Sanaz Ardebili
AGE: 26 | HEIGHT: 5'7" | HOMETOWN: COQUITLAN, BC
If you had to describe Sanaz in one word, it would be ‘driven’. Her personal life experiences have moulded her into the person she is today; the way she views, enjoys and contributes to life. She enjoyed the privilege of living in three different continents of the world. She was born in Iran, grew up in Belgium until age sixteen, and immigrated to Canada with her family right in time to take part in prom night. As a result, she is a well-rounded cultured individual and knows how to speak English, Dutch, French, and Farsi. She has learned to adapt herself quickly to different environments, individuals, and cultures.
Sanaz learned to play the piano at age six and continued with classical piano lessons until age 16. She enjoys traveling the world, and tropical destinations give her the enjoyment of inner peace and serenity.
Sanaz graduated in 2006 from Simon Fraser University with Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Criminology. During and after her academic career, she has been preparing herself to fulfill her dream of becoming a lawyer. She has explored different sections of Canada’s Criminal Justice System through her work and volunteer experience, as a way of prepping herself for a career in law. On one side of the spectrum, Sanaz volunteered to work with victims of crime, lawyers and courts, and on the other side of the spectrum, she worked directly with offenders in a maximum security youth custody center. These experiences really taught her the value of life, and showed her how blessed she truly is. Her father, mother and sister are her only family in Canada, and they have been her best support system.
In the past two years, Sanaz dived into the business world in the area of project management, public relations, as well as the financial industry. The reason she pursued a career in the business world is because she wanted to attain a high degree of professionalism; in addition, she always keeps herself challenged by educating herself on new subjects. She wanted to be an expert at quick solution providing and delivering within deadlines, skills that are critical in the legal profession. Sanaz hopes to use the Miss Universe Canada title to show all young women they can be successful leaders, and can achieve anything they set their mind to.
Questionnaire
Are you currently a student?
No
Are you currently employed? Yes
If yes, what is your occupation? Financial planner
Have you completed secondary school? Yes
If yes, where? Pinetree secondary, Coquitlam
Have you completed university/college? Yes
If yes, where? Simon Fraser University
Have you completed any technical/professional school?
If yes, where? IFSE Institute
What subject? Mutual Funds
Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
Dutch, Farsi, French
English
List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc)
Classical Piano from age 6 -16 ( music academy in Belgium)
In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
I played volleyball and basketball during my university years. In addition, I played these same sports with young offenders, when I used to work in jail.
Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
Simon Fraser University, Bachelor of Arts, Criminology major, graduated 2006
Mutual Funds, IFSE Institute, Mutual Funds (2009)
What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?
Canadian Cancer Society
Haiti
SOS Children’s Villages
What would be your "dream job" in life? Lawyer
Since I was a little girl, I was always fascinated by lawyers. I would watch certain movies just to see the action in court and witness’ questioning by lawyers. I know that you have to be extremely skilled at public speaking and be a great diplomat. You have to relay your point, and it needs to be so perfectly crafted that anyone can understand what you are presenting. I have worked with lawyers during my SFU practicum and I was absolutely thrilled when we went to court.
Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
Other than my parents, one of my best friends has had a great influence on me in life; she has been in my life since I first came to Canada. Her and I have gone and helped each other through many hardships in our lives. She is an amazing person inside and out and has a very optimistic outlook on life. She lost her mom recently and I have never seen a stronger person than her. She helped and took care of her father; she excelled in her career, working her way up to the top and still manages to keep a smile on her face. She is a true example of a hardworking woman and I will always look up to her.
When I worked in the youth custody center, I used to spend my days talking with young offenders and participate in programming with them. Their life stories impacted my life; I started to appreciate and view life in a completely different way. These youth had not been given a true chance at ‘real’ living and enjoyment. Many of them came from lives which included mental and physical abuse, addiction and no support network.
What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)
I am extremely proud that I was able to learn English as fast as I did. I came to Canada and was thrown into Physics, Chemistry and Biology 11, which were taught in English, right off the bat. I excelled in all these courses and went straight to university where I continued to write 40 page research papers.
Working in a youth custody center, I was faced with real dilemmas. I always wanted to help these troubled youth by giving them good advice. However, I would always see them come back to the custody center, even though I thought I had guided them in the right direction. I realized that no matter how much I tried, they had to make that decision for themselves. I am proud that I continued to do my best in trying to help, even though I knew I would see them come back; I never gave up. In the past couple of years, I have seen some of them out and about; they came up to me and thanked me for my words of wisdom, as they had followed a different path in life. They told me that I made a real impact on them; these were really proud moments for me.
What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I am preparing myself for entering law school in the near future. I would like to be a successful lawyer. Currently, I am studying and prepping myself to write the LSAT exam to gain entry into a Canadian law school.
Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
I was born in Iran, and my parent immigrated to Belgium when I was 2. My mom, dad, and sister are the most important people in my life. I never had any close relatives, like aunts or uncle, cousins, who lived near me. My parents have been the best support system for me; they are very loving and open-minded individuals. They made me who I am today. I went to an all girls’ catholic school in Belgium; I remember being the only Middle Eastern girl in the entire school, as I grew up in a small city, called Roeselare. My parents were very hard working and they had a very hard time coping with adapting themselves to a new culture and language. As soon as they got settled and finally learned how to speak Dutch, we moved again to Vancouver, Canada, only to re adapt ourselves to a new culture and language. I had a hard time in high school because of the language barrier. I was just 16 and I had to start everything from scratch: find new friends, adapt and learn a new language. As I am a ‘social butterfly’, I quickly established myself in Canada, and build a network of good friends that I can rely on. My childhood was amazing; I learned and experienced many things that I believe many other children my age never had to face. It has only made me a stronger person today.
List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
I was a correctional officer for two years in a maximum security youth custody center. I really wanted to understand how our Criminal Justice System worked and wanted to analyze how offenders behave and think. I learned to appreciate my own life, as I heard many life stories from youth, who were not as lucky as I was.
List any volunteering you have done.
-I worked as a Victim Assistance Worker for the RCMP Victim Services for two years
- I volunteered for Access Justice, and helped organize their free legal clinics
- I organized many fundraiser events during my university years.
Where is the most interesting place you have been?
I visited Chichen Itza, one of the greatest Mayan centers of the Peninsula of Yucatan. The Mayan ruins are magnificent works of art, simply breath taking, and they have so much history and culture behind them.
What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
I have lived in three different continents of the world, Asia (Iran), Europe (Belgium), and Americas (Canada). I have adapted myself to different cultures, environment and people on many occasions. This experience has made me a well- rounded, cultured person. I have travelled all over the world and will continue to do so. I am definitely a ‘social butterfly’, I believe that in every person’s core there is goodness and love, and I always manage to bring that out in them.
What is your philosophy of/in life?
I believe that in life everything happens for a reason and that you, as an individual, are responsible for it. We create our lives by our thoughts and energy. You are and will become what you believe in and what you attract. I believe in the ‘secret’ of life, positive energy and natural laws governing those energies. Your life will shape itself around what you really want to accomplish.
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
In the next ten years, I would like to own one of the top law firms in our country and work with a set of incredible lawyers who are passionate about life. I would like to contribute to our society by doing a lot of pro bono work, as there are many people who need legal aid that can not afford it. Everyone deserves a chance to a fair trial and good representation.
Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
I am the definition of what people call “a busy bee”. I am always busy doing something, whether it is working, networking, spending time with my friends and family, coming up with new ideas. Even when I am not doing anything, my mind is constantly thinking of what I should do next.
I have learned not to dwell on the past, and to learn from my mistakes. I believe that every mistake or any decision you make in life makes you a stronger person and prepares you for what is going to come next.
source: (Thank you and credits to
http://www.beautiesofcanada.com/
and all sources for the information and pictures)
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