I think the trick to winning this game, obviously, I think luck is probably the most important factor. You just get on the wrong alliance, you don't get sent to Exile Island. It's not going to work out for you. The difference lies in where you try to take advantage of the good luck that you have and you try to mitigate the bad luck that you have. In my case I was very lucky to be sent to Exile Island when I did. I got sent there when there were enough clues to figure it out but it was still pretty tough. Fortunately I was able to kind of take advantage of it. I was able to figure out what the clues were and find the idol.
I truly believe that. And not only that, my value went back to the beginning of the Aitutaki Tribe where I worked my ass off for a week straight setting up the foundation and really making it possible for us to go as a team that far. Then when the mutiny happened there was a pivotal moment, if we had lost that challenge, that would have been it.
This season I've been very interested in the whole aspect of editing because being a lawyer in D.C. I've never been involved in this kind of production and that's just one of the examples where they don't show that clip...they actually did tie with the amount of mud in the buckets. There was a tie-breaker when they had to go again and see who would actually win. That was a clip that wasn't shown. Same thing where Jonathan asked me a question about my sister a few episodes ago and I ignore him and then in the wilderness when the birds were chirping.
went into this game not knowing a whole hell of a lot about it. I just said that I'm going to go in there with my eyes open. I'm never going to let them see me sweat. I'm going to work my butt off. Whatever it is I have to do. I know I'm no Ozzy. Damn, I wish I could climb a tree like he does. I wish I could fish. But there are many things that make a survivor and I'm just going to do what I can do...work hard...I put in my work time
I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know it was as real as it was. I thought throughout the day we'd have some truck time every morning to take a shower. I didn't realize it was completely real. It definitely was something of a shock. I didn't know what to expect for the most part.
The Survivor experience was a whole lot of sleeping in the dirt. Having to deal with people that I normally wouldn't be thrown into a social situation with, have to befriend them, basically force myself to enjoy their company or I would have gone totally insane. It made me realize how strong of a person I am that I can actually do those things. That I can sleep in the dirt and not crack, that I can get along with people from all sorts of different backgrounds and different lifestyles. Everyone's soooo different that was in this game with me. Everyone was so different, and everyone totally judged me way off. They all thought I was this wimpy, ditzy sorority girl that couldn't hold my own.
My experience out here has been very positive. I guess the only real question I've had for myself as a person looking back on the game as I played it was, was it sort of too much fun. Did you not take it seriously enough? The emotions of the other people. I think the people perceive me as not trustworthy. If they do, this is something that I've heard and I can understand that, right? It is because it's hard for me to trust.
I think it's a big learning experience coming out to play this game. I like to say whenever I came back from Exile Island that "it builds character." That's the positive way of looking at Exile Island but you learn that you can do things yourself. A lot of times in life we rely on conveniences and out here you don't have any of those and on Exile Island you certainly don't have any of those. You don't have anybody helping you, saying "I can do it for you" and a lot of times I think that happens to girls. Somebody will step in and say "I can do it, I can open that door for you" or "Here,
"This game taught me so much about myself and how I've always gotta just in life always play my instinct and my gut. How you really, no matter what anyone says to you at any time about anything, you always know what's right for you. Your friends can say, 'Yeah, do this, Nate,' and you can get pressure from so and so, and say, 'Do this, this is right for you,' but if you don't really feel it inside, you don't have that sense inside, it's not right. In this game, when you really are alone. You may have your allies, you may have people you bonded with and you met over the last 26 days, but you really have to rely on yourself and what your instinct gives you. This game definitely taught me that.
"I think that this experience was a wonderful experience and I wish that everybody in life would have something as great as this to really get this revelation of how great things can be for your life. You can take something that can be so negative - cause it is a negative thing, doing this game of Survivor is not easy - yet draw out so many positives in helping you lead your life. I am glad I experienced this because at least I know the one person I know I can teach it to is my son, Casey."
