It is time for an update.  For the past 4.5 and half year with a little bit of Norway in between, I have been living, studying and working in New York.  There is no place like New York, I absolutely love it. I love my people there, I love the culture and I love the places. It was my dream to come here and it all been a dream. I have had several fairytale moments, which I never could dream of. I experienced meeting amazing people, find love and travel.

However life in New York, is always a lot of work, moving and stress. I got a job offer in LA, and I felt it was time to take that chance and do something different. Miss Norway takes a lot of time and work for me, and I love it. And I feel LA would give me inspiration to focus on health, and more time to plan. Also new inspiration. So on Wednesday I packed my bag, and I went over here. I am excited to see what LA brings and how life here is. As well as to get focus on my projects and routines to be the best version of myself!

I have never been more scared. But what is life without taking chances? I know I would have regretted not going. However I will be back in New York, in a few weeks. New York is still home! Let's give LA a try for now.

Love from LA.

Xoxo

Rebecca

 I decided to go to Kenya this year to make a change for people. A lot have happened the past months. It’s just started with an idea I had, and I am so excited that this is actually happening. I wanted to used my position as a independent Norwegian girl to gives something to girls that have nothing.

The reason why I decided Kenya is many:

1. You need less resources to make big changes.
2. Girls and (people in general) need more help because of the circumstances.
3. This is girls and kids on my age and below.
4. We can create a change by connecting continents and people.
5. WE CAN CHANGES PEOPLES LIVES.

After I decided to go, we created a group that would wanna go too, and now it’s people from several places in Europe going. (England, France etc) I came in contact with Julie that have started a home for girls that have noting, down there and I would like to share her story with you, and why I decided to go there to help exactly them

In 2010, Julie had the opportunity to visit Kisumu in Kenya with a charity that rehabilitates street boys. Whilst attending a community meeting on one of the rubbish tips, handing out bread and tea to the hungry and homeless, a small, urine-soaked, child climbed onto her knee and proceeded to fall asleep. This became a pivotal moment for her. ‘As the sleeping child lay in my arms, I looked down at her, the rags she was wearing, the absence of footwear, no underwear yet trusting enough to fall asleep on a mzungu’s lap. Too weak from hunger to even take tea, it was precisely at that moment I knew I had to do something to help these children.’
 
Fundraising for Julie’s first project was centred on keeping little ones, like Mercy, out of harm’s way, providing an environment where they would be safe, be fed and begin to receive an education. Building the nursery school took two years. In March 2014, there were 50 children enrolled across three classes’
 
Then the idea for a second project began to germinate - this time centred on adolescent girls.’For the majority of women Julie meets on her frequent trips to Kenya, such a poverty-stricken existence means that prostitution is the only way the women (whether married or otherwise) can take care of their families. What is worse is, that by the age of 11 or 12 years, those girls just entering puberty are also encouraged to use their ‘ATM’ so they can put food on the table too.
 
‘But the problem is too big and you can never make a difference.’
 
Meant as a snub, Julie will always tell you this statement makes her smile. She knows, through the belief of her supporters, 120 children are now in education who previously wouldn’t have been and ten girls, all picked from an environment where they were at risk of early marriage, female circumcision or sexual abuse are now safe and no longer considered at risk.Each of Julie’s girls has her own heart-rending story.
 
‘If you take me to school … then I will buy you a packet of sugar.’
 
During one visit, Julie took a phone call asking if she would help a 9-year-old girl whose mother had purposefully and cruelly burnt her. With no place available for the child through social services and no burns specialist in the local hospital, Julie sat holding the child through five days of treatment and dressing changes. With no access to pain relief, traumatising as it was, at the end of one hospital appointment, little Millie said, ‘If I heal … and if you take me to school … then I will buy you a packet of sugar.’
 
In a country where law enforcement can be so negligent, the youngest child, aged seven, endured rape twice before Julie heard about it and was able to give the child the necessary protection.  The good news is that the vicious circle of abuse has now been broken. 
 
Without exception, all the children Julie meets want education more than anything else.  They don’t ask for food or clothes, simply to be allowed to go to school.
It’s a courageous person who takes on the responsibility of these girls up until the point they reach financial independence. School fees need to be found; food, clothing, rent, water and sometimes medication but with no administration costs, Julie is proud to say she knows exactly where each donated euro is spent.‘At the end of the day, it’s all about relationships and trust.’

I will post an actual agenda for the trips this week, as well as starting a fund raising. If anyone bay any chance wants to contribute, please reach out!

Adding a picture here of one of the girls that received a pair of shoes from the local church a few weeks ago, have you seen such happiness for a pair of shoes?

Lots of love,

Rebecca

The most giving night in a long time.

I had planned a treasure hunt (as I spoke about in the previous post). So I was supposed to make a treasure hunt for 4 people all with different backgrounds and gifts, some with downs syndrome, no spoken language, autism, different syndromes etc.  This made us do the treasure hunt in a way that if fitted all of us.

It started very exciting. A pirate had lost his diamonds on the house where we were, so if we could help him find it we would get a prize. We had to get through 10 posts with different tasks to find the prize. All the post had different types of elements where we needed to use the sensory systems, we had to find things, look for things, find things with different types of colors or smell, We had to do hid and seek, and solve some rhymes. We had to use our bodies to create geometrical symbols, we had to listen to music. With all different types of tasks, and by helping each other, we were able to get through to all posts.

It was amazing to see how people with different needs, could work so great together. But most of all, how happy and fun we had by doing this. By doing something together.

After treasure hunt, we celebrated fruit salad and ice cream. It was such a good evening.

There is no pictures from this because of privacy rights and laws by the institution.

Photo: Daniel Milian

MUA: Joceline Milian

When I was back in Norway I had planned a lot that I would wanted to do since I only was home for a short period of time. It is important to me to contribute to the local society and give something back to things I care for. So I made a charity project at my old job. I am going to tell you about it now.

I have always told myself that, since I am lucky been born in Norway, with a body that functions completely and with all resources possible. I would use my position to help others and do what I could to give others as much as I could.

I few summers ago I started working on a home for kids and people with extra needs. It could be different chronical diseases such as ellipsis or Ceberal Parese, t could be autism or downs syndrome, or it could be a combination of more.  When I started to work here I had no experience in this field before. But what I did know was that I was good with people and care to work.

You might think people are different because they can not do exactly what most people can. Some see it as a handicap, some see it as a gift.  I will say it is a gift.  Because after working with and be with these amazing people for years, I have learned so much, much more than people most teach me. They are so happy for the small things, maybe just to be able to walk one day, to play one day, to have yoghurt for breakfast, if its warm they are able to go outside for the day. They appreciate the small things in life we often take for granted. This gives me so much happiness to see them happy for something so little.

However, they do have some disabilities that require some sort of treatment and this limits some of the things the could do. And in a society where we are so busy, I feel we sometimes forget about those who need the extra treatment. Most of the time is not because we do not care or not want but also because it can be hard to figure out what to do. Also, it could be hard to adjust certain activities to fit one persons need that are so different from others. However, at this home, more people come together so we can be different but same at the same place. Quite amazing, a little complicated, but absolutely possible.

I have learned so much about myself and people, working at this place. And I really wanted to do something back for them. First off, because they do not have so much activities offered, and second it will make them happy, and third: if they are happy, I am happy. It takes so little to do something extra.

Read about my charity TREASUREHUNT in the next blog post.

I was so happy when I could check my phone at work this evening.  I made it to the semi final! I was very nervous the whole day. I had no idea if I made it through. What if you made any mistakes or even failed? My hopes were of course there, but you will never know. I think that is what is good about me, I do not think I make it, until I know I do however that make me work extra hard to make sure I do what I can to make it through.  I feel so happy and blessed that I am one out of eleven girls that are competing to be the next Miss Norway. Things are really going well these days, Both with projects, work, moving and life. So I am so happy. I feel like this year has so much good to bring and I am excited for the next months a head!

Photo: Daniel Milian

MUA: Joceline Milian

Love Rebecca

Denne posteen er dedikert til min sponsor og samarbeidspartner VIP Beauty Lounge og de fantastiske jentene Mari, Nerina og Malin. Naar jeg var I Norge forrige uke, hadde jeg rett og slett en droemme dag med dem. Jeg skal fortelle litt om behandlingene vi tok og vise dere mine resultater!

1. Tannbleking

Det er en effektiv og profesjonell tannbehandling som bleker tennene 2-8 nyanser lysere.

Mine tenner ble 4 nyanser lysere.

Pris 2500,- tilbudspris nå er kr 1690,- 

Se mine fantastiske resulatter:

BEFORE                                                              AFTER

For aa vedlikeholde har jeg faatt en tannkrem og en blekepenn som jeg vedlikeholder med  2 ganger I uken. Dette faar du kjopt I salongen eller I butikken paa nett. (Glamhouse.no)

Tannkremen koster 99 kr og  er perfekt til daglig bruk, for å opprettholde et hvitt resultat. Tannblekepennen koster 199,- og er et effektiv produkt  til hjemmebruk som bleker tennene effektiv og skånsomt, opptil 4 nyanser lysere

(Jeg skal lage en video senere og vise dere hvordan dette fungerer!)

VIPPER OG BRYN

Vipper:

Jeg har blitt helt avhenging av flotte lange vipper. Og ettersom om jeg har bodd i USA, har jeg brukt endel ulike typer, fra ulike plasser. Men det er ingen som har fungert like godt som disse jeg har naa. Jeg syntes det er viktig med volum og fylde, og disse vippene er fantastiske. Jeg har naa hatt disse I over 1 uke, og det ser ut som jeg tok dem idag fremdelse. Tildigere vipper har falt av etter en uke, men disse sitter virkelig! Her ser dere bilde, fra idag, kontra forrige uke naar jeg tok dem, og forksjellen er ikke til aa se. (Kommer til aa oppdatere dere paa disse fremover

Bryn:

Jeg har normalt veldig lyse bryn, saa jeg farger mne for aa faa litt farge paa de, naa la vi paa en farge som passet perfekt til mine toner, ikke for lys, men forstatt gir et utrykket jeg liker! Fasongen ogsaa er perfekt! Jeg fikk formet dem slik at de passer til mitt fjes. Jeg ble veldig fornoyd!

NEGLER

Endelig har negle pleien kommet til Norge! Jeg har bodd I USA I 4.5 aar, og jeg tror ingen fikser seg mer eller er opptatt av flotte negler og hender enn amerikanske damer. Denne vanen har jeg selvsagt lagt til meg. Det viser at man bryr seg og tar vare paa seg selv paa et vis. Problemet for oss I Norge er at dette har det vaert liten eller nesten umulig aa faa tak i. Naa kan jeg endelig gjoere dette I Norge. Nemmelig her hos jentene mine. Resultatet er amazing og det er ogsaa prisen. Jeg har hatt mine gel negler I en uke, og de ser super ut og jeg har faatt masse skryt for de.

Jeg valgte aa gaa for en litt neutral farge ombre fordi jeg ville ha noe some kunne brukes til en shoot, men ogsaa diverse eventer. Men det er mulig aa faa de fleste farge kombinasjoner og uttrykk!

Produkter og Behandlinger!

Heldig som jeg, fikk jeg med meg flere produkter som jeg skal bruke for huden og fjeset. Jeg er i fullgang med aa teste og bruke alle, og gleder meg til aa dele resultatet med dere. Jentene er ogsaa i gang med aa lage eget sminkemerke som jeg tror blir super bra.

NOEN UREDIGERTE BILDER HELT TIL SLUTT- Fordi jeg ble saa fin og foelte meg helt fantastsik!

Gleder meg til videre samarbeid og masse morro.

Videer kommer de neste maandene.

Love Rebecca