Miss CIS Tatyana Akulenko: “When I found out about the Miss CIS contest, I didn’t feel any support…”
There are always a lot of rumors and gossip around beauty contests. Competitions, like participants, are different.Each has its own goal and task. Ukrainian Tatyana Akulenko won the title of “Miss CIS” in Astana and shared her opinion about the competitions.
- You have more than one beauty contest behind you. What inspired you to take part in them?
Since March last year, I started working as a lawyer in the law firm “Business Security Sphere”. Once at a business meeting we were talking about bankruptcy, a serious topic, serious people and the director of the company looked at me all the time, after which one of the meeting participants advised me to try my hand at a beauty contest, otherwise all the guys do not listen to anything until you won’t start talking and they just look at you. I laughed, because I always thought that this was not serious and this was not a leap into the future, towards development. It was the month of May and, just at that time, there were castings for the Miss Tourism contest, and I thought, “why not?”. When I came to the first casting, they told me that everything is fine, but I need to lose weight in a week! It was a lot of work, I tried. When I came to the second casting, everyone was very surprised - What did you feel the morning after the victory?
When I found out about the Miss CIS contest, I didn’t feel supported. I consulted with the organizers, as I still had obligations to the Miss Ukraine-South committee. They did not support me, my relatives were skeptical, they did not let me go to work. On the day of departure in Odessa there was an official event at which I had to attend. My flight was at 16:55, in the morning I wrote a message to my boss that I have such an opportunity and I want to use it, therefore, I would be very grateful to you if you supported me! The event was delayed due to rain and I was worried that I would miss my flight. My boss answered me: “I wish you good luck! Don’t miss your plane.” My friend took my suitcase from home, came to the Center for me and we rushed to the airport. Those 20 minutes felt like an eternity. I arrived at the airport end-to-end in a spectacular dress, with a haircut, because there was no time to change clothes. My return flight was early in the morning right after the competition. They tried to persuade me to stay, to the press conference and everything else. I was in Astana for 10 days, it was preparation for the competition, various events. In the morning, after the competition, I did not have time to feel anything, because I flew away immediately after the after party.
3. Why did you need this competition? What did you take for yourself?
I have been very stubborn since childhood. If I set a goal for myself, I achieved it. I thought, why not set a goal – victory and achieve it! When I flew to this competition, one close person wrote me a message: “prestige is good, but it’s up to you to be a glass or a diamond.” I have already been the winner of one competition, and if I returned without a crown, it would be a little different. If you already take part in the competition, then in a worthy one!
4. What advice can you give to girls who are just thinking about taking part in various beauty contests?
First of all, a beauty contest is not only about appearance. If girls go to the competition to prove something to themselves, then that’s right! But if they believe that after the competition the whole world falls at their feet, then this is a completely wrong opinion. Competition may be the first step to self-confidence, but it’s just the first step! For the second step, you already need to try, fame and success do not fall from the sky.
5. What was the relationship between the girls, after all, you were all competitors?
In show jumping there were girls from 12 countries and 19 participants, throughout the preparation we were very friendly. We were watched all the time, looked after and, I think, the decision on the winner was partially made during the preparation. We were immediately told that everyone should be friendly, perhaps this played a role. After the competition, I had a good relationship with a girl from Armenia, she took the place of the 2nd Vice-Miss. Somehow, we were riding the bus, she took my hand and said that she saw this picture, how we were standing on the stage in the final and the presenter said: the winner Akulenko Tatyana. After the competition, only 4 girls came up to me to congratulate me, I felt awkward at the party. here is the answer to the question. We sometimes communicate with some girls. 6. How did you pass the casting? Did external data need to be corrected?
I was contacted by the organizing committee of the competition, as the winner of another competition, I was very interested in them. They offered participation not from Ukraine, but I refused. They thought a little, as the representative from Ukraine was already there. I talked a lot on video with the organizing committee, representatives of the modeling agency. I asked them to write an official letter to the Organizing Committee, since I was still the current “Miss International-Black Sea”. We didn’t receive any answer, but I decided to go, because it was a competition of a decent level, the girls didn’t make any contributions and expenses, I just paid for my flight and that’s it. We had a lot of events, meetings, every day was scheduled. This really shows the level of competition.
7. Have there been proposals that deviate a little from beauty pageants?
After the Miss Tourism contest, I was very busy, completely independent of social networks, I didn’t go out much, as I was already preparing for another contest, so all the strange offers bypassed me. Of course, men always surround girls in beauty pageants. While preparing for Miss CIS, I flirted with everyone, because I did not know who would be on the jury. But, I never let you cross a certain line. Men courted, tried to offer something, but I did not respond to these courtship.
8. What’s the most ridiculous rumor you’ve heard about yourself?
The press wrote that a well-known person in Odessa and Ukraine allegedly contributed to my winning the Miss CIS contest. And the funny thing is that this person was not personally acquainted with me and did not know about this competition. Later, we crossed paths at one tournament and he joked that if he had at least known about my participation in some kind of competition, then maybe he would have helped. There were also some condemnations and unkind attitude from people whom I considered my friends.
9. If you are invited to another Beauty Contest, will you agree to take part?
It must be a very worthy competition for me to agree to take part in it. As they say, the bar can not be lowered! I was invited to the Miss Europe contest, but I decided to move away from competitions a bit and do what I love – social projects. Unfortunately, there is a not quite correct stereotype about Ukrainian girls, they often respond unworthily. Therefore, I want our girls to show the opposite, do worthy deeds, develop their projects and glorify our country.
10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In ten years I will be 35 years old and I see myself very successful, active, happy in marriage, with a child, my own business and be in harmony with the whole world.
Kristina Journalist
Welcome , my friend! I’m International Journalist and I write travel news, fashion articles and make interview with interesting, public persons from the all world.
