By Lesley-Anne van Wyk and Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK Newly crowned Namibian beauty Anna Nashandi is presently gearing herself up for the international stage. In three weeks’ time she’s off to Los Angeles to take part in the Miss Universe Pageant. Busily preparing for her upcoming trip to represent Namibia in the United States at the world’s biggest beauty spectacle, Namibia’s latest ambassador filled in New Era on the details of her getting ready. Crowned in May this year, she does not have the usual six months to prepare for the big event. With the pageant looming on July 23, she will be travelling to Los Angeles via London, to spend three weeks in interviews, travelling the US and preparing for the contest. Her recent training in Cape Town will be very useful to help her compete with the other Miss Universe contestants. Beauty pageant trainer Adrian Kelly polished up Anna’a make-up, hairstyling and interviewing skills and gave her advice on how to co-ordinate her daywear and eveningwear wardrobes. These wardrobes are being finalized with designer Wilmien Chaimberlan of Namibian Designers Emporium. This 22-year-old beauty has been fitting her national costume made by Nakara. The gown is almost ready, only short of the finer details. She describes it as “an elegant dress and it’s been made with leather and chiffon with a beautiful design of a Welwitschia sewn on the base of the garment”. “I’m very excited to be representing my country for the first time as an ambassador,” she says with an excited laugh. The national gift auction organised by the Miss Universe Pageant will be held on July 16, where Anna will be boasting an extravagant golden necklace laced with gems of exquisite colour and high value from Herrle and Herma Jewellers. Items from all pageant participants will be viewed at a silent auction where bidders can make their price and the highest offer purchases the goods. She also faces the challenge of packing only the necessities for her trip, which as you can imagine, is a difficult task. “I have to pack everything in one suitcase, I don’t know what to take along yet,” she says. Organiser of the Miss Namibia Pageant Connie Maritz said that all is in place for the upcoming trip of Miss Namibia and she’s expected to have a very busy schedule ahead of her. Maritz commented that this year will have the unique occasion of the “Red Carpet Event” which will see all of the nations introduced Hollywood style. Approximately 100 contestants are expected at the glitzy event, after which it will be narrowed down to fifteen. The next stage will see a final three chosen after the gruelling on-stage interview judging. Miss Namibia will not be chaperoned to the competition due to budgetary constraints.