Mihika Verma Instagram – I was barely 18 when I entered the miss international pageant in the summer of 2004.I remember standing at Tokyo airport nervous as hell..the first thought in my head was “Run back home” . Off course I wanted it..worked for it but I didnt know if I was ready for it. The first few days were the hardest..the language barrier being the first deterrent. I vividly remember crying the first few nights in my room. I had always been a social and outgoing person but there were about 80 girls from different parts of the world and somehow I could just not mingle with them! I withdrew into a shell and kept to myself limiting my conversations with everyone to mere pleasantries.But as the days passed I observed that even though I wanted to be to my myself, my co contestants were in no mood to allow me to do that:) Many of them made a conscious effort to come and sit with me during my meals and get to know more about me than just being a Miss India. They wanted to know about my interests,my life experiences,my education etc. Then it hit me that this doesn’t have to be a competitive platform but a way of meeting people from different countries and races. Unfortunately I realised that a little too late:) And I think it’s because I was training for a an international competitive beauty pageant..there was tremendous pressure to perform. But if I could go back to Mihika back then I would have surely reassured her and told her “enjoy kar Le yaar..it’s the opportunity of a lifetime” Eventually I was one of them…I had lots to catch up on since I took a while warming up to them,but people who know me really well know that I can be quite a tube light at first but once the lights are on then they are ON;) I did not win the title but I won hearts:) I made friends and promises to those friends that we would be in touch come what may. We connected with each other through social media and tried to stay in touch as much as possible. As time passed the pageant became a fond but vague memory.I got busy with life and struggled to get work on television and in the rat race to survive and make it, I left these friends far behind. But these friends never left me:) not then,not now,not ever!!! Boston, Massachusetts