Nicole Faria comes back with crown

Everything was still surreal for the newly crowned Miss Earth 2010, Nicole Faria, when she landed at the Chhatrapti Shivaji International airport here from Vietnam.

The 20-year-old, who won the crown for India after a decade, told media persons on her arrival early yesterday, that the implication of her victory only registered when she saw her mother crying as she was announced the winner on December four.

''I could see my mom crying, people cheering and after that my message box got flooded. The reception I got from the people of Mumbai and the media was overwhelming when I landed. It didn't hit me till I landed at the airport, and it started to sink in. I haven't had the time to meet my friends yet,'' the five foot-nine inch black eyed beauty said.

Faria plans to take her role as an ambassador for Mother Earth seriously, and she will associate herself with environmentally conscious companies.

''I'm also open to Hollywood and Bollywood projects, but I'll take one thing at a time,'' Faria, who is a fan of actress Priyanka Chopra, said.

Apart from winning the crown, for Faria the whole experience of mingling with 83 contestants from all over the world and immersing herself to the charms of South East Asia was an unforgettable experience.

''For me, it was not a competition and I spent a month making friends for life. The people of Vietnam are really warm hearted and the kids are cute. I got to eat what I wanted-spicey food with chopsticks, but I missed the naans and butter chicken. I would want to go back. With success comes a lot of responsibilities, and getting up early may be the most difficult,'' she concluded.

Source: NewKerala.com