Wow, it seems like forever since the pageant. I am guessing that it feels like forever because I miss everyone so much! Since I've been back, nothing too exciting has happened. I did another radio interview, thanking every for their support. It feels good to just relax, if only we could get some hot weather like Toronto!

On the first of August, I have my first rehearsal for the Cupids 400 dance! Cupids 400 is the 400th year celebration of Cupids, a small town here in Newfoundland, not too far away from where I live. My dance teacher, Catherine McRae, asked myself and about 10 others to be a part of the celebration. She is choreographing the dance numbers in the big event, and I can't wait to be a part of it! :)

Also coming up,the Miss Teen Trinity-Conception Pageant! I am so excited. Its in September, at the annual fall fair in Harbour Grace. I love that I can still be involved in pageants, and I am sure that there will be many more to come :) Last night, my mom tried to get some head shots of me for the Miss Teen Trinity-Conception Pageant, but it was too dark. However, There were a few of them I liked, but I think we are trying again when we get a sunny day.. if we get a sunny day!! :)

As for right now, I plan to just relax and take it easy. Maybe unpack my things from Toronto, which I have yet to do, two weeks later.. I hope everyone is having an amazing summer!

-Jaya:)

Bonjour everyone!

As you all know, last week I was a part of the Miss Teen Canada-World 2010 pageant, and let me say, it was AMAZING. I met so many people, Michelle, the choegoraphers, chaparones, makeup and hair artists, and last but not least, the 62 amazing girls from across Canada. Its truly amazing(and yes, I will be using that word lots in this..hehe) how I became so close to the girls in such a short amount of time. To know that I've made life long friends with the most brightest and most beautiful girls from around my country is actually an honor. I love you girls :)

Everybody had a fun-filled week, we were constantly having fun-even if it was 12 am and we were listening to Omar yelling out the counts for the dance..:)- and I would do it all again in a heart beat. We visited the CN Tower, went on a boat cruise with Damn Heels,- ET Canada and Inside Fashion were present!- went on the Hippo Bus Tour, visited some of the best restaurants in Toronto, and SO much more! I have gained so much from this experience. Friends, knowledge, and last importantly more confidence. I honestly realized so much more about myself. I always had confidence, but i've gained so much more because of Miss Teen Canada-World, its amazing. ALSO, I have to add that the girls raised over 70,000$ for Free The Children, that is INCREDIBLE! Congrats to Danielle for raising over 12,000$! Have fun on your ME to WE trip!

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone. Everyone involved with the MTC-W pageant, backstage helpers, makeup and hair artists, Michelle, Omar, Anthony, Glenroy, Shawn, Christopher Heely, Elmer Olson, Carrie, Chris, EVERYONE, thank you so much for everything, you helped make this experience an unforgettable one. Also, Mom, Kenny, bestfriends, sisters, family, friends, NEWFOUNDLANDERS, I cant thank you all enough for your support. Winning People's Choice wouldnt of been possible without all of you Newfies! We may be a little bit crazy, but we are all for supporting eachother :). Oh yes, and just a thank you to everyone, if I forgot anyone, know that I am thankful!

I figured I would also talk a little about my Quebec girls. Wow, there is so much to say. Amazing isnt the word for them. Natasha Heinz, Savannah Ragueneau and Merve Kulbay, I love you girls SO much. I dont even consider you girls my friends, I consider you my sisters. We were always laughing! You girls taught me to make the best of every situation..when we were tired, and hungry, you girls could make me laugh and forget about being tired and hungry. Its not the end for us my Quebecois! Newfoundland and Quebec will reunite again :) Vive La Quebec.. et Terre-Neuve<3!!

And finally, my time with the MTC-W pageant was amazing, every thing I've learned and gained, I will take with me forever! I couldnt have made a better choice by entering the pageant, it was totally worth it. Thank you SO much Michelle, for giving all the girls this amazing opportunity, it really does change lives. Thank you <3

PS: There are SO many pictures I want to show, I will upload them on my FLICKR as soon as possible :)!!! Thanks everyone<3

-Jaya!:)

Today I thought I would do an entry about ME. I was thinking that maybe you all would like to know a little bit more about me, my hobbies, favorite music, and lots more :) So here goes!

MUSIC

Let me start off by saying I absolutely LOVE music. You can always find me humming or singing, even if there is no music playing! I can't say that I like one specific type of music though, because I like a little bit of everything :) First of all, Taylor Swift is amazing! I adore her. Her music is inspiring and I can listen to her all day. My personal faves are Fearless and You Belong with Me. I can totally keep those two songs on repeat and never get sick of them. Next, I love Ke$ha. Her music is so catchy, and I love all of her songs. If I had to pick my favorite song by her I would have to say Tik Tok. That was the first song I ever listened to by Ke$ha, and I fell in love with it. Rex Goudie is also another one of my favorites. He is a Newfoundlander, and was on the television show, Canadian Idol. I think his music and his voice is amazing. My favorite by Rex is One True Summer Night. If you havent heard it, I recommend that you listen to it! Of course, there are many more artists that I like, but for now those are the main ones. Oh, and there is a certain song that i've had stuck in my head lately. Ghost by Fefe Dobson. I heard it on Much Music while I was at the gym last week, and i've been listening to it ever since!

SPORTS

Sports are pretty much my life! I know that sports keep me in good shape, not to mention that playing sports is SO much fun. I love how I can play a lot of sports but also be a girly girl, its definitely a good balance. My favorite sport is volleyball. Although there is no physical contact, you still need to be aggressive. I havent played volleyball for long, but I picked up on how to play pretty quick, and easily learned how to play every position. Middle, power, and setter, but my favorite is power! Overall, volleyball is my first choice when it comes to sports. I also love soccer. I love playing a soccer game in the rain, its a good adrenaline rush! I love everything about soccer really, the competition, the skill, the positions, everything, I play fullback-defense. Some people might say that playing fullback is the easiest position, but I disagree! It takes a lot of work and skill, along with every other position in soccer.I have been playing soccer for three years, and I think I love it more every year! Cheerleading is another sport that I love. Although some people dont consider it a sport, you need to be just as or more hard working as any other sport! The stunting is what everyone needs to be in shape for. It takes a lot of power, so you have to stay in shape, and stay toned! We run every practice, and do push ups and sit ups. It keeps us all in tip-top shape :) Cheerleading is so much fun, and I love it. I pretty much love every sport, but those are my top three!

HOBBIES

I have many hobbies, but my favorite hobby is writing. I could sit down all day and write stories. I love to use my imagination to write fictional stories and poems. I've always had an interest in writing, and I do well in my english courses. I havent ever really considered doing writing when I am older because I have always just wrote for fun, as a past-time! I also love to dance. I always choreograph dances in my spare time, and during the school year, I take dance classes. When I was in elementary school, me and my best friend Carly, always use to enter the school lip-sync competition. We would make up a dance, and preform infront of the entire school. We've made dances to Keke Palmer, Hilary Duff, Ashley Tisdale, Christina Millian, and many more! I have always had a passion for dancing, and I would definitely consider it one of my main hobbies :) I can't forget about reading. Even if its not reading a book, I love to read about celebrities, and read up on things I think is interesting. My favorite book is Because of Winn Dixie. I love that book so much! When the movie came out, I was so excited, but of course I think the book is so much better. I pretty much like any book, whether it be fictional or not. I also love to read magazines, reading up on the latest fashions. Reading is so important, and I am proud to say that it is one of my hobbies. Of course I have many hobbies, but those are my top three!!

FAMILY

My family is SO important to me. They are always there to support me, and I am always there to support them. I live with my three sisters and my mother. We have three pets, Cupcake-my puppy- Milley-our cat- and Oreo-our pet rat. Having three sisters isnt always easy. We argue, and fight, but we are always there for eachother. Jenna is 15, a year younger than me. Jenna and I always share clothes. We are around the same size, so its so easy. Jenna is like me when it comes to sports, we both LOVE sports! Jenna plays volleyball, basketball, softball, and so many other sports. She is really good! I find that my sister is so easy to talk to, and this is one of the many things I love about her. Keelee is 13 years old, and she is like me when it comes to fashion. Keelee is social, but she doesnt play many sports! We listen to the same music, and that is just one of the things we have in common! Syrai is my youngest sister. She is almost 6 years old, but I still think of her as my little baby sister. She is big on the arts. She loves to draw, sing and dance- I think she takes after me! She likes to be independent. She is a funny little gal, and the things she say crack me up all the time! I love her. Although I dont live with my Dad, I love him very much! He is one of the funniest people I know, and I love that he doesnt even have to try! My dad lives in Whitehorse with his family, and my sisters and I visit him as often as possible. My dad loves to watch sports, whether he can play them or not is a whole other story.. hehe. I love you dad! Last but not least, my Mom. My mom is sometimes funny-just kidding mom, I know youre going to read this :). She definitely has a good sense of humour. She has done SO much for my sisters and I. She is understanding and loves her family. She has sacrificed so much for not only me and my sisters, but for many people she loves. I look up to my mom as my role model, and I love her. Thanks for everything mommy :) I am going to mention another few people who I consider to be family. Kenny, Jenny, Sophie and Ben. They are all amazing, and I-along with my family- consider them to be family. Thank you SO much for everything you've done for me, and thank you for being a friend. I love you guys! I could seriously go on all day about my family, but I think ive said enough. I love you all!

BEST FRIENDS

My friends. Where do I start? I have so many, there is not going to be enough room, so I will just write about my two best friends. Before I do, I just want to thank ALL of my friends for everything. For being there, for supporting me and for everything in general. I love you all. I am going to start off with Carly. I actually dont even know where to start with her! We met in grade 4 when I first moved to Newfoundland. She was my first friend and we are still friends today. We have had some arguments, but we've always pulled through. She is pretty much my sister. I can tell her anything because I trust her with my life. She is a crazy girl! She is hilarious! Half of the things she says, I honestly have no idea where she comes up with it, but she always puts me in a good mood. I love how I can always count on her for anything. If im having a bad day, if I have a wardrobe malfunction, or even if I just need a friend to talk to. Thank you, Carly, for all of your support over the years, and especially with this upcoming pageant. Can't wait until you come up to Toronto to see me in the pageant, :) I love you best friend! Next is Nicole. I have also known Nicole since grade 4. We were always friends, but from grade 8 to now, we have been best friends. I love that I can tell Nicole anything. I know that she is trust worthy and will always support me. She looks out for me, and helps me have confidence in myself. I also consider Nicole to be my sister. She is always there to give me advice when I need it, or even when I dont. I am always learning from her, and I love that. We give eachother confidence, and thats one of my favorite things about our friendship! I love you Nicole :)  My friends are amazing, every single one of them.

Jaya

I like to consider myself a unique person. Maybe its because I have been called unique about a MILLION times! I love being different, and I dont like to stick to the status quo. Standing out is something I believe in, and its something I think I do. I dont know a single person who is exactly like me, and I am proud to say that. My favorite color is PINK. I love pink for many reasons, one being because I think its a bright color, that always stands out, like myself. I love the number 3. Its been my number in sports for as long as I can remember. I consider it my lucky number, and I also like the look of it, weird right?! :) I am completely obsessed with hand bags! I have a little collection of them because I think they are fashionable and glamorous. I like Guicci, Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana, very sharp. I love to get dressed up, and go out to social events, but I also love to put on a pair of sweats and watch a movie at home. I like to say that I am complex, in a good way :) I love to have a have a little-or big- change in my life every now and then.I am always up for trying new and exciting things. I am a crazy gal. I love to have fun, and I like to have a laugh. Oh yes, and I LOVE to meet new people, and make new friends. I am very confident in who I am, and everything ive accomplished throughout my life. I am super excited for MTC-W, and I believe it is going to be one of-or the- best experience of my life. I cant wait!!!!!!!!

If you look at the pink bold letters, you will see some of the things that describe me. Unique, different, glamorous,social, confident, fun, sharp and so on. I am proud of myself for everything I have accomplished in my life. I hope after reading this you know more about me, and about my interests. Have a good night everyone! :)

-Jaya:)

My time period for fundraising for Free The Children has ended. It has been a good 6 weeks, of course.. there are always more things I wish I could of did to raise more, but overall I am pleased. I want to thank everyone for all their support, not only with donations for FTC, but also for supporting me along my pageant preparations. It truly does mean so much to me, and I greatly appreciate it. I would name everyone who has helped me in the last few months, but there are SO many people, and I am pleased to say that. In four short days, I will be on my way to Toronto! Its hard to believe that this time next week, pageant week will be started. I have no idea where the time has went. With that being said, I am super excited to see my family up there in Toronto and I am also excited to see Chris!

Tomorrow, I am going into St. John's to do some pageant shopping. I am very excited to be picking out cute dresses, and lots of shoes for pageant week. I've been pretty busy the past week, so thats why I havent been able to write as much as I would of liked to. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I think I may be getting sick!! I have a super sore throat, and a bit of a cough, but I am sure that will past by next week :)  Well thats about it for now, next time I post, I'll be sure to add some pictures to make it more exciting ;-) Have a good night everyone! :)

-Jaya:)

In the new comedy, "My Fame Game" starring Jaya Pham, a not-so typical teenage girl discovers she has the ability to switch places with any celebrity, any time. With her mind-set to become famous, this is a dream come true. On her journey, she faces several conflicts which affect her real life, and her "celebrity" life. Of course she has to try and solve the problems in her life of fame before she can even think about boys, friends or family in her actual life. Her humour, determination, and confidence is always present, especially when meeting her 'new' celebrity friends. Not only is fashion a must in her celebrity life, but it is essential in her real life. Faze Media, SMOEJOE and Goody are all proud sponsors of this new hit TV show.

Faze Media is always up to date with whats "hot" in the business. Who else would have all the inside scoop on the actors, fashion AND the overall image of this soon to be hot hit of the month? Faze! Canada's #1 Youth magazine!

SMOJOE also a major sponsor for "My Fame Game" is all for media. How else would this new show be in such demand with out promotion? "SMOJOE builds communities around your goods and services, organically."

Last but not least Goody is proud to be called a sponsor to this fresh comedy. The actors and actresses in this series show us the prime examples of a perfect hair day. Goody hair products and hair accessories make these perfect hair days possible!

Who wouldn't want to be a sponsor of this fabulous new hit? Fashion, real-life situations, fame, and comedy? "My Fame Game" is the brand new, must see comedy show of the year!

-Jaya:)

Yesterday, June 22nd I held part 1 of my second fundraiser for Free the Children. Instead of people hiring others to do their planting, I volunteer to do it and all proceeds go to FTC. Since the 21st was a really bad day out, we took advantage of the nice day we had yesterday to do the planting. We went to the flower shop, and picked out a bunch of really pretty flowers to plant. I can safely say that I don't think i've seen as many bugs as I did in that soil! By the end of it, my clothes were full of soil and dirt, but it was really fun, and for an amazing cause. Oh and the flowers look great!! Part 2 of the "planting for dollars" will be on Monday, weather permitting of course :) A special thank you to Restaurant 99 for their donation to FTC, that is where we started the "PFD" fundraiser, so thanks a million :)

-Jaya:)

Today is the first official day of summer, and it is pouring rain!! We've had more rainy days than sunny days so far :(  I guess thats what happens when we barely get any snow during the winter. I started my day by waking up at 9 a.m, looked out my window and it was icky out. One of my best friends, Nicole and I went to the gym until 1:30. Felt good to be back. We then were supposed to do the "Planting for Dollars" fundraiser, but the weather wasn't good enough. Its supposed to be really nice on Wednesday, so hopefully we can do some planting done then, and maybe even find some time to go swimming :-). Did everyone watch the MMVA's last night? It was amazing, and my favorite performance was either "Perfect" by Hedley, or "California Girls" by Katy Perry. They're both awesome! Well, I hope everyone is enjoying the first day of summer, even if its raining! Talk soon :)

-Jaya:)

Today I write about community, in particular, my community of Spaniard's Bay. While doing everything I can to prepare for MTC-W, I realized I need to take a look at my surroundings through a different set of eyes. If someone from another province in Canada were to visit little ol' Spaniard's Bay, how would they see it? Let me start by saying that Spaniard's Bay is located on the Baccalieu Trail, Route 70 ,and is the largest bay in Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Just a 45 minute drive from the province's Capital of St.John's, Spaniard's Bay, named for the early Spanish settlers who fished for cod in the waters off the coast, can be found.

Spaniard's Bay is a little piece of heaven for any photographer, artist or tourist. While walking the shore of the ocean in this community one can feel the wind sing, the waves talk and take in the breath taking surroundings.The Ocean is AMAZING! No matter where you are in Spaniard's Bay you are next to the ocean. You can see the little boats that the fishermen use in the water all the time. Its really neat when you can actually see someone standing up in their handcrafted boat, fishing. The waves can get pretty big, smashing up against the rocks, but at times, the water is calm and is truly a sight to see. I am completely use to rough waters against the rocks, the salty air from the Atlantic Ocean, the scenic views and of course the fish. Believe it or not there was a time, not so very long ago that I was afraid of fish. Now my favorite time of the year to visit the shoreline is in July because that is when the capelin roll in. It is amazing to see the thousands of capelin come in with the tide! People of all ages are out with their nets and their buckets catching the capelin and having some great fun doing so. If you ever get a chance to visit our wonderful province in the month of July, I would highly recommend this activity but prepare to get wet and have some fun even if you have your rubber boots on.

The historic sites of Spaniard's Bay are very interesting and heritage is very important to the people here. If ever visiting this wonderful community I would encourage you to visit the Spaniard's Room a turn-of-the-century Second Empire Victorian style home and a designated registered heritage structure which provides great accommodations. There is also the bell at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church. This bell was given to St. Anne's in the 1800's by the Holy Trinity Anglican Church and is definitely something to see. Spaniard's Bay is also home of the 565 MILLION year old fossil find and a protected bird estuary.

The scenic part of Spaniard's Bay is amazing, but the people are great as well. This little town has a population of 2694 and although a growing community with many modern conveniences this place still has the small town feel and loyalty from its residents. Newfoundlanders are always known for their friendliness and hospitality and this can be seen clearly in the community of Spaniard's Bay. As visitor or a life long resident out for a walk someone will stop you to have chat, or say hello in typical Newfoundland fashion ( "waddya at de day me son") this is pretty much guaranteed. As a matter of fact when I moved to this town with my family 6 years ago the first Newfoundland saying I learned was "waddya at de day me son" and it didn't take long before I was saying "b'y" at the end of my sentences. The dialect of Newfoundlanders can be found altered from community to community and Spaniard's Bay certainly has a dialect all of its own. I bet upon having your first conversation with a life long resident that you may not understand a word that comes out of their mouth until you ask them to slow down.  I laugh as I type this because I remember clearly saying what, or pardon many times but that quickly turns into "wa ya sain b'y ". It is something to experience and chuckle about for years to come. I sure hope that I am understood when I arrive in Toronto a few short weeks from now.

You will always feel welcomed in Spaniard's Bay because people are committed here, committed to the growth and success of the town and people in it. The Royal Canadian Legion, The Recreation Committee, Byron Smith Accounting and The Town of Spaniard's Bay have shown me this throughout my pageant journey with their generous sponsorship of me and I am so grateful. I have to also take this opportunity to thank my major sponsor, Restaurant 99, also a business in Spaniard's Bay. Without them this pageant experience would not be possible for me and the best Chinese food in "da bay" would not be possible to the hundreds of people who frequent there for a "feed". I encourage anyone visiting the area to drop in and grab a bite and chat er up with the wonderful staff. Amazing is a word that comes to mind, for the business, community and atmosphere of this wonderful place called Spaniard's Bay and I am proud to call it my home.

-Jaya:)

On June 18th and 19th, I held a small fundraiser at the Bay Roberts mall. I sold candy kabobs, did some face painting and accepted donations. Of course, when I said 'I' held a fundraiser, that includes all of my friends who helped, so I am thanking them for their support. Also my mom, she helped me get everything together, and if I didnt have her I would of been lost!  Saturday was pretty slow, not many people around.. but there were a nice few people on Friday :) I'm satisfied with what we raised, thanks for the donations everyone, but I will always have that goal to raise more the next time :) I am hoping to set up another stand in the Carbonear mall VERY soon, and have a car-wash. Along with the ongoing penny drive, I hope to raise a lot more money! Oh and I cant forget to mention that my friends and I are doing a "planting for dollars" fundraiser this week. Usually, people hire others to do their planting for them but instead, my friends and I will do the planting for them while all the proceeds go to Free The Children! I will keep you all updated :)

So exams are finally over, I'm hoping things will cool down a bit so I can get some time to hit the gym! Feels like its been forever since I've been there and I have to admit, I miss it! I'm super excited for Summer, but I am more excited for the pageant!! I will be in Toronto on the 7th, which means only 18 more days! Wow, that just made me more excited!!  Seems like just yesterday I was on stage when they announced that I would be going to MTC-W. Crazy, crazy!

Today I plan on going out with my mom, and taking pictures of the Avalon community, or better yet, my home! Newfoundland is such a beautiful place and I can't wait to get started on my 'project.' I am in the process of writing about the places that I love here on the East Coast, so stay updated to learn all about NL :) It was good to finally write again, hopefully now with school being over I will write more often!

-Jaya:)