Hello everyone. I’d like to start by saying that I’m honored to join the Villa 88 family. I’ll be writing a biweekly column about my life and experiences and I’m so excited to share my journey with you.

For those who don’t know me, I’m a media personality, not a social media influencer. I’ve been working in television and radio, and as a columnist for over 20 years across notable international channels, radio stations, newspapers and magazines.

I started hosting my first TV show at the age of 14, and pursued by Bachelor’s, Master’s and Honors degrees in journalism and communication. My areas of expertise are fashion, lifestyle, travel and culture. Last year, I joined the United Nations as part of its Sustainable Development Goals initiative, which I will be sharing more about in my upcoming columns.

As the world marks October as breast cancer awareness month, I feel it’s essential to support the cause and create a better understanding of the disease – today and every day. I urge all women to learn how to do a breast self-exam and to make breast cancer screening part of their routine check-ups. The sooner we know, the sooner we can get cured. My love and blessings for every woman around the world.

Speaking of blessings, the biggest for me has been that I recently gave birth to my first child, a girl named Leonora. She has brought so much joy into my life. The only challenge I have set for myself is that I need to lose the 30kg I put on during my pregnancy.

Join me on my journey as I navigate life and its many facets that I’m sure will be relatable for you all. I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. I hope you know a bit more about me after this first note.

Until next time, I wish you all a lovely week filled with love, joy and prosperity.

Xx

Nina Zandnia

Nina Zandnia is a Persian-Swedish luxury lifestyle icon and a media maven who is based in Dubai. She has worked for major global media networks for over 20 years. She’s the founder of one of the first lifestyle online TV channels in the Middle East called Lifestyle-Dubai.com. She’s also a fashion designer and has housed her collections at Galeries Lafayette. Among her many accolades is bagging a prize at the Great Woman Awards 2016 Middle East. With a following of over 415k on Instagram, Nina has been a key voice in the luxury lifestyle landscape of the UAE and beyond. Follow her @Ninazandnia on Instagram.