Beauty queen takes on triple jobs amid Canada's high cost of living

Miss Vietnam World 2010 Luu Thi Diem Huong. Photo courtesy of Huong

Huong said that she’s paid well by all her three jobs: a microblading artist, a wedding host, and she owns her own traditional Vietnamese dress ao dai label. But the combined income is still just enough to cover her living expenses.

She only just arrived in Canada in Oct.

The Miss Vietnam World winner said she’s only just begun building the foundation of her new North American life, and she’s not worried because everything takes time.

"I remember my father told me to save money for my future," she said. "I will try my best to prove that I was right in deciding to relocate to Canada, and I hope I can become wealthy soon."

Huong said she spent her first week in Canada familiarizing herself with the new living environment. She started working as a microblading artist and got her first customers through Vietnamese-Canadian connections. She said she was glad to get praised for her skills and receive enormous service tips.

Huong was also motivated seeing how her customers were satisfied with their new looks after using her service, she said.

"I told myself that I have to try everyday to overcome the hardships and pressure I face relocating to a foreign country."

The beauty queen said many people were surprised when she appeared as the host of a wedding ceremony last month.

"Many may wonder why a beauty queen who hosts many large-scale shows in Vietnam like me has become a wedding host in Canada," she said. "I chose to do it to meet more Vietnamese people living here, and to ease my feeling of missing the stage and the spotlight."

Admitting that she received "corresponding rewards" for her appearance at the ceremony, Huong emphasized that money was not her primary motivation.

Having affection for the Vietnamese traditional ao dai, the beauty queen also runs her own label which specializes in selling the tunic.

"I make versatile ao dai creations that contain modern design elements and can be worn on various different occasions," she said. "I got my first customers who placed their orders in preparation for the Tet Lunar New Year."

Huong said she appreciated the chance to meet new people and make more friends through her various jobs, and that the only occupation she’d not tried is to become a singer.

"I always remind myself to work hard regardless of who I am and where I live," she said. "I accept to bid farewell to my old life as a beauty queen and start living as a commoner here [in Canada]."

Huong, 33, is a model and actress. She represented Vietnam at the 2010 Miss Earth pageant and made it to the top 14. She also competed in the 2012 Miss Universe pageant.

It is reported that Huong married a real estate business owner in 2011 before divorcing in 2012. She remarried in 2015. However, she reportedly moved to Canada alone.