Last month we blogged about the Mr Laowai 2011 competition, an off-shoot of this past summer’s first Miss Laowai competition. We talked with the man behind both Laowai contests, David Sinkala, and got some insight on the reasoning behind Mr Laowai, what to expect, and what information we’ll just have to wait on. Guys, submit those applications, and everyone else, keep an eye out for more Mr Laowai updates soon.

“Let’s introduce you all to the ladies of the night,” said the hostess. And so began the pageant for Miss Laowai China 2010. It was a fittingly amusing start for an evening that was to be nothing less than entertaining for those that stayed till its dramatic conclusion.

Last week we blogged about the upcoming Miss Laowai Beauty Pageant taking place this Saturday, September 11. Now we have a double pass to the event to give away!

Expat women in China can probably all recount an unpleasant experience of being objectified and typecast as just wanting to have fun. Miss Laowai China, happening September 11 at 21st Century Theater, can't be said to help perceptions -- after all, what screams objectification more than a beauty pageant? -- but organizer David Sinkala insists his show will be different from the others.

"If the ultimate goal is world peace," he says, intentionally borrowing from the beauty contestant phrasebook, "then what is the initial step to attaining that? If I'm not peaceful in my heart, and I'm part of the world, what world peace are you talking about?"

Using that as a guiding principle, Miss Laowai aims to be -- believe it or not -- a community event that effects good on multiple levels.