Miss Supranational 2018, Valeria Vazquez, traveled to Honduras at the end of August for a short trip to this country. She is the first Miss Supranational winner who visited this Central American country. Valeria recently reflected on her trip:

“My trip to Honduras started a bit unexpectedly when I had to leave Puerto Rico earlier than expected because of an approaching Hurricane. I spent the night in Panama and arrived in San Pedro Sula the next day. Though it was a short trip, it was also a very busy one.

I got interviewed by the local media, included Iconos Magazine, who invited me to Honduras. It was a good chance for me to think about the past year and all the experiences I have had as Miss Supranational.

I gave two speeches – one at a university and one at a junior and middle school. It was actually the first time that I gave such formal speeches and I was wondering how the audience would react to it. I wanted to show them that I am just a normal person like them… also with dreams and goals. My talks were mostly about personal motivation, the important role women play in the world and my views on the world of beauty. The response was overwhelming and it made me realize the power of this platform. Many of the students reached out to me on Instagram after the speeches to tell me how much they enjoyed it. I was really touched by this and loved this experience.

Another fun event was the crowning of Nicole Ponce as Miss Supranational Honduras. It will be the first time that Honduras returns to the Supranational stage since 2013. Nicole is lovely and I wish her all the best for the finals in Poland.

The Mayor of San Pedro Sula’s wife took me on a tour to visit some nurseries funded by the local government for low-income family. It’s free of charge for children to go there and the children have a happy, safe place to stay while their parents work to earn money for their families. We also visited the ‘League of Cancer’. It’s a facility where cancer can be diagnosed and treated. I was really impressed by the equipment because it’s a really complete center and how hard they are working to ensure that people’s health is a top priority. The treatments are complete free and all the funding comes from fundraising.

There was also a lovely brunch event to raise money for the League of Cancer. I was honored to be a special guest at such a meaningful event.

Iconos had a big gala event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Circulo Teatral Sampedrano CTS. It was a very grand night and I felt like a queen in my lavish gown. We watched a special performance and I got to meet some of the most important people in the theatre circles of Honduras.

In a million years, I never thought I would visit Honduras. It was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you to Iconos Magazine, the Mayor’s wife, Junior Zelaya and the people of Honduras for their hospitality.”

Photos courtesy of Iconos Magazine