmark to start a new chapter in my life. Of course there were societal norms and language barriers that I had to adjust to in the beginning but things fell into place and I can now call Denmark home.
5.) Why do you think that Denmark has failed to even place, or win any special awards, since it first captured the crown in 2001, with Catharina?
Denmark’s greatest (and perhaps only) flaw is its ‘Jantelov’. This law states that you should not view yourself better than someone else. I believe this law was designed to keep society grounded and humble and promote equality, which are great values, but at the same time, it sets a limiting barrier, not allowing Danes to strive for bigger things and compete at a higher level. In order to participate in pageants, one must be friendly and approachable as well as passionate, hardworking and limitless, qualities which have been dampened in the Danish culture due to Jantelov. I may have the humble Danish mindset but I am exceedingly ambitious and don’t give up until I have accomplished what I’ve set out to do.
6.) The last Miss Earth Denmark was a favourite to win, and you seem to be even more popular than she was, can you maintain composure under this pressure? How will you not burn out?
There is a lot of pressure to live up to such a title, however, I don’t feel that advocating environmental awareness and being passionate about something is something you simply burn out on. I grew up in the country and have worked as a pet care technician, greenhouse technician and have studied Environmental Biology and Earth Sciences. This is a part of me and not a temporary ambition that will be later pushed to the side. If I just continue on the current path that I’m on, I’m sure everything will be fine.
7.) How have you been an “Earth Warrior” before even winning the crown? How will you keep this up?
Besides working with plants and animals and my Earth relevant studies, there are many small things I do on a daily basis that contributes to a clean and healthy environment. In Denmark it is very easy to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle due to the options made available to us. We have a very effective recycling system and most households contain numerous waste bins to be able to recycle organic materials, paper and plastics. Instead of driving a car, I either bicycle or take public transportation that runs on bio-gas. When grocery shopping, I often choose eco-friendly brands that promote animal rights and lack dangerous chemicals. There are a lot of little things that individuals can do on a daily basis that makes a huge impact in the long run.
8.) Will you stay involved with the “Face of Denmark” program? Do you believe the “Miss Earth Denmark” competition should be held separately?
I plan to not only continue to collaborate with the “Face of Denmark” organisation, but hope to take on as many responsibilities within Miss Earth Denmark as possible following the final competition in October. To my knowledge, Miss Earth is the only existing pageant that promotes environmental awareness where the winners are as passionate and educated within the environmental field as possible, which makes this specific competition one of its kind and uncomparable. This is not a competition that can be intertwined with others, as it takes a different kind of passion and persona to win.
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