Tania Pauline Dawson, Miss Universe NZ 2016

Photo c/o RMO

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken," (Oscar Wilde). I lost the chance to interview Tania Pauline Dawson, all because I was then living in Hamilton and I couldn't get the right timing to interview her. By the time I was ready to come up to Auckland, she was leaving for the Miss Universe "retreat" in the Philippines. That would have been the closest I'd ever get to be near the reigning Miss Universe New Zealand 2016.

Fast-forward to 2024, when I got to meet her at the College where she was a Dean and a Teacher. I was visiting the school that day. I saw her from a distance, but she was busy herding the students into the auditorium, that I didn't approach her. I was pleasantly surprised later on when she recognized that I was with a group of teachers and approached me!

This beautiful and enchanting young woman of Kiwinoy ancestry, grew up on a farm in south Auckland, held a Saturday job auctioning livestock, is a high school Dean, as well as a Media Studies and English Teacher, considers Baguio City as her sanctuary, and loves tinola. Although I didn't get the chance to interview her on my radio show back then, I was able to recently do a Q&A for my blog (with updated information).

Q: What's on your bucket list?
A: I have a few places that I want to travel such as Greece and Italy. I have always had a fascination with mythology and history.

Q: Give your teenage self some advice.
A: Don't worry about your skin! Teenage acne goes away. I cannot believe how low my self-esteem was when I was a teenager because I wasn't happy in my own skin.

Q: What motivates you?
A: Doing the best that I can. If I think to myself when I have hit a brick wall or obstacle that I haven't done my best then I strive to try again. My competition against myself is my motivation.

Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: As kind and hardworking. Kindness is free to give so I try my best to give it to everyone.  I come from a family of hard workers. I hope that one day when I am gone that is what people will say.

Q: Name 3 people, living or dead, you'd like to have dinner? What will you serve them?
A: Beyonce, Cleopatra and Michelle Obama. I'd serve them a scotch fillet, paprika potatoes, and side salad.

Q: Are you a cat or dog person?
A: Cat---they're so independent.

Q: Why are you doing, what you're doing?
A: Being a secondary teacher was a choice I made watching my own teachers. I saw them work so hard and juggle so many things. They inspired me into becoming a teacher so that I could pass the passion on. I am glad to say that I am doing that. Miss Universe NZ was a great opportunity for me to promote education as being an important tool to young peoples future and at the same time I have been given experiences and learning opportunities of my own.

Q: Where in the Philippines is the place that is your sanctuary?
A: Baguio City. The pine trees remind me of my childhood because our family farm was sheltered by pine trees.

Q: How did you face failure?
A: Reflect and learn from your mistakes. In order for a person to have closure they need to understand why things didn't work out. Without that you cannot move on or try again.

Q: The best thing about your age.
A: I am YOUNG! I want to see the world and I feel being at this age, you're more free to do so.

Q: Where in New Zealand is your sanctuary?
A: The farm I grew up on in the south of Auckland. It has it's own private beach and a cliff edge. I'd always sit on the cliff and sing to myself. I know every curve and shape of that coastline. Unfortunately, my dad sold it about 11years ago. But I am fortunate to be able to get married there in 2026.

Q: How do you chill out?
A: I watch a lot of films. I love narratives and stories!

Q: What's your comfort food?
A: Tinola - YUM!

Q: Something not many people know about you.
A: I worked in the agriculture industry for 14 years while I was in school and university. I had a Saturday job where we auctioned livestock.

Q: Which talent would you like to have?
A: To be a daredevil--I would love to be able to overcome fear and just go for it.

Q: If you could time travel, where and when would it be?
A: Ancient Greece in Athens BC.

Q: What's the best part of being a young dean in an area school?
A: Being a Dean is a challenging job. We are the ones that everyone comes to for support, the teachers, parents and staff. I’ve loved being a Dean over the last 5 years as I’ve seen young people transform and overcome challenges they never believed they could. Many people double take or are in disbelief when I tell them I’m a dean. I don’t look like one and people often don’t believe I’m old enough. I do look a lot younger than I am (I’m 32) because of my Filipina genes. The benefit of working in an area school as that the young ones (Primary, Intermediate) already know who I am before they reach the college. It makes building positive relationships so much easier when we are familiar. 

Q: What superpower do you wish you had?
A: Telepathy

Q: What job would you do other than your own?
A: Film reviewer or food critic.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: I would like to explore other opportunities in show business and acting while I am still young. Teaching will always be important to me so I will always come back to it when I am older.

Q: Which part of being Pinoy would you like to develop more?
A: I would really love to learn Tagalog. I often feel inadequate not being able to communicate. I've tried before to learn but I wasn't in a headspace to learn. I'd like to give it another go so I can participate in conversations with our growing Filipino community in our school as well as my family in the Philippines.