Jennifer Pham says she believes in seizing opportunities

A Vietnamese born holder of several beauty titles in the US is doing a fine job balancing success and family.

“I have been blessed with so many good things. However, I don’t want to be a selfish person who was born merely to indulge in the blessings,” the Vietnamese-American said.

“I think there’s nothing perfect in life. Whether our life is good or not depends on how we see it. I’m happy with what I have and think I’m more fortunate than many others. But we try to make our lives better each day.”

To Pham, who won Miss Asia USA in 2006, luck however, doesn’t play an absolute role in her success.

“The important thing is how we grasp the opportunities that come our way.”

“Winning beauty titles has enabled me to be an ambassador of American youth and given me opportunities to contribute to the community,” said the former pageant winner who is now working for a medical company that will organize Miss World 2010 in Vietnam, the Rare Antibody Antigen Supply Inc. (RAAS).

She’s always in the public eye not just because of her beauty and success but as the wife of renowned singer Quang Dung. The couple met on a film set.

A lot of gossip about their relationship and marriage circulated in 2007, but the couple’s love has remained strong and they have proved they can have a happy family.

“I feel so happy with my family and my son,” she said.

“Getting married and giving birth has given me two duties important to a woman’s life: being a wife and a mother.”

She doesn’t think the cultural differences between her and Dung are an impediment to their marriage.

Despite living in the US since she was a small child, Pham said she is Vietnamese at heart as she was brought up and educated in the Vietnamese way.

Dung often performs abroad, so he has grown accustomed to foreign culture.

“In fact, the cultural differences enrich our relationship,” Pham said.

What she likes in Dung, whose favorite genre is romantic music and golden oldies, is his gentleness, tact and sensitivity.

She said she feels proud to be known as Dung’s wife and arranges her time to balance between family and career as she also wants to achieve success in work and indulge her passion for acting.

Despite holding a medical degree from California University, she has no plans for a medical career.

Pham was born in 1985 in Ho Chi Minh City before moving to the US with her family three years later. Her Vietnamese name is Pham Vu Phuong Hoang.

She is the first Vietnamese beauty in the competition’s 18-year history to win the prestigious Miss Asia USA in 2006.

Judged on her looks and knowledge of Vietnam, she has also won other coveted awards, including the runner-up spot at the Miss Vietnam USA 2005 pageant, Miss Vietnamese American Top Model 2005 and Miss Vietnamese in Southern California 2006.

She has been involved in many charity activities throughout the US and Asia such as volunteering for the Vietnam Education Foundation, an initiative by the government and the people of the US to promote closer relations between the US and Vietnam.

She has participated in many major shows, including Thanh Nien’s 17th fundraising extravaganza Duyen Dang Viet Nam (Charming Vietnam) in January 2007.

Reported by Hai Mien