Miss Universe® Canada 2008 - The Magic Continues

AGE: 19 | HEIGHT: 5'7" | HOMETOWN: PORT MOODY, BC

Tanya was born and raised in Vancouver Canada, and she is the youngest in her family, which taught her to really speak up and have a voice. Having grown up in Canada, Tanya learned to really embrace Canada's multicultural society.

Learning about different ethnic cultures is of great importance to Tanya, and she feels that Canada is the best country to experience and meet people who come from other backgrounds and cultures.

Sponsored by: Fitness World - Port Coquitlam, Minoo Ashtari - North-Shore Royal Lepage, Falconetti,s Restaurant - Commercial Dr., Soraya,s Hallmark, California, Pasta Polo Restaurant - Coquitlam, Bisceglia & Company Law Corporation, Travel Unlimited - Port Coquitlam, Personal Trainer- Valerie Goodchild, Paramount Financial, Access Accounting and Tax Services, Dynamic Drilling and Testing IN Situ, Chaloos Hair Design, Family and Friends.

Biography (click to open) ±

Tanya also feels that education is an important part of growing up and building a future. Tanya is currently attending Douglas College studying Business Management and Marketing, and she is pursuing a Master's Degree in Business Association. She hopes to go on and attain her career goal of owning and managing her own company and creating her own clothing line. Tanya is currently employed at Jacob to gain experience in fashion retail and to learn about big companies.

When Tanya is not in class or at work, she spends her free time keeping active by going to the gym, as well as being around the people that she loves, and playing the piano. Physical fitness and health is important to her. Tanya has always been an athletic person and has a passion for sports. Having figure skated for ten years, and played soccer for four years, as well as being part of a cheer and dance team for four years has given her the discipline and teamwork skills that she now utilizes.

These skills provide her with the ability to work with others in a positive environment, and show her fun outgoing personality. Tanya loves traveling and meeting new people as well, and also trying to make a difference in the life of others, which is why she sponsored a child with Plan Canada in Paraguay, and she is also fundraising for the Canadian Cancer Society. If Tanya were to be given the title of Miss Universe Canada she would like to raise money and awareness for issues such as HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and global warming.

Tanya would like to thank her friends, family, and sponsors for all their support, and wish the rest of the 2008 delegates the best of luck!

Questionnaire (click to open) ±

Are you currently a student? Yes
If yes, where? Douglas College
Area of study: Business

Are you currently employed? Yes
If yes, what is your occupation? Jacob- sales associate

Have you completed secondary school? Yes
If yes, where? Port Moody Secondary

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
English and Persian

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
Figure skating, piano, cheer and dance.

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
I have figure skated for 10 years, played soccer for four years as well as been part of a cheer and dance team for four years.

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.
I am attending Douglas College studying business marketing and management, and am in my second year.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
I have supported the Canadian Cancer Society, as well as Plan Canada.

What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job has always been to own a major fashion company and run it being CEO, I have also always wanted to pursue acting.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life?
My older brother. Why? Because he showed me that with hard work and determination you could reach your goals like he did. That gave me the influence to set goals for myself in life and work hard to get to them.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)?
My proudest personal accomplishment is being able to make a difference in a child's life that lives in Paraguay with much less opportunities then people who live in Canada. I pay monthly for her with Plan Canada so she can have the same opportunities and education we can have here in Canada.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
My career ambition is to manage and own my company and I am currently attending college to get my Bachelors Degree in business and then further reaching out to get my Masters, so that I can accomplish my goal.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was born and raised in Vancouver B.C, and then moved to California when I was ten years old, the moved back to my hometown four years later. As a child I grew up going to public school, and always figure skated and went to piano class after school. I always loved to have pets and grew up taking care of many rabbits, birds, and a dog that I still have now.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
Volunteering at an animal shelter in California was a very interesting job for me, even though I did not get paid, I got to spend time with animals who were abandoned and give them the attention they were lacking. It was interesting for me because I got to see and take care of many different types of animals.

List any volunteering you have done.
I have volunteered at the Terry Fox Run, as well as the Tri-Valley Animal Rescue Shelter in California.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?
Cuba has to be the most interesting place I have been, because I got to see the cities and how people live differently from us in Canada, and got to meet and make friends with people of a different culture.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
What makes me unique and different from other contestants is that I am not afraid to make mistakes, and be clumsy sometimes and laugh at myself because you learn and grow from the mistakes you make and it is part of being human.

What is your philosophy of/in life?
My philosophy of life is to live everyday as if it were your last, and cherish every memory you have had as well as well as learn from your past, and hope and look forward to a happy future.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
In ten years i hope to be working a successful job with a loving family, and also having the opportunity to travel.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
I am a girl who has always had big dreams and love to experience new things in life. Something interesting about me is that I always like to conquer my fears, I have always been afraid of heights which is why I decided to go bungee jumping and experience something I never thought I would in life while conquering one of my biggest fears.