In
interviews with the Indian news agencies, Miss Earth Nicole Faria was lavish in
her praises to Vietnam, the host country of the Miss Earth 2010 pageant.

Nicole Faria left Vietnam
to her country - India
– on December 13 after being crowned as Miss Earth 2010 in Nha Trang on
December 4.

Faria’s return was warmly welcomed by the local media and
local people. Hundreds of Indian waited at the Chhatrapti Shivaji
Airport in Mumbai to
greet Faria. A big party was held to congratulate Faria’s victory.

“My mailbox is full of congratulations. People warmly
welcomed me at the airport and I have not had time to see my friends,” she said
in an interview with a local newspaper.

She said she brought home the best memories about an
interesting trip to Vietnam.

“I had wonderful time in Vietnam and I’ve had many new
friends. Vietnamese people are very friendly. Kids are lovely and I’ve learnt
how to use chopsticks. I want to return to Vietnam…” she said.

Nicole Faria, 20, is an Indian model and beauty queen from Bangalore. She is the
first woman from India
to win Miss Earth

Faria has been in the modeling business since 2005. She has
shot for fashion magazines like Elle, Cosmopolitan, Vogue among others.

Faria won the Miss India Earth title at the Pantaloons
Femina Miss India 2010 beauty pageant in Mumbai. Pantaloons Femina Miss India
is a national beauty pageant competition in India, which annually selects three
winners to compete internationally. She won along with Manasvi Mamgai, who was
crowned Femina Miss India World 2010, and Neha Hinge who got the Femina Miss
India International 2010.

Faria represented India
in the Miss Earth 2010 beauty pageant in Vietnam, and was crowned Miss Earth
2010.

She won the Miss Talent, the first special award in the 10th
Miss Earth pageant. She performed a graceful belly dance that combined Oriental
and Middle Eastern style in an event that raised VND100 million, which was
donated to the HCM City Red Cross, to support flood victims in the central
region of Vietnam.

PV