Miss World Sizes Up Most Desirable Man
By J.R. Breen
Contributing Writer
MUJU, North Jeolla Province ― When Kaiane Aldorino returned home to Gibraltar after being crowned Miss World 2009, her country treated her as if she were a real queen.
Crowned last December, the 23-year-old hails from the small British colony off the southern tip of Spain. With a population of only 30,000, the whole country turned out to see her, she said, when she returned from the beauty pageant that took place in South Africa.
``I feel honored to put my country on the map," the tall brunette told The Korea Times, Tuesday. The state even sent a private jet to pick her up.
``It was the biggest event there has ever been in Gibraltar," she said. "Everyone was out, all ages. They closed offices and shops early, so people could be out for me."
The beauty queen arrived in Korea on Sunday as a judge for the Mr World 2010 competition currently underway.
She will be evaluating contestants throughout the competition and will also be on the panel for the finale on March 27 in Incheon.
Aldorino said she sees herself staying in Gibraltar, despite its small size, where she works as a recruitment officer in a hospital.
``Gibraltar is a very small place," she said. "But I love living there and I have always lived there.''
With the title of Miss World comes a lot of traveling, but this is nothing new to Aldorino.
``I have always loved traveling. Every year we had a family vacation,'' she said. But the Miss World crown was her first opportunity to visit Asia. She came to Korea for the first time in January.
``I would love to go to all the continents, every place has a unique atmosphere.''
So far being Miss World has meant mostly charity work.
``I have done two (charity phone-ins), the last one was one week ago in England. That collected a total of 3.1 million pounds,'' she said.
Aldorino cannot get married while she holds her title, and so she sees the rest of her crowned year to involve mainly charity work. Afterward she expects to return to her administrative job.
Having spent little time so far with the Mr World contestants, she said that she is just trying to get know who everyone is at this point.
``Seeing them every day, it will influence me. It is good to get to know them rather than judge them on one night,'' Aldorino said. ``Everyone has a bad day. I will get to see them in a different aspect of their personality.''
When asked what she is looking for in the winning contestant she said that there are a number of factors.
``Obviously it is hard to find someone who is perfect in every way. Everybody has their good and bad.''
Contestants are being judged on both their physical attributes and their personalities, she added.