Last week I visited a beauty pageant for the very first time. It was the pageant in which the new MISS Benelux was chosen. In case you don’t know: Benelux stands for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg. I went there with a friend of mine who was one of the judges; she was also the winner in 2004.

Before we went my friend told me to dress up properly because it was a chic and fancy festivity. I didn’t take it too seriously, mainly because I don’t take beauty pageants too seriously. Excuse me if that offends you, but I am sure that I also do things that you don’t take too seriously, right? So I guess that makes us even.

But when we arrived at the right building in Belgium…

I was stunned. I think I had misunderstood my friends’ definition of chic and fancy. I thought that she was exaggerating but she wasn’t. It actually WAS chic and fancy.

When we walked through the immense ballroom in which the pageant was being held we finally found the promoter, Miss P. She saw us and immediately greeted my friend, not even looking at me. So I introduced myself to her, like anyone (as far as I know) at a chic and fancy festivity would do. Miss P, however, didn’t feel the same way and barely shared a smile. At that time I thought she was rude, and she thought I was just another contestant trying to suck up to her. We just misunderstood each other.

After that, I and my friend went to the dressing room, which was huge. We got a bite to eat and a quick glance at the new aspiring misses, before we sat down with other former misses.

Quickly glancing at some of the aspiring misses to me it looked like there was some potential present. Then my friend told me that they would look even better doing the choreography they had been studying for weeks. She said that the choreographer was very strict, professional and made sure everybody would remember the routine. So I was very exited to see the show.

I was already getting tired of waiting and walking around in my super high heels (15cm), when the show finally started. The aspiring misses all came on stage together at first to perform their routine. Which I thought would be spectacular. But I had misunderstood again, it was kind of lame. The show all together, however, was more impressing than I had imagined. The girls on the other hand were less impressive. I had never seen so much cellulite in my life and I don’t even remember the face of the winner. Standing on stage all together, and properly dressed, they looked good though. And I had a nice time with my friend. Who has shown me what a real beauty pageant is. And that I’ll never be a miss, except maybe for MISS-understood.

But I guess this is what you’ve all been waiting for… a picture of all the girls in bikini! (Excuse my camera for not being professional)

Marcia Farias,

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