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Red Sunday’s color is red. Red has always been a prevalent color in my life. Growing up I was nieve in thinking that red if just a color, and the recurrence in events, opportunities, and general life was just a coincidence. When I moved to Thailand, I discovered that the color Red holds so much meaning in my life and the lives of others. The red in the Thai flag represents “The red stripes represent Thailand's blood spilt in its bid to maintain independence.” Thailand is one of the few countries in the world that always has independence from foreign powers. Thailand has always been a strong, independent nation with rich culture and history. Thailand has always been able to maintain independence while also sharing their culture with the world AND welcoming and appreciating other foreign cultures. Thailand will continue to grow as a strong and unique nation. Next, the meaning behind the importance of the color red on a Sunday is because of the god Surya. According to ancient customs in Thailand, there is an astrological rule (which has influence from Hindu mythology) that assigns a color to each day of the week based on the color of the God who protects the day or Navagraha. For example, the God of Sunday is Surya who has the color red. Surya is the sun and/or solar deity that is seen in various religions taking the form Helios (the greek equivalent) and Sol (the norse and roman equivalent). And then another connection I made was in the Catholic bible in Genesis 1 : God said “let there be light.” The phrase comes from the third verse of the Book of Genesis. In the King James Bible, it reads, in context: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The first day of creation is represented by Sunday. Disclaimer: these are connections I made in regards to my life. I do not have professional experience in religion, mythology, or theology. The most impactful realization that red is an important color in my life is the realization that red has always been prominent in my mothers life. During her traditional Thai wedding with my father she wore red, her preferred vehicle color is red, and her choice of clothing (whether she realizes or not) tends to gravitate towards the color red. My mothers favorite color is yellow but she has always loved the bold power of the color red. Moving to Thailand has helped me realize the significance of been the smallest things, and I am so fortunate to be able to grow and embrace opportunities through my major life changes. Thank you!
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Recently I have been getting a-lot of questions asking why I am so vocal when I am supporting other women who are also competing in pageants. I often get statements like “why? They’re your competition.” “Aren’t you afraid they’ll beat you?” “Aren’t you scared they’ll become more popular?” “You shouldn’t support your competition.” Etc…. Now, I understand those thoughts on the surface. Logically, most people wouldn’t publicly support the “competition.” But I do not view these women as competition. We aren’t competing AGAINST each other. We are competing WITH each other. We are all amazing, independent, strong women with unique goals and aspirations. The person who is my biggest competitor is MYSELF. I must constantly be working on my self-development and my personal best. I have to try to be the best I can be every single day. These women inspire me to share myself with the world. Each and every one of us has a different advocacies, different personalities, and different backgrounds. We each want to make a difference on the people around us. Why wouldn’t I want to support them? People around the world deserve to know how amazing these women are. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to meet, work, and train with some of the most inspirational women who compete in pageants. And I want people to know who they are. The larger their reach, the more they can help people and, in turn, the more I can help people. Miss Universe Thailand “Represents the voices of all women. We act as a platform for them to express their talent, intelligence and passion to the world.” I am choosing the Miss Universe Thailand platform because I believe in their mission. I want to be apart of their mission. I am here to support and appreciate all women and their accomplishments. And I am here to make a difference in everyone’s lives. So I’d love to share with you all the amazing women I have met so far: Ms Supranational Thailand 2022 Candidates: Alani Merry @lanimerry Nuttha Thongkaew @bewnuttha Miss Binibining Pilipinas 2022 Candidate: Gabrielle Basiano @gabbybadiano for mental health care and grief support #youarenotalone Miss Universe Thailand 2022 Candidate: My Sister Queen💕 Cleo Kanyarat Panprakhon @cleo.Kanyarat for Disability and Mental Health Advocate Miss NY 2022 Candidate: My Sister Queen💕 Michelle Leon @michelle_leonn Youth advocate and spokesperson for the United Nations. The Miss Universe organization is an “inclusive organization that celebrates women of all cultures and backgrounds and empowers them to realize their goals through experiences that build self- confidence and create opportunities for success.” My ultimate goal is to be able to walk the Miss Universe stage and embody the mission to support, educate, and appreciate people of all experiences. Life is precious. I want to maximize life and I want to maximize the lives of the people around me. I will continue to support these amazing women as they work hard to accomplish their goals. I can’t wait to meet more inspiring women working towards a crown👑 I am here with you and I see you❤️
It’s April!! I am finally completely settled in Thailand, and I have been working hard to make sure I get everything accomplished before the competition. I take walking and acting classes every weekend to help me improve my stage performance and presence. I’ve had the pleasure of attending various events to help me network and meet amazing creatives, influencers, and production teams. Additionally, I have been working with various companies to create social media content for both myself and the brands. There have been so many people reaching out for collaborations, I am so happily overwhelmed. I will make sure I get back to everyone who reaches out.
I officially have all my Thai documents needed to live harmoniously in Thailand. I have my birth certificate, my passport, and most importantly my Thai ID. I have an amazing family that has been taking care of me. They are making sure I stay happy, healthy, safe, and comfortable during this brand new adventure. I have loved being able to reconnect with my family and friends here in Thailand. It has been amazing adapting the culture into my everyday life. Now onto my plans for the next few months: After some mild research, I have come to the conclusion that I must maintain a strict learning schedule in order to become fluent in the Thai Language. The Thai language is categorized as a level 3 (out of 5) language. This means that Thai is one of the more difficult languages to learn. For a level 3 language it takes about 720 hours to reach fluency, which is between 48 to 72 days (2 to 3 months) if one is able to study 10 hours a day. This will be difficult for me to accomplish, but I can definitely do it! I have made myself a schedule that I must follow in order to accomplish my goals. Schedule:
March 2022 Updates:
I have a very important March update! I’M FINALLY IN THAILAND. It's been a long time coming, but I’ve finally made the move. I’m living in Bangkok, also known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. My mother and grandmother are helping get all settled and then they have to go back to the United States. I will be staying in Thailand to train with my team to prepare for Miss Universe Thailand 2022. I have been advised to keep my main movements and the members of my team confidential for the time being so I do apologize in advance to my curious supporters. I do want to say thank you to everyone who has continued to support me over the last few years. I’m finally making the leap, and I hope you all enjoy my adventures with me!! Watch my blog for updates. There is a lot of work that I need to do over the next six months, but I am fully prepared to dive head first into anything that I need to do to fully prepare myself for the competition. March 10th: My Arrival I am currently struggling with jet lag, and I am required to stay in quarantine until I receive a negative covid test. The flight was exhausting, and I was in desperate need of water and food. Thankfully, I have an amazing family that dropped us off food at our quarantine location once we arrived. I am trying my hardest not to go to sleep, so I am writing to all of you to distract me from the temptations of sleep. If you want to read more about my travels, hop over to my blog. I love and appreciate you all, and I can't wait to see what amazing things 2022 brings!! Perpetua Sermsup Smith Happy New Year Everyone!!
First off, I want to say thank you to everyone who made my 2021 amazing! I was able to accomplish so much because of the love and support I received from people all around the world. Let’s have a quick recap: I became a Pharmacy Technician, I obtained a Creative Director Certificate from IFA Paris, and I acquired a TEFL Certificate with specialties in Advanced Grammar and Online Teaching, all during the ongoing pandemic. I published my website, I was featured in various publications, and I was able to expand my professional network all around the world. My favorite “accomplishment” of 2021 is finally shifting my focus to move to Thailand and work towards competing for Miss Universe Thailand. I have been able to build an amazing team and foster friendships with astonishing people in Thailand. I bought my plane ticket, and I am ready to make the big leap into 2022. 2021 has been an overwhelming year for me, but I have been able to manage thanks to the positive encouragement from family and friends. Now On to 2022!! What lies ahead? I’M MOVING TO THAILAND. The land of my ancestors, the homeland of my mother. I am still working as a pharmacy technician in order to save up as much money as I can before I move in March. However, I am also shifting my efforts to focus on various activities that will help me with the transition. My Education: I am reading more books about the culture, language, and history of Thailand and the people. I am listening to podcasts to help me become more fluent in the language. I am watching videos to make me more familiar with speaking and reading thai. I am watching and reading Thai news stations to make sure I am up to date with the political and economical environment of Thailand. My personal education is my main focus in the first couple months of the New Year. However, I do have a few side assignments I am doing. My Physical Training: I recently cancelled my gym membership (because I rarely use it), and I am working with an aspiring personal trainer to help me towards my physical physique goals. Unfortunately, simply having a gym membership was not enough to keep me motivated to maintain an active lifestyle. I decided a different, more personalized approach was required. Therefore, for the next two months I will be working with a professional physique show competitor to help me reach my goals before I leave. Once I’m in Thailand: First, I still need to find a place to live. My team is currently helping me find a place to live. I will be practicing and perfecting my walking and stage presence with my team. I will be volunteering at schools to help teach children English as well as assisting in creating and fostering a positive environment for growing minds. I will also be trying to find modeling/entertainment work to help me create a sustainable life in Thailand. Lastly, my main goal 2022 will be to compete for Miss Universe Thailand and bring the Third crown to Thailand in Miss Universe! I'm going to have to work hard both physically and mentally, but I am prepared to give it my all !! I love and appreciate you all, and I can't wait to see what amazing things 2022 brings!! Please comment what you think !! Hiya! I often get questions asking about what I do for a living. Many people make assumptions based on how I present myself on social media. Therefore, many people come to the conclusion that I am a model or an influencer. They are half correct with this conclusion. I am an international model but I also work in the health industry, more specifically I work in a pharmacy. I am currently a pharmacy technician. As many people may already know, I have an extensive business, fashion, and entertainment background with a sprinkle of sports. So why and how have I been working in pharmacy for the last year and a half? There is a little story behind my decision to expand my experience into the health industry.
Right as the COVID pandemic began I had just started my graduate degree. I was working part time as a waitress at a small, family owned diner to pay my bills while my main focus was my schooling. Unfortunately, because of the COVID pandemic the diner was forced to cut my hours and I was no longer able to pay my bills. So ultimately I had to find a new job. During my job search I noticed the fear and uncertainty brought onto society by the pandemic. Everyone was struggling, people were/are scared to leave their house, and people were being forbidden from seeing their loved ones. People were dying. I was watching and experiencing the global panic unfold. So I decided I wanted to be able to help people during such a difficult time. The industry that needed the most help and had the biggest impact during such trying times was the health industry. I searched for jobs in health, but many jobs required extensive health education and experience that I did not possess. Eventually, my mother suggested I apply for a pharmacy technician position. I did. The application required me to pass various tests that evaluated my skills including (but not limited to) math, empathy, and common sense. I got a call for an interview within the week. They offered me the job right after the interview. I accepted. Over the next couple of weeks I had to complete various online modules, classes and on-the-job training which was covered and paid by my employer. I’ve been working as a pharmacy technician for almost a year and a half now. This is definitely the most difficult, and most emotionally taxing job I have ever had. The job tests me mentally and physically each day. But I have the most amazing bosses and coworkers, and being able to take care of our patients is worth it. I never thought I would be able to make such an impact on so many people during such difficult times, but because of perseverance, motivation, and support, I am happy I get to help my patients receive the medication they need to create and maintain a better quality of life. Continuous learning and positively growing as a person has always been a consistent goal of mine, but now I want to expand my impact beyond myself. I want to be able to positively influence and share my experiences with other people all around the world. I want to be able to educate myself as well as current and future generations of people. Learning and understanding is crucial in conducive societal growth, and I have always wanted to be a part of that impact! The key words I choose to reflect on a daily basis are education, understanding, growth, experience, and impact. I have been receiving so many comments from people around the world and I wish I could answer everyone!! I want to use my platform to open up an empathic and civil dialogue to induce both mental and physical growth on an educational level. Because of the comments and support I am receiving, I want to again address some controversies surrounding my dream to compete for Miss Universe Thailand 2022. I am Thai and American. Those are my two nationalities. Every country has its own nationality laws based on its own policy. After some simple research and my own basic knowledge “Thai citizens are allowed to have dual nationality and own two passports” (The Thaiger) and you are also allowed to have multiple citizenships in the US. According to the Bangkok Post, “First and foremost any child born in Thailand is automatically a Thai citizen even though the parents may be foreign. So is a child born to at least one Thai parent, regardless of place of birth” (Bangkok Post, p.1). After some more extensive research, I read and reviewed the Thai constitution and various websites which helped me understand more of Thai law and legal presidents that many people have been concerned about in regards to my Thai nationality and heritage. I am a Luk Khrueng, a half blood. My mother was born in Thailand and my father was born in the United States. Luk Khruengs derive their Thai citizenship by birth from a Thai parent, and section 39 in the Thai Constitution prevents the state from taking citizenship away on a non-voluntary basis (Thai Citizenship). Section 39 “No person of Thai nationality shall be deported or prohibited from entering the Kingdom. The revocation of Thai nationality acquired by birth shall not be permitted.” After looking into Thai laws and US laws, I was curious as to what other countries allow and regulate regarding nationalities. There are also a few countries that allow more than two citizenships. “With the talk of dual nationality and references to your country of origin and/or your adopted country, you may ask whether, if you already have dual nationality, you can acquire a third nationality. This is known as multiple citizenship rather than triple citizenship. Multiple citizenship is permitted in the UK” (OTS Solicitors). Additionally, a fun fact I learned about Australians is that they often have two or more nationalities. Smart Traveler states that “Many Australians hold two or more nationalities. As well as holding Australian citizenship, they are citizens (or 'nationals') of another country” (Smart Traveler). Now, let me get back to Miss Universe talk!!! There are numerous Miss Universe competitors that have dual citizenship and claim multiple nationalities. However, the Queen that made the biggest impact on my life is Catriona Gray Miss Universe 2018. I remember watching her in college. I was still unsure about my multicultural heritage and appearance. I still felt alone in my struggle to not only be accepted by people but to accept myself. I have always had a soft spot for Thailand and the USA in the global pageants. But for the first time in my life, I was rooting for a different country. I was rooting for the Philippines. Not because she was beautiful and elegant on the stage but because she gave me hope. She helped me take the leap in loving all of me. She set the change in the global stage to accept multicultural people, to acknowledge the efforts an individual makes to be a part of and embody multiple cultures. Catriona Gray is the reason I was able to start dreaming of the possibility of competing for Thailand. Nationality is largely a legal function and is often dependent on a personal choice. Nationality is a distinctly different category from biological criteria. Miss Universe currently uses nationality as one of the criteria for classification. At the end of the day, Catriona Gray consciously chose to be Miss Philippines and ultimately represented the country in Miss Universe. She was able to exercise her freedom to choose within the bounds of law as well as the rules and regulations of the organization. She will always be an inspiration and a beacon of hope for me. And now the current Miss Universe Thailand 2021, Anchilee Scott-Kemmis has been successful making a positive impact on women around the world. Her platform is based around redefining beauty standards by celebrating diversity and individuality. I know her platform focuses on body positivity, but it means so much more than that. If you watch her, the way she presents herself, the way she speaks, her personality, she is secure in herself both mentally and physically. She is breaking the boundaries in both beauty standards and in overall acceptance. She isn't scared to be herself. I know she didn't place in Miss Universe 2021, but I still think Thailand did an amazing job choosing a Queen! She continues to be an amazing role model for people around the world. I hope she continues to share her experiences and advocatsy to the world. These Queens have helped me embrace who I am. They continue to influence the decisions I personally make. Because of them, I am more confident and secure in my multicultural background and existence. I hope to one day be able to also make a positive impact like these Queens. I am not writing this to invalidate anyone's feelings, thoughts or concerns. I am writing this to explain myself. I will always agree with an individual's freedom to form their own opinions. I do not expect everyone to support me and agree with my opinions. I simply just want to open up a civil discussion to educate people on the diverse outlooks on the global environment. There are billions of people on this planet and there are going to be people who do not believe in me, and that’s okay. I believe in myself. After reflecting on the final Miss Universe 2021 question, I would just love to tell young girls “I know. I understand you. I know societal pressures make life feel impossible sometimes. You might think giving up is the easiest way. And that’s okay to feel that way. I’ve felt that way. But I personally want to encourage you to get up and try again. Get up and find your happiness. Don’t you ever give up. Your body and mind are amazing and they do amazing things. I am proud of you. No matter where you are in life, I am proud of everything you have become and everything you will become.” My Personal Honorable Dual Citizenship Pageant Queen Mentions: Chloè Mortaud - Miss France 2009, French and America Anea Garcia - Miss Rhode Island USA 2015, Miss Grand Dominican Republic 2015 (resigned) Maria Venus Bayonito Raj - Miss Indiana Teen USA 2006, Miss Indiana USA 2009, Binibining Pilipinas Universe, Miss Universe Philippines 2010 Works cited: https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/496990/the-natural-way-to-citizenship https://thethaiger.com/issues-answers/asked/does-thailand-allow-dual-nationality https://www.otssolicitors.co.uk/news/british-citizenship-or-dual-citizenship/ https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/who-you-are/dual-nationals https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Thailand_2017.pdf?lang=en https://www.thaicitizenship.com/thai-dual-citizenship/ I've been receiving a lot of positive messages from people around the world, but I have also been receiving a few negative and discouraging messages. I just wanted to address the controversies and concerns about my plans for the future.
I received a few comments about how I am not Thai enough, and that I am too American to consider competing for Miss Universe Thailand. I do believe that everyone is entitled to opinions, and I do not expect everyone to support my decisions. I am also completely empathetic and understand the concerns many people might have in regards to my qualifications to even consider applying to such a renowned and respected organization. However, I would also love to be able to explain myself and my dream. I want the opportunity to change this opinion, not only for myself but for women around the world struggling to be accepted as multicultural. Culture can be lost but it can also be found. Why does someone want to deny me culture? I am not one sided. I am constantly learning and growing. Being born in a particular country does not prevent me from embracing my ethnicity. Being born in a particular country does not change my ancestry. I understand the concern of a person's inability to embody the true culture of a society but, in my personal opinion culture is meant to be shared and appreciated. It’s meant to be spread around the world to preserve its survival in the future. Please don't deny me from learning, embracing, and adapting a culture that has survived for thousands of years. Thai culture is unique and strong, Thai culture has lasted through world wide depressions, recessions and oppressions. Thai culture should be admired and shared. The strength of my ancestry, the perseverance of my grandmother, and the success of my mother is something I am extremely proud of. So I ask you, from the bottom of my heart, please don’t deny me culture. Don’t discourage me from learning and embracing who I am as a person. Yes, I am American but I am also Thai, And no one can take that away from me. Thank you to everyone who supports me! First, a big thank you!
I have been receiving many messages encouraging me to compete in Miss Universe Thailand. The support has been amazing and positive, and because of this support I have been working hard to make it possible. I am going to start off with the bad news and then get into the good news! Unfortunately, there have been various obstacles preventing me from committing to the 2021 pageant. I must stay in Thailand for six months before the pageant. However, because of travel restrictions and uncertainty with the COVID virus, I have been unable to meet that requirement. I will also be required to obtain a visa from the embassy to stay in Thailand for the extended period of time. In order to get my visa approved, I will need to find a sponsor to support my stay. I currently have a Thai Passport and Thai Birth certificate but I still need to obtain a Thai ID. Because of these obstacles, I need more time! That’s why I am planning to move to Thailand in February of 2022. The first step is saving up enough money to afford the big move! I am looking to buy a plane ticket soon, and I am currently working on the requirements for a Thai Visa, including looking for a sponsor. Once I am settled, and living in Thailand, I plan on volunteering at schools to help teach English. I am TEFL Certified from The TEFL Institute of Ireland which has qualified me to teach English abroad. I am not fluent in Thai so this will be an amazing opportunity for me to learn more about the language, the culture, and the people! I will be launching my website soon explaining more of my platform and plans for 2022. This is just the beginning, updates on my journey will be coming soon! Thank you everyone again for all of your support! I promise I am working hard to make our dreams a reality! Lots of love, Perpetua Sermsup Smith |
AuthorPerpetua Smith! Blogger and Influencer. My goal is to open up civil discussions about my personal life and the global environment! Archives
June 2022
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