Traveling as Miss International

Throughout my year as Miss International, I have had the opportunity to travel domestically and internationally for different appearances. Since I love to travel, being able to go to new places has been a highlight of my year! I have been asked several times how I have been able to travel so much this year. So I thought I would share how you can incorporate traveling into your year as the new Mrs., Miss and Teen International!

1. Finances: The Richardson’s have been amazing in supplying a travel budget for your year! I recommend using it wisely! I decided to divide my budget into 4, so I could tap into my budget all year. Although this was one of the best parts of my prize package, I will be honest and say that a lot of my personal finances went into this year. I wanted to make every appearance that I possibly could, so I knew that in order to take on that expense, I would have to contribute financially. God has blessed me with an amazing job that has allowed me to financially cover trips that exceeded my travel budget. That is also one of the reasons I decided to keep working this year! And that is a decision I will never regret as the experiences I have been able to have are unforgettable.

2. Scheduling: Whether you have work, school, or stay at home with your children, making time to travel will probably be the most difficult part of the year. I can’t thank both of my bosses enough for allowing me to have such flexibility in my work schedule. They believed in my platform, the amazing work that I was doing, and they trusted me to continue giving 110% towards my career. I still had to use vacation days, go into work early before an appearance, stay up really late to send emails, and bring work with me on my trips to make it all work. Hopefully this encourages you to know that despite all of the commitments you have in your life, if you are committed to make your year as a 2016 titleholder the best it can be, God will provide a way to make it happen!

3. International Travel: Leaving the country will open your eyes to so many new experiences and cultures. But make sure you are aware of everything you need to know before leaving the United States. Your passport is a must, so make sure yours has not expired. Customs will question your reasoning for being in their country. So make sure you have the address of your hotel, names of contacts at your appearance, and details about the work you will be doing while you are there. And I am pretty sure they inspected my crown way longer than they inspected me, so make sure to leave enough time for security! 

I am beyond excited to see all the places the new queens will go!

Continuing to break the stigma,

Elise Banks
Miss International 2015