Are you currently a student? Yes
If yes, where? Capilano College. Transfer to the Sauder School of Business at University of British Columbia.
Area of study: Bachelors of Business Administration Degree.

Are you currently employed? Yes
If yes, what is your occupation? Customer Service Representative at TD Canada Trust.

Have you completed secondary school? Yes
If yes, where? Burnaby South Secondary School

Have you completed university/college? No, In progress - first year

Have you completed any technical/professional school? No

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
I am Fluent in English and Russian. Tourist Romanian and Spanish.

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
In secondary school I did a lot of acting and took part in plays not only during, but also outside of school. I also took some beginners ballet classes at a local city center to expand my understanding of dance and sport.

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
Since I was a young girl I have always been involved in every sport that has crossed my road. Ii do regular fitness and jogging to this day, including yearly participation in the Vancouver Sun Run - a ten-kilometer run that involves thousands of people. I also took a few months of Yoga sessions, and played volleyball for two years. When I was younger, I played handball for three years, and some soccer in between.

Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
In 2007 I graduated from Burnaby South Secondary School, moving onto post-secondary at Capilano College where I am currently taking classes. I will be transferring to the University of British Columbia to complete my Business Administration degree at the Sauder School of Business.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
I haven't found only one charity and cause that I would like to support with my time and resources; instead, I find that a lot of causes need attention. I have recently provided services as well as monetary donations to the Children's Hospital, "Aids Walk for life", Breast Cancer Foundation, as well as the "SPCA (animal shelter) walk for paws".

What would be your "dream job" in life?
Since I find design and drawing very fulfilling, my dream job would have to consist of owning a business, of décor and design: full of originality, style, comfort, and quality. My ideal scenario is to be successful enough to create living environments for those who are less fortunate. As I progress through my Bachelors of Business Administration degree I am learning many valuable lessons that are helping me work towards living my dream.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
The one person who has had the most influence on my life is my oldest sister, Antonina. From a very young age, my sister has maintained a mature and confident nature. So now, as I grow, develop, and get to decide with whom to surround myself; I look up to my sister with no doubt. It seemed to be a natural choice; to look up to someone who turned with open arms to any friend with a problem, to someone who is very warm hearted, and surrounds herself with positive people and a great environment. Working her way through life towards success, and highly valuing family and strong morals, my sister Antonina is someone I picture when I see myself in the near future.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)
Every day I do my best to accomplish something I am very proud of. So far, thinking back to my life I can't imagine one thing I did, that I would regret. The one thing I am most proud of is my independence. i started working almost full-time when I was fourteen years old to help my family. Over these past four years of work experience I learned to appreciate every penny that I earn. As a result I have matured faster than most of my peers when it comes to the value of time and money. Also, being raised among four older sisters helped me observe their choices, and mature faster. This amazing accomplishment of becoming independent and responsible at such a young age has allowed me to enjoy my job; rather than, perceiving it as an obligation. Recently, my experience and maturity helped me accomplish my most recent goal, which was to receive a Customer Service Representative position at TD Canada Trust.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I am currently a business student wanting to develop my skills within the financial industry. I have recently started my road down my career path by getting a position as a Customer Service Representative at TD Canada Trust. Within the next year I see myself growing within the company and becoming a Financial Service Representative, and later a Business Development Associate. After getting experience and being involved in the business world for a few years, I see myself applying my skills to start my own décor and design business. As a result, I will be using my success as a method of helping my family and setting up aid for those in need. To get to this long-term goal I will build my way up by completing the smaller goals first. One of these small goals also involves completing my business degree.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was born in the capital of a small European country, Moldova. I am the youngest of four loving older sisters and two ambitious parents who wanted to provide a wonderful and successful future for their family. I was lucky to be born into a large inner family that remained very social and outgoing. Even when we could barely stand on our feet, our parents took us outdoors and let us try every sport that we glanced at. I was always educated on manners, values, and concepts, not only at school but also from my family even before I stepped into first grade. They made sure I was always prepared. We are all very close in my family, and whenever we need a shoulder to lay our head on, we have six. This unconditional love from our parents became the result of our immigration to Canada, learning a new language, and adapting to a very wide variety of cultures and traditions within greater Vancouver and beautiful British Columbia. I couldn't wish for a better family and upbringing.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
It is hard to pick and choose which job, if any were either interesting or unusual. Every job I ever had was a challenge and a learning experience, and I feel like I came out a winner from each one. I had all these jobs at the right times of my life, and they all contributed to making me who I am today. Whether it was working in a restaurant, store, or selling newspaper subscriptions from door to door, I have met and made numerous amounts of friends and contacts, and took with me some unforgettable skills, experiences, and positive memories.

List any volunteering you have done.
In the last few years I have volunteered and supported my community in a few ways, including a few one-day volunteering programs, such as at an auction - helping the homeless, at a community family day, and a few times supporting the Children's Hospital. Currently I volunteer at the local SPCA animal shelter, as much as possible between work, school, and other extra-curricular activities.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?
I grew up with a sense of appreciation for my surroundings. Living in one of the world's most beautiful countries such as Canada, I do my best not to take things for granted. Recently, in November of 2007, I traveled to South America with my family and visited a few countries while traveling on a 'Multi-level Marketing' cruise. We visited Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. All were amazing in their own way, but the country that struck me the most was Honduras. The places we visited were very different compared to what I am used to living in now. Their living conditions were very poor, and even though I know of poverty in third world countries, it was a completely different feeling to see it with my own eyes. This made me realize how so many people take their lives for granted, and don't even think to stop for a moment, and realize how lucky they are to be in a place like Canada.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
Every one of the girls I am competing with presents something unique and interesting. I find that I too possess a few qualities that make me different from the other contestants. I believe that my maturity and life perspective brings people closer to me. I am very sensitive to people's needs and problems, and my warm heart finds it easy to be sharing and sensitive to people's needs. I am always open to new experiences, lifestyles, and mind sets. Regardless of ethnicity, class or culture, every human being has a right to live, and a right to enjoy their life to the fullest.

What is your philosophy of/in life?
My main philosophy on life is to treat people the way I want to be treated. It is always important to be aware of how I make people feel, and of what I bring into life. I deeply consider how people perceive me and how my actions reflect on who I am. I believe in change and am open to feedback to the degree that my values and morals reflect my effort to be the best I can be. The more positive energy I put out and surround myself with, the more will come back to me and eventually spread through to everyone around me and furthermore to the entire world.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
In ten years, I see myself looking back at my life achievements and accomplishments, and being proud of whom I've become. I see myself finishing my Degree, and working at my own family business of Décor and Design, focusing on further improvement and growth. I will have worked at the bank for the last seven to eight years as a Business Development Associate. I will be a major contributor and make a strong positive impact on my community. I intend to be strongly involved in finding solutions to Global Warming, and will have traveled through Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. I will then be looking forward to furthering my dream career. I will be doing my best to be a strong and admirable parent as are my parents. At this point I will look to raising my own family.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
Every day I live my life by saying that I want to try everything! Whether it is trying new food, going to new places, or exploring new activities, I make sure not to restrict myself from anything. Recently I tried bungee jumping, white river rafting, snowboarding and camping all for the first time, and fell in love with the idea of trying new things. I really look forward to each day and all the opportunities that life presents.