Miss Universe Canada 2010 Contestant - Paniz Yousefzadeh's Photo & Profile/Biodata

Paniz Yousefzadeh

AGE: 20| HEIGHT: 5'8" | HOMETOWN: NORTH VANCOUVER, BC

The size of the Universe tends to depress many people and make them feel insignificant; however, for Paniz, there is an important place to fill and she believes that every piece of humankind plays a vital role in fitting itself into the great jigsaw puzzle. Being born in Tehran, Iran and living there for the first hemisphere of her life, differed tremendously from the life she now leads in Canada. Moving to the beautiful city of Vancouver, presented boundless opportunities and exposed a different view on women; considering them as equals and allowing them to become influential figures in society. The sense of freedom assured Paniz that no dream of hers would be out of reach and; therefore, she strives to achieve her goals and seeks to turn her dreams into reality.

In her early childhood, Paniz expressed a great passion for the Arts. She was specifically drawn to fashion design and the glamour of the entertainment industry. For her birthdays, she would only and always ask for art supplies varying from blank canvases to crayons and paintbrushes. At age seven, she actually convinced her parents to permit her to turn her room into her greatest art project. After only a few weeks, all four walls were covered in drawings without a single blank space. Her passion for the Arts evolved over the years and resulted in her involvement in minor local plays, fashion shows, and Art exhibitions.

Besides her interests in that area, she considers education to be paramount. She is currently in her second year at Simon Fraser University pursuing a double major in Communications and Political Science. From these two subjects, she hopes to take with her a great amount of knowledge and apply it to her everyday life. A career ambition of hers is to become an entertainment lawyer in a major city like New York and perhaps run her own clothing line alongside. She is also a part-time waitress at Cactus Club Café and has been part of the team for nearly four years. When not in school or working, Paniz spends time with friends and family. One of her favourite pastimes is trying different foods and going out to hidden restaurants and lounges in the city.

Like any other young woman, Paniz possesses certain quirks and attributes that set her apart from others. Some of these include her weakness for cheesecake, her inability to resist funky stilettos and her fascination with house music. She identifies the genre as a healing device and will not hesitate to dance and groove to the sound of it. Being as young as she is, Paniz has been fortunate enough to have already visited France, Spain, England, and Mexico, along with parts of Canada, USA, and the Middle-East. She hopes to continue her travels around the world and get familiarized with different foods and cultures. Paniz believes that she can meet endless possibilities by maintaining a healthy balance of the mind, body, and soul.

Questionnaire

Are you currently a student?
If yes, where?
Area of study: Yes, Simon Fraser University: pursuing a double major in Communications and Political Science.

Are you currently employed?
If yes, what is your occupation? Yes, I am a waitress at Cactus Club Café.

Have you completed secondary school?
If yes, where? Yes, Carson Graham Secondary.

Have you completed university/college?
If yes, where? No, I am currently a student at Simon Fraser University.

Have you completed any technical/professional school?
If yes, where?
What subject?
I have completed an animation course at Capilano University.

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
Farsi -Native language
English - Second language
French - Intermediate level and currently taking French in University

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
I have always been involved in the field of Fine Arts. I have taken various different art classes such as acrylic, animation, and fashion design.
As a child, I acted in several television shows in Iran. Once I moved to Canada, I continued that path by being involved in a few acting workshops as well as my High school’s Improv team along with the annual one act plays that took place both at the school and at a local presentation house.
I have also taken dance at a primary level. (Hip Hop and break-dance)

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
I took swimming lessons for nearly 4 years and I have currently taken up snowboarding in the hopes of one day being able to ride my board all the way down without getting face washed. I would also like to overcome my fear of getting off the chairlift. I like to maintain a healthy body by working out at the gym and I recently got introduced to Yoga which I am enjoying very much and I hope to advance by doing it regularly.

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.
Carson Graham Secondary (2003 to 2008)
Simon Fraser University – Political Science and Communication Studies (2008 to Present)

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
Red Cross
BC Children’s hospital
BC Cancer Foundation
Big Brothers
UNICEF
Salvation Army
And most recently SOS children’s villages

What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job would have to be a sole combination of my passions, my strengths, and my potency. The two careers that I find compatible with this theory are rather different from one another yet I have always dreamt of pursuing the both of them. One is to become a successful entertainment lawyer, bringing my leadership skills and knowledge together with the fascination I have for the entertainment industry. The second dream job is to become a notable fashion designer. I have always been drawn to the world of fashion: from the makeup and hair all the way to the heel of the stiletto. I love to innovate and designing clothes allows me to push my creativity to its fullest potential.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
Being a renowned judge for most of his life, my grandfather is a man of true wisdom and kindness. He is the most positive, patient, and accomplished being I have ever encountered. Throughout my life, he has taught me how to respect myself and others, how to carry myself as a lady, and most importantly how to pursue my dreams. After having moved to Canada, I didn’t get to see him for 9 years and in that time, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. I recently went to Iran and seeing my grandfather for the first time after 9 years, was the best part about my trip. Even though he no longer remembered who I was and couldn’t perform anything on his own, he still maintained his positive spirit and would make little jokes and comments that would put a smile on everyone’s face. Regardless of his inabilities, he still manages to brighten up every room. I hope that I can continue to take everything that I have learnt from him and apply it to my everyday life.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)
I think my proudest personal accomplishment is something I experience everyday and that is waking up in the morning and leading a productive day. I enjoy keeping busy and working on different projects. Whether small or big, it always involves overcoming a challenge and learning a thing or two. Spending my days in this manner, assures me that I didn’t let time to go to waste and I accomplished something during the course of the day although being sick doesn’t count because that is when I love to just lounge around, put in my favourite movies, and drink lots of fluids.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
As mentioned earlier when I spoke of my dream job, my career ambition is to become an entertainment lawyer and a fashion designer alongside. I am currently working towards a bachelor in Communications and Political Science which will help nurture me prior to attending Law School. I also aspire to become a fashion designer and I hope to accomplish this goal by continuing my sketches, taking sewing classes, and perhaps even flourishing the drawings on my Political Science lecture notes.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was born In Tehran, Iran and raised there for the first half of my life. Experiencing life in a third world middle-eastern country bears no resemblance to that of life in Canada. Although I grew up having a very open minded and some may say more westernized parents, strict limitations and the traditional mindset of people was inevitable. Aside from those negative aspects, living in Iran granted me the pleasure of being close to all of my family and relatives. Being the youngest grand daughter of both my mother and father’s side gave me the opportunity to mature faster than others due to spending time with my sister and cousins who were all older. Although, sometimes I would get left out because I was the “baby” of the family, I enjoyed having role models and I always desired to become one myself. Besides family, I had some great friends whom to this day I am in touch with. The rest of my childhood proceeded in Canada where I learnt to adapt to a whole new lifestyle, with a lot more opportunities hence my filling out a questionnaire for Miss Universe Canada.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
I have always loved children and am in awe at the purity and innocence they possess. Having said that, I took a babysitting course at the age of 12 and I was fully certified to baby sit, considering I was still a baby myself. Wanting to get a jump start on my career, I hand made pamphlets which I distributed all over North Vancouver, promoting myself as Canada’s Next Top Babysitter. Sitting by the phone waiting to get a call, I finally landed a two hour baby sitting session. I had in mind a child between the age of 6 and 9 but I soon found out that I was asked to take care of an 8 month old baby. Besides my cabbage patch kid doll, I had never been in the presence of a newborn baby so I started to panic. When I told my mom about agreeing to it, she panicked even more so she decided to tag along with me. My own mother came to baby sit me while I was supposed to be the one babysitting.

List any volunteering you have done.
I have volunteered at the library numerous times for reading to small children and acting as their “buddy” for a few hours a week. I volunteered for many different things throughout high school, from being on the student council to helping out in school productions. I have also volunteered as a model for photo shoots, hair shows, and photographer’s personal portfolios.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?
I feel blessed to have had visited various different parts of the world and picking only one place to speak of isn’t easy; however, I can easily name the number one spot for watching the most beautiful sunset and that is at Café del Mar which is located in Sant Antoni de Portmany on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza. Being the number one chill out spot, this café plays easy listening ambient music right by the sea. Hundreds of people gather to move to the music, drink some sangria, and most importantly experience the sun at its utmost brilliance. It is truly an unforgettable sight and every time it rains too much in Vancouver, I find myself staring at all of the pictures I took. One big tip for anyone who travels there and wants to experience Café del Mar, make sure you get there EARLY!!

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
Like anyone else, I am endowed with little corks and imperfections that make me unique like the fact that I put hot sauce on 99% of foods, I can’t stand having my toes stick out of my duvet when I sleep, and at times I tend to talk to myself in the mirror; Motivational speech, one would say. In addition to all of that, in my high school yearbook, I was voted most likely to become Miss Universe. Apparently, I took that a bit too seriously but I’m glad that I did.

What is your philosophy of/in life?
A perfect life is imagined different by each individual as there is no universal definition of “perfection”. It is essential to discover it for oneself and willingly pursue it based on personal values despite how others may constitute their perfect life. It is important to remind ourselves that humour can help us through the fumbles of life, that others will lend a hand if we allow them, and for every regret or disappointment we may have, there is a lot more to be thankful for.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
In 10 years, I would like to gaze back at the life I have led and be proud of everything that I have accomplished and all the great things I have experienced. I hope for my dream job to have come true and for a life full of progress. I want to be close to my family and friends and surround myself with positive energy and lastly, I would want nothing more but for the presence of love, health, and happiness.

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
In the fall, when I was working one day, a homeless man walked into the restaurant and asked to speak to the manager. He wanted to help around the restaurant by washing dishes, windows, recycling etc…in return for a bite to eat. His offer was rejected due to the possibility of more homeless people coming to do the same. Seeing the disappointed look on his face, I offered him a menu and told him that I would buy him anything that he wanted. He refused and said that he had to work for it but I finally convinced him to pick something. After buying him our biggest and best burger with fries, he attempted to give me the toonie in his pocket but I declined. The next day I came to work, there was an envelope in the staff area with my name on it; inside there was a thank you note and a lottery ticket which he had bought with his only toonie. It might have not been a winning ticket; however, knowing that I had touched his heart by such a small gesture, touched mine even deeper.

source: (Thank you and credits to
http://www.beautiesofcanada.com/
and all sources for the information and pictures)