Despite being only 25 years old, Erica Robin’s name has already become closely associated with the groundbreaking first Miss Universe Pakistan. But beyond the breathtaking pictures is a difficult path that called for unending enthusiasm and perseverance.
Erica could write a book on the mountains she had to climb to cross over, endure cruel trolling, be told she had to relearn how to walk and communicate, and fight red tape in order to board an aircraft to El Salvador at all. Rather, Erica revealed all the juicy facts of her trip on the FWhy podcast with Frieha Altaf.
Entering Miss Universe
After a year in the modeling business, Erica realized this was a full-time job, although acknowledging that she has “zero knowledge” about the inner workings of the Miss Universe pageant. Erica did, however, upload her profile after seeing that Pakistan was underrepresented on the platform—even though she had no idea if it would be successful.
“I filled out the form not even sure if it was legitimate, and I was notified via email that I had been selected for further consideration,” she remembered.
Despite being certain that the email was fraudulent, Erica was selected for an interview and eventually made the shortlist of 20 Miss Universe Pakistan hopefuls, many of whom were foreign-born, out of 200 females. After the contenders were narrowed down even further to the final five, Erica made her way to the Maldives for the competition. Erica had already made it clear that she would not be wearing a bikini or any other form of skimpy apparel, staying loyal to her origins.
She remarked, “I still didn’t realize that this was it.” “I didn’t realize that the winner of this round would be crowned Miss Universe Pakistan until I got there.”
Trolls and training
When internet trolls began to surface, Erica’s initial shock upon winning Miss Universe Pakistan turned into terror. “It was intended to be an exceptional occasion,” she remarked. “But after that, I began receiving threats.”
Even though she was reduced to tears, Erica made a commitment to persevere in the face of the fashion industry’s lack of backing. The cost of the training was on me. Despite the fact that I was representing the nation, neither the government nor the business community provided me any financial assistance.
Erica, on the other hand, was lucky enough to have funds, so she kept going on the wild ride she had been forced into. She quickly packed her luggage in order to spend a month training in the Philippines. Erica quickly lost hope in her ability to “nail” the training, as she had anticipated.
“Training was difficult,” she said. “At night, I sobbed. They told me I was incapable of speaking in front of the camera and that I didn’t know how to walk correctly! Every morning while applying my cosmetics, I had to practice speaking in front of the mirror!
But the worst was not yet to come.
Setbacks
Erica realized she wouldn’t be able to board a plane without a transit visa three days before she was scheduled to depart for El Salvador. She gave the Philippine government credit for their constant support, but she couldn’t help but worry that her ambitions would vanish and that, as was customary, Miss Universe Pakistan, the runner-up, would be sent.
She remarked, “I was so depressed.” “But they really helped me out, and in the end, I had to travel to El Salvador for 40 hours because there wasn’t much time left.”
The model’s bills were mounting, and she was depending on her connections to provide financial support so she could board an aircraft. Erica was so tired when they landed that she thought she could have the terrible coronavirus. “I was so tired that I lost my voice.” I reasoned that I would just pass away in El Salvador if I had COVID.
Lessons learned in the competition
In the end, Erica was in excellent health, completed all of her interviews on time, and made it through the demanding procedure. Erica refuted the idea that the pageant is only about beauty, saying that “you need to be disciplined and on time because your supervisor keeps you in line.”
Another lesson Erica learned from the tournament was how to dispel stereotypes about Pakistan. “Because I could speak English, people assumed I had studied abroad,” she said. “They were amazed that I had a social life and thought we still used camels or something.”
While Erica doesn’t regret her time spent competing, she is aware that if she hadn’t previously established her own financial safety net, she never would have been participating. She said, “I paid 5 million from my own pocket,” and implored the government to save aspiring politicians from her ordeal. “In the future, please, please fund the girls so that everyone may participate in the tournament, not just those with the means. Assist her with her visa, please!
Paving the way
Being the trailblazer for other females to follow in her footsteps makes Erica proud. “If they have the spark and the potential, anyone can apply,” she said. It’s not necessary to have a “source.”
Regarding herself, Erica is overjoyed that the attention has allowed her to utilize her voice for the benefit of others. “I would be more than delighted to utilize my voice and platform to advocate for feminism and against gender bias.”
Thinking back on how being a part of the international competition had transformed her, Erica said that being recognized had given her the confidence to organize her ideas before speaking. “I was just me, myself, and myself before this, but you automatically change when you realize that you have a title and that people are looking up to you.” Your actions alter. You adjust. I try to be more collected and thoughtful when speaking in public.
Having achieved so much at the age of 25, Erica will be able to lead the way for women for many years to come.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.