Phoebe Soegiono

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A Beauty With A Cause

Lahir dan besar di Australia, tak lantas menjadikan seseorang lupa asal-usulnya. Kandidat Miss Earth dari NSW ini bersyukur pada orang tuanya yang menanamkan nilai-nilai luhur Indonesia. Mari kenalan dengan perempuan cantik yang sarat prestasi ini.

Hi, Phoebe, can you describe your family and your upbringing?
I was born and raised in Sydney and lived in Indonesia for a couple of years when I was young. My upbringing was of Christian faith where we were taught to love one another and treat everyone with respect.

How many siblings do you have?
I have 4 siblings! The house is always full of family members and I never really feel lonely.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in September 1998, in Sydney, Australia

What was you like when you’re a child?
I was a very shy and reserved child but if I was comfortable with you, my more playful side will shine through

How do you see your parents and what is the best thing you learned from them?
I see my parents as very giving and kind hearted people, always putting others before themselves. I hope to provide for them in their later years, as they have provided more than enough for me all throughout my life.

Which one are you closer, mother or father? And why?
I’m not getting into trouble with this question! So I’m neutral, I love both my parents equally.

How do you see yourself as an Indonesian descent?
Even though I was born and raised here, the values and ethics that my parents have instilled in me I uphold to this very day. I’m very proud of my heritage, our culture, food and most importantly our people. I want to continue to promote and advocate our Indonesian identity in Australia. I will do my very best in this pageant to make the Indonesian Australian community proud. I may no longer speak Bahasa fluently, but I am doing my very best to practice with my family members.

What is the best thing from school (or education) that you can share with us?
To do as many extra curricular activities that you can, it doesn’t hurt to try them out and you may end up finding a new hobby.

And, what do you do outside Miss Earth Competition?
I work in the retail industry growing my skills in customer service, communications and marketing.

What are you likes and dislikes?
I really like travelling and going to music events, I dislike disingenuous people

Have you been to Indonesia? If yes, what part do you like the most?
Yes, I have been, I actually lived there for about two years when I was a child. I love the food the most, you can’t say no to Indo food

Now, about the pageant that you’re participating in. Tell us about Miss Earth Australia.
Miss Earth Australia is a pageant that not only focuses on beauty but on environmental issues and awareness. We speak about climate change, water and air pollution, deforestation, and many other issues that our Mother Earth is currently facing. This doesn’t just affect Australia alone but all countries on the Earth.

You are a NSW finalist of Miss Earth Australia, how did you get introduced into this pageant? What motivated you and what makes it different than any other pageants?
I was recommended to compete in Miss Earth by friends of mine who are very well experienced in the pageant world. I looked into Miss Earth even more and saw that their slogan is beauty with a cause – I find that personally inspiring because it means that Miss Earth’s beauty queens are more than just looks. They have a passion, a drive, and a depth within that wants to really make a difference in our society

Talking about preliminary competition. How did you manage to go every stage? What challenges did you overcome and what’s the next?
During this pandemic I have been really and truly blessed with such a strong support system, so when it comes to my nervousness or doubts with different stages, my family and friends have been here to fully encourage and support me. The challenges that I have personally faced are overcoming my fear of public speaking and being unable to physically go to the shops to try on a dress for the pageantry.

Tell us about the gown you chose.
The gown that I will be wearing for the Grand Coronation will show a different side of me; a regal, confident individual who is not only passionate but someone who is empathetic. Stay tuned in the coming days to see my reveal. The red gown that I wore for my evening gown shoot was actually my sister’s, it’s always great to reduce your carbon footprint but using what you already have. I feel so elegant and chic when I wear it – I am in love with the open back detailing of the dress.

Can you talk about how your life has changed since you became one of the finalists?
This is the very first pageant that I have entered and even though it has become a virtual one, the excitement of it all is still alive and well. This pageant has made me realise that I have so much support from the Indonesian Australian community. As I am the only Indonesian woman in this competition, it has given me more of a drive to want to succeed and win the international competition as Australia has never won the pageant internationally. [IM]

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