`When I came out, I remember seeing my flag big and long - that was so nice...The Mayor had given me a heap of little flags of Guyana that I pinned on the contestants, chaperones and even security guards' - Miss Guyana Olive Gopaul
By Neil Marks
YES, Guyana's biggest ever success at the Miss World Pageant has been Shakira Baksh, who, were it not for the underdeveloped media at the time, could have plummeted Guyana to international recognition, when she was named second runner up, back in 1967.

Since her success, Guyana and Miss World didn't exactly hit if off.

Olive Gopaul, however, sure did show that with beauty and brains, which we have in abundance, and hard work by the likes of choreographer/designer Derek Moore, and with a sound franchise holder, like Mr. Ken Chung, things can get brighter.

Olive Gopaul has perhaps been the most widely acclaimed Miss Guyana in recent times.

Everywhere she goes there is a face that smiles back at her or a hand that waves with excitement.

Global Beauties magazine based in Miami says she is "beautiful, smart and an extrovert."

The 22-year-old final year Marketing student at the University of Guyana got her chance to do Guyana proud at the Miss World contest when she won the Miss Guyana Pageant on September 8, at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.

She was the favourite for the crown all along. From then on Guyanese no longer had to rally with her to be Queen of Guyana, but to be Queen of the World.

After becoming Miss Guyana, the radiant Olive Gopaul made a string of official public appearances that further endeared her to Guyanese.

With support from the business community, the media, the Government and Guyanese on the whole, Olive took off for the big stage - Miss World in Sun City, South Africa.

She didn't come back home with the crown, but it was an experience the Guyana beauty described as "remarkable," particularly because she was able to promote Guyana.

At home, of course, Guyanese were disappointed with the results of the pageant, but most, if not all, were satisfied that she did her best and she was well spoken of.

After she saw the results of the pageant on the Internet, Ms. Andrea McAdam, local pageant coordinator for the franchise holder said, "I'm disappointed with the results, but I'm not disappointed with Olive and her performance. Olive really worked hard. She did us proud, and that's what makes me happy."

In South Africa, Olive was a top contender for the crown. Just the day before the pageant she was rated three and a half out of a possible four stars.

But in the end, she did not score in the final 10 that would go for the crown.

Miss Guyana returned home last Tuesday, and sat down with the Chronicle for an interview that had her answering questions about her stay in London, her experiences in South Africa and where else she has been.

So here goes.

Before going on to South Africa, Olive spent some time in London where she stayed with the First Secretary of the Guyana High Commission.

The High Commission hosted a reception in her honour and Olive got to meet many of the prominent Guyanese in London.

SURPRISING RELATIONSHIP
"What really surprised me was the relationship the Guyanese enjoy away from home. It was so nice. I wish back home we can have the same relationship.

"They were so nice, so friendly. It was so different. They were warm and happy among each other."

While in London, Olive said getting used to the spices took some time, so when a dinner was held at Trini's West Indian Restaurant, Miss Guyana said, "When I had the curry...I just ate, ate, and ate."

At the dinner, Olive was in the company of, among others, Fan Walker, a runner-up in the Miss Guyana Pageant back in 1969 and First Lady, Varshnie Jagdeo.

So much for London.
Olive flew off for the big stage. She described the 11-hour flight from London to Johannesburg, South Africa, as horrible.

"I got dehydrated on the plane. When I was in England, the place is so cold you're never thirsty and I didn't drink any water. I was really dehydrated. My nose burnt, probably because of the air.

"My nose burnt so badly that I couldn't breathe properly. It was horrible, horrible, horrible."

"When I arrived in Johannesburg, there was somebody waving a placard `Miss World Contestant'. He escorted me directly to the coach (bus). Miss Venezuela and I became very good friends, because we travelled in the coach together and she cannot speak English. So whatever she wanted to say, I had to translate it for her," Olive remembered.

Miss Guyana speaks and teaches both English and Spanish.

LUNCH IN A PALACE
For the first two weeks, there was not much to do in South Africa. "Just dress up for breakfast, lunch and dinner," she said.

"We had lunch in a palace," Olive said, her facing lighting up. "If I were to get fat, It would have been in those two weeks."

She said the resort she stayed at was a massive complex, with four hotels.

The third week after arriving in South Africa, rehearsals started.

"They didn't do any kind of training - you know how to walk and how not to talk. All they did was show you the routine - like where to stop on the stage."

But though it was a group of beautiful, talented and intelligent girls, there were moments Olive wishes did not happen.

"The First Lady had given me a brooch of the map of Guyana in silver and I had it on my jacket. There was this big ballroom. One day I took off my jacket and I went to rehearse.

"When I returned I could not find my brooch. So I was searching for it. Miss Malaysia's scarf was there so I picked up the scarf and shook it to see if my brooch was there.

"All I knew was that she grabbed it from me and she actually cursed me. She cursed! I was upset, but I didn't say anything at that point.

"Afterwards, I went to her and said `This is not the way an ambassador for Malaysia should be representing her country.' She was really embarrassed, because I raised my voice."

After that disappointing experience, Olive proceeded with her group to magnificent Cape Town for a four-day photo shoot.

MOST DISAPPOINTING MOMENT
The most spectacular sight, Olive said, was the gigantic Table Bay Mountain.

"We went sailing and got close to Roben Island where Nelson Mandela was held in prison. That was quite an experience."

After that it was back to Sun City and time to try out for the talent segment of the Pageant.

The talent piece Olive prepared was a dramatic poem entitled "Culture Me", which she, her friend Errol Chand and a blind teacher from St. Stanislaus College, Roy Maynard, had written. It took three months to prepare.

Olive said she almost lost it when she was told she couldn't perform her poem.

The words of the person determining what makes it to the talent show are still fresh in Olive's mind: "How are you different from the others if your father is Negro and your mother is Indian? What makes Guyana different if it has six races?"

"When he told me I couldn't do my poem, I almost broke down. He turned to the audience and said: 'Do you like it? Do you understand it?' Before they could have answered he said; 'You see, nobody understands your poem'," Olive recounted.

"If somebody should ask me what was the most disappointing moment in my life, I would say not being able to perform my talent piece at Miss World."

Moving on to the night for judging the dresses, Olive said the three fashion designers were impressed with her dress, particularly the little turtles that were stitched on.

"It is very rare to have a contestant promote wildlife like this," she said.

Right through, Miss Guyana said she did her own makeup and hair. She remembered that it took one-and-a-half hours for her to do her hair on the Pageant Night.

SINGING AND DANCING
When it came down to the final night, Olive said she wasn't nervous at all.

"When I came out, I remember seeing my flag big and long - that was so nice."

"I was surprised, not disappointed, when I didn't see my name on the top 10 list. From then on, obviously, I knew I wasn't going to be a semi-finalist. But I was so happy for the girls that got picked. I can't explain it. I was so happy for them."

"After the pageant, there was a ball. I kicked off my shoes! It was so stress relieving. We were singing and dancing," Olive recalled.

"I was afraid of the reaction if I didn't come back home with the crown. I don't like to disappoint people. When I was in South Africa, I was thinking, 'Oh gosh, what if I don't come back with the crown? How am I going to face the Guyanese population?'"

"So many people were counting on me. But I just blocked out the thought of winning and focused on promoting my country," Olive said.

"I had lots of books that I got from Shell Beach and the Ministry of Tourism, which I shared out. The Mayor had given me a heap of little flags of Guyana that I pinned on the contestants, chaperones and even security guards."

"It was so nice to see them wearing the flag. I never thought I would be so patriotic. I really surprised myself. When you're away, it just hits home how much you really like your country."

"Oh, I really enjoyed being an ambassador for my country," the queen added.

"I met Zizi Mandela (Nelson Mandela's daughter) and we exchanged phone numbers. I told her about the Kids First Fund and she told me to call or email her for any support."

After the pageant on November 16, Olive went back to London. There she modelled for the December edition of the Italian magazine Joi'a.

Miss Guyana, while in London also did a photo shoot of some 700 pictures!

She visited the House of Lords and said, "I've actually been in the same room the Queen dresses in!"

The weekend before she returned to Guyana, Olive visited the "clean, beautiful and peaceful" Northern Ireland.

"Hopping from one country to the other is something I always wanted to do. But for it to have happened so soon in my life I just didn't imagine."

Olive is overjoyed that she is Miss Guyana and plans to continue with her teaching career in January and complete her final year in Marketing at the University of Guyana.

She will also continue to promote the conservation of endangered Marine turtles and to hopefully work along with the First Lady in the Kids First Fund.

"I know what I want out of life. Everything is happening for me. Wow! I didn't plan this!"