Post by BCandScott on Sept 23, 2006 10:43:53 GMT -5
Four tribes:
Caucasian - Raro
Asian - Puka
African American - Hiki
Hispanic - Aitu
Raro Tribe:
Adam - 28 - San Diego. Born in Virginia Beach, VA and moved to Fredericksburg (great civil war site) and played basketball. He sells copiers for a living but wants to move up to the exciting and challenging career of medical sales. Mostly he likes working out with friends, and working out and then he works out when he has time. Likes the beach and basketball. Favorite actor is Dakota Fanning. Oh, he's a frat boy.
Candice - 23 - Fayetteville, NC. She's a pre-med student. She scored a perfect score on the math portion of her SATs. Favorite movies are Sin City, Crash, Armageddon, Capote, Scarface, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, The Notebook, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, The Lion King, Finding Neverland. She likes rock climbing, rafting, outdoorsy stuff. Lived in a mud hut in Africa for a month as part of a service project she was inspired to particpate in by Survivor:Africa.
Jessica - 27 - Chico, CA. Ok, she's a performance artist and "rollergirl". She does fire related performances using fire hula hoops, poi, staff and batons, often on stilts. She's done the Burning Man thing for the last 8 years and performs all over California. She does roller derby. She's an all star member of "Hustlers". She has a cat named Alita. She has some pretty nifty artwork on her right shoulder, a short tattoo sleeve.
Jonathan - 44 - Los Angeles, CA. OK, the most important thing about this guy is that he has a bunny named Angel Cake. He also has a cat and two lizards. But he has a bunny and that's a big plus in my book. He is also an actor, writer, producer, director, etc. who has actually been in some films and nominated for an Oscar for best short film once. Ok, his fave TV shows includes Spongebob Squarepants, and his favorite cereal is Cap'n Crunch. His favorite music list includes Annie Lennox, Beethoven's 6th, ACDC, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Gershwins. AND, he has a bunny named Angel Cake. Come ON, this guy has to win here!
Parvati - 23 - Los Angeles, CA. She grew up in a commune in Florida, put herself through college in Georgia and works as a waitress and female boxer. Her favorite "board" game is Twister. Is that a board game? She likes swimming and hiking and hates it when she can't play outdoors. Her last name is Shallow.
Puka Tribe:
Becky - 28 - Washington, D.C. She's an attorney working on domestic violence issues in DC especially concerning immigrant women with language issues, etc. She is of Korean descent. She likes Scrabble, and her fave books are To Kill A Mockingbird and Running with Scissors. But, on the physical side, she plays tennis and kickboxes, was on the women's boxing team in college. Could be formidable.
Brad - 29 - Los Angeles, CA. He's another frat alumni who has a degree in International Communications. He works in fashion as a designer and enjoys hobbies like weight training, running, rollerblading, beach volleyball and international travel. He does a lot of community service work such as AIDS Project Los Angeles and Big Brothers of Los Angeles. Music favorites include Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Madonna and 50 Cent (s) *CAUSE IT SHOULD BE PLURAL DAMMIT. He has a favorite flower, the white phalaenopsis orchid. Ok.
Cao Boi - 42 - Christiansburg, VA. Pronounced "cowboy". He was born in VietNam came to the US as a refugee at a very young age. He bicycles, hikes, sky dives. He has hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2003 and has biked cross-country. Bui is the world-record holder in Marathon Softball where he played for 100 hours while serving in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. He's tough, that's for sure. Married with two kids, a dog and two cats.
Jenny - 36 - Lake Forest, IL. She's a real estate agent who heads up a volleyball league in her spare time. she is of Phillipine descent. You may want to note at this point that the Asian tribe, while made up of all Asian contestants, is still has some widely disparate cultures within it being made up of Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Phillipino players. Calling this tribe an ethnic group is sort of like calling a tribe with people from England, France, Germany and Italy the European tribe.
Yul - Ok, this guy is smart. He attended Stanford University and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in symbolic systems (theoretical computer science). While at Stanford, he received the James Lyons Award for Service, attended officer candidates school for the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Kwon went on to receive his Juris Doctor Degree from Yale Law School, where he served on the editorial board of the Yale Law Journal. Then he practiced a mix of litigation, appellate, transactional and regulatory work at several law firms. He also served as a judicial clerk to a federal judge on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Additionally, he worked as a legislative aide to Senator Joseph Lieberman in Washington, D.C., where he helped draft sections of the Homeland Security Bill and other technology-related legislation. d**n. Then he became a consultant. Now he's on survivor eatin' bugs and stuff. He lists FIREFLY as one of his fave TV shows which immediately means he is WAY SUPER SMART and endears him to me forever. It's ALMOST as good as having a bunny. Favorite book : The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein. Not just your ordinary LOTR fan, eh?
Hiki Tribe:
Nathan - 26 - Los Angeles, CA. He is in retail sales but wants to be a musician. He has no favorite books. He likes hip hop, BUT his saving grace is that he likes classical and plays the violin. He looks strong and seems friendly, two things that will get you far in the game. He likes Dave Chappelle, but his favorite Movies includes Dumb and Dumber. Sigh.
Rebecca - 34 - Laurelton, NY. Rebecca is a makeup artist who does Elisabeth Hasselbeck's (Survivor Outback) makeup on the The View. She actually won an emmy for outstanding make up on a daytime talk show. Her fave movies include The Shawhank Redemption and West Side Story. She likes tennis and dancing.
Sekou - 45 - Los Angeles, CA. Sekou enjoys gardening, painting, drawing, reading and writing. He also enjoys basketball, racquetball and lifting weights. He is most proud of obtaining his first Gold Record Award when he was just 19 years old. He's been in some movies. As a jazz musician he has performed with a long list of well known celebs, such as George Benson, Quincy Jones, Coolio, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli, Luther Vandross, Roger Daltry, Paul Anka, Anita Baker, Wayne Shorter, Ray Charles and Ice Cube.
Stephanie - 35 - Columbia, SC. Stephanie is a nursing student, married to her high school sweetheart. They have a dog named Properity, a chow mix. She likes Gospel and R & B and is another volleyball player. She did serve in the military in Desert Storm. She likes singing and dancing and jogging along with this year's apparent theme, volleyball.
Sundra - 31 - Los Angeles, CA. Oakley is currently a thingytail waitress at a Hollywood nightclub while pursuing an acting career. She has appeared on CSI: MIAMI on CBS, "Strong Medicine," "Sex and the City," several national commercials and has appeared off Broadway. She is the first generation american daughter of Jamaican parents and was raised in Queens, NY. Her favorite movies are: Dirty Pretty Things, Love Actually, Chronicles of Narnia, Mommie Dearest. Thank God there are NO WIRE HANGERS on the island.
Aitu Tribe:
Billy - 36 - NYC, NY. He's a heavy metal musician and pro wrestler under the name "Spanish Fly". His favorite music is metal, including Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. Favorite authors include J.R.R. Tolkien and Anne Rice. He likes fruit loops and raspberry zingers. He has martial arts training.
Cecilia - 29 - Oakland, CA. She works as a technology risk consultant. She's smart, but less athletic than some of the others, but she likes hiking and trekking (what's the difference) and golf. Originally from Peru, she learned English as a second language when she was 16. Her hobbies include black and white photography, dancing and working out.
Cristina - 35 - Los Angeles, CA. She's a police officer who comes from a long line of police officers. Coria has been a police officer for almost 14 years. During this time, she has gone through two life-threatening experiences. First, she was nearly crushed to death when she was pinned up against her police car by another vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver. Second, she sustained an almost career-ending injury to her left arm after being shot by a murder suspect during a hostage standoff which occurred on the Santa Monica Pier on July 4, 2000. She sustained severe bone and nerve damage and was initially advised by doctors that she might lose her arm. After extensive reconstructive surgery she was told by doctors that she would never be able to have full use of her arm again nor return back to work. Through dedication, determination, faith and perseverance, she beat the odds and regained use of her arm. Fave books include Dr. Phil's Relationship Rescue.
jp - 30 - Marina del Rey, CA. He's a professional volleyball player. He has coached women's volleyball, Div I champions. He likes to play volleyball. His favorite sport is volleyball. His favorite magazing is Volleyball. His main outdoor activity is....yep, volleyball. He says he is a fitness fanatic, lifts weights, goes outrigger canoeing and likes to swim and play....uh, what was it again, oh yeah...volleyball. If the challenges involve volleyball, this guy will win. Otherwise, these fitness fanatics often have problems when their protein intake drops off radically. They often end up laying around moaning while the porkies and less agressive fitness types take care of the work. Oh, he has NO FAVORITE BOOKS. Hmmm. He should have at least had a pet rabbit.
Ozzy - 25 - Venice, CA. Looks can be deceiving. This native of Mexico may look like just a nice young guy, but he has skills. He owns land in Panama and enjoys going there to spearfish. He can dive to 30 feet and can hold his breath under water for three minutes. He is skilled at building traps, forts, shelter and surviving in the wilderness on his own. In the summer of 2005, he camped all the way from Panama to San Diego over the course of five months. It will be interesting to see him perform in challenges. I also note that he likes to surf WITH his dog on the board. His music list includes Midnight Oil, Otis Redding, James Brown, Pink Floyd, Bad Religion, Regina Spektor, Chromeo, Groundation, Rage Against the Machine, Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach, Lucinda Williams, Sage Francis, Flamenco, Blues. Interesting.
"I Can Forgive Her But I Don't Have to Because She Screwed With My Chickens."
We arrive at the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. The survivors are given two minutes to gather whatever they can off the schooner they are traveling on, jump onto tribal rafts and head for the beach. There are four tribes, white, black, hispanic and asian. The booty from the boat includes some food, chickens, machetes, lanterns, all kinds of stuff. It may just be me, but it looks like MORE stuff than they usually have.
39 days, 20 people. It's SURVIVOR!!!!! Theme music kicks in and here we go on a new adventure/social experiment that asks the question, "If they really got that hungry, would they eat a tribmate?"
The tribes realize immediately that they are split along ethnic lines. Will this help them bond? Will this reinforce stereotypes?
Aitu. Billy comments that his parents got on a raft in the Dominican Republic to paddle toward America and here they are bass ackwards paddling away from home to an island. Billy is fired up to make shelter and a toilet, but Ozzy quickly feels like Billy is out of his element and JP the pro volleyball player says that Billy is "out of shape". JP that fat could keep this guy going while you're laying around begging for protein.
Ozzy scoots up a tree and cuts them some cocoanuts down so they can have a little snack. Ozzy thinks they are the strongest tribe as long as they stay happy with each other.
Puka. Cao Boi says he is a refugee. He survived the Viet Nam war he can survive this. He gets in early trouble with his tribe mates talking about rowing into the shore and saying how can all these little asians weigh so much. He is immediately chastised to "not stereotype". It's important to note, as Jenny points out, that they are a mixed group themselves. Korean, Phillipino, Phillipino/Hawaiian, and Vietnamese. These groups are not similar in culture. Cao Boi is well aware that he doesn't fit the stereotypical Asian mold as he's more bohemian than his tribe mates. And he's right, since Yul and the others are quick to say they have difficulty with him, chalking it up to a generation gap. It seems obvious to me that Cao Boi has led a much rougher life than the others, who are young, highly educated and making buckets of money in high profile careers.
Hiki. The black tribe (and I'm calling them black because I'm NOT typing Afro-American a zillion times and my black family calls it the black tribe and so there) immediately talks about how they will need to "represent". They talk about how black people do know how to swim and paddle a canoe, it's not all just about running track. However, they quickly have to admit they are "city kids".
Sekou quickly falls into a sort of leadership position. Someone has to herd them into a common goal. They do create a shelter they call "low income housing."
Raro. The white tribe says that the race thing is unimportant, that the real question is can you get along with the people you are with. They ponder whether race will assist in bonding with one's tribe mates. They have gotten off the boat with 2 chickens and 2 machetes. They put the chickens under an overturned box. Jessica, nicknamed Flicka, pick up the box and sets the chickens free. I'm not sure if she wanted to LOOK at the chickens or whether she didn't know the chickens were there and thought she was picking up a stray box. They are off into the jungle.
Jonathan says he the line of the evening...I could forgive her but I don't have to because she screwed with my chickens.
Hiki finds water in a big water barrel. Sundra and Rebecca seem to be bonding quickly, leaving Stehannie the odd woman out. The men begin to work on fire. They are rubbing sticks together and get smoke, but no fire. Sekou takes a lot of breaks.They are concerned that he doesn't stay focused. Stephannie keeps working at the fire.
Some of the Raro tribe is cold so Candace and Adam decide to cuddle for warmth. The others kind of pile around. Adam says he's attracted to Candace a LOT. He's such a frat boy.
Cao Boi has some sort of ritual he performs to relieve headaches. It ends up rubbing a really really red spot on the front of the person's forehead but it does fix the headache. Cao Boi says the headache is called by bad winds. They all laugh at the red spot, but amazingly, the remedy works. Brad is the first cured and he says yeah, he has a red dot on his forehead, but oddly, he has no headache anymore. Cao Boi says they are American Asians who have lost touch with their spirituality.
The challenge is a combined Immunity/Reward Challenge. Jeff asks the tribes about being marooned and Yul says that Jonathan managed to end up with his chicken, which explains why Jonathan ended up with two.
First the tribes must run over a group of hills and valleys filled with water to assemble a puzzle boat. They must then paddle out in the water to light a torch, acquiring fire. Then they paddle back to shore to their starting mats and take the brace pieces off the boat with them to the next part of the challenge which consists of four small puzzles representing North, South, East and West. N,S,E, and W. Assembled, those puzzles are fitted into a big compass and the braces are fitted into the same structure to create a ladder. At the top of the ladder is a platform with a fire barrel. The first tribe to get all members to the top and light their fire barrel wins immunity plus reward...a fire making kit with husks and stuff as well as flint, fireproof matches and kerosene. If you can't get a fire going with that, you need to go home. The next two tribes win flint only and immunity. The last tribe to finish must vote a member out at tribal council. However, the losing tribe does get to select a member from one of the other tribes to go to exile island.
Aitu has it's boat together first followed by Puka. Hiki is having big problems putting the boat together. Aitu is to the torch and back before Hiki is even ready to head out. Aitu and Puka still lead, with Raro somewhat behind and hindered by not having properly braced their boat so that it is being held together by tribe members while others paddle. Aiku and Puka are on their small puzzles as Hiki finally gets out to the fire and heads back toward shore. Puka solved the three small puzzles and is putting it's braces on the compass. Aitu is close behind. Puka wins. Aitu is second. Raro is still working on the four small puzzles and Hiki has finally caught up to the small puzzles. Raro is almost up when they realize they forgot to bring the small puzzles for the compass. Hiki struggles to put theirs together, but are unable to make up their slow start. Raro recovers the small puzzles and finishes third. Hiki must send someone home.
Jeff now explains they get to send one person to go to exile island. Hiki seems really excited about this, but it's just not that big a deal, I wouldn't think, not at this point. On exile island is a hidden immunity idol. It can be used, given to someone else up to the time the tribe leaves for tribal council. In Hiki the two men walk forward and make the decision to send Jonathan from Raro to exile island since he got the two chickens. Jeff questions why the women let the men decide and they just shrug and say seems like the men were taking charge.
Exile island is a lot like a little sand bar with a shipwreck on it. Jonathan is given a clue to finding the individual immunity idol hidden there:
"To make a top grade, stand in a line. If the southern isle vanishes, a salvation you'll find."
Jonathan is unable to locate the idol from the clue and spends a cold miserable night alone missing his family.
Hiki must decide to vote someone out. The three women get together and discuss voting out one of the men. The two men get together and talk about trying to get Stephannie to vote with them since she feels left out of the Sundra, Rebecca friendship. The women decide that Sekou is not conducive to teamwork. The men want Sundra gone. Sekou approaches Stephannie about voting Sundra out telling her that they need the men. He says "when I build a fire, you better keep it going because with me gone, there won't be any more fire." Stephannie is well aware she is the swing vote. Stephannie realizes that they "need" everyone and it will be sad to see someone go but doesn't seem swayed by Sekou's warnings.
At tribal council they all light their torches and take a seat. This year the site seems to be a huge ship with the council on deck. Jeff welcomes them. Rebecca says that Sekou had pretty much emerged as the leader of the tribe. Sekou says they work together well. Nathan says their tribe has a "beautiful spirit". Jeff asks how being divided into tribes ethnically effects the game and they all just laugh. They think it's just funny...something they didn't expect.
They vote. Nathan and Sekou vote for Sundra. Sundra, Rebecca and Stephannie vote for Sekou. He is probably the strongest tribe member physically, but he did take breaks and well, he stepped up to lead a little too quickly for this group, I think. Sekou leaves tribal council congenially.
Jeff tosses them a flint and sends them back to camp.
Next time on Survivor, Cao Boi is still telling Asian jokes and making the others aggravated beyond all measure and Billy doesn't seem to be carrying his own weight, making him a target.
I'm having trouble picking a favorite this year....maybe it will come to me. Right now, I don't dislike anyone intensely either.
Caucasian - Raro
Asian - Puka
African American - Hiki
Hispanic - Aitu
Raro Tribe:
Adam - 28 - San Diego. Born in Virginia Beach, VA and moved to Fredericksburg (great civil war site) and played basketball. He sells copiers for a living but wants to move up to the exciting and challenging career of medical sales. Mostly he likes working out with friends, and working out and then he works out when he has time. Likes the beach and basketball. Favorite actor is Dakota Fanning. Oh, he's a frat boy.
Candice - 23 - Fayetteville, NC. She's a pre-med student. She scored a perfect score on the math portion of her SATs. Favorite movies are Sin City, Crash, Armageddon, Capote, Scarface, The Goonies, The Princess Bride, The Notebook, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, The Lion King, Finding Neverland. She likes rock climbing, rafting, outdoorsy stuff. Lived in a mud hut in Africa for a month as part of a service project she was inspired to particpate in by Survivor:Africa.
Jessica - 27 - Chico, CA. Ok, she's a performance artist and "rollergirl". She does fire related performances using fire hula hoops, poi, staff and batons, often on stilts. She's done the Burning Man thing for the last 8 years and performs all over California. She does roller derby. She's an all star member of "Hustlers". She has a cat named Alita. She has some pretty nifty artwork on her right shoulder, a short tattoo sleeve.
Jonathan - 44 - Los Angeles, CA. OK, the most important thing about this guy is that he has a bunny named Angel Cake. He also has a cat and two lizards. But he has a bunny and that's a big plus in my book. He is also an actor, writer, producer, director, etc. who has actually been in some films and nominated for an Oscar for best short film once. Ok, his fave TV shows includes Spongebob Squarepants, and his favorite cereal is Cap'n Crunch. His favorite music list includes Annie Lennox, Beethoven's 6th, ACDC, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Gershwins. AND, he has a bunny named Angel Cake. Come ON, this guy has to win here!
Parvati - 23 - Los Angeles, CA. She grew up in a commune in Florida, put herself through college in Georgia and works as a waitress and female boxer. Her favorite "board" game is Twister. Is that a board game? She likes swimming and hiking and hates it when she can't play outdoors. Her last name is Shallow.
Puka Tribe:
Becky - 28 - Washington, D.C. She's an attorney working on domestic violence issues in DC especially concerning immigrant women with language issues, etc. She is of Korean descent. She likes Scrabble, and her fave books are To Kill A Mockingbird and Running with Scissors. But, on the physical side, she plays tennis and kickboxes, was on the women's boxing team in college. Could be formidable.
Brad - 29 - Los Angeles, CA. He's another frat alumni who has a degree in International Communications. He works in fashion as a designer and enjoys hobbies like weight training, running, rollerblading, beach volleyball and international travel. He does a lot of community service work such as AIDS Project Los Angeles and Big Brothers of Los Angeles. Music favorites include Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Madonna and 50 Cent (s) *CAUSE IT SHOULD BE PLURAL DAMMIT. He has a favorite flower, the white phalaenopsis orchid. Ok.
Cao Boi - 42 - Christiansburg, VA. Pronounced "cowboy". He was born in VietNam came to the US as a refugee at a very young age. He bicycles, hikes, sky dives. He has hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2003 and has biked cross-country. Bui is the world-record holder in Marathon Softball where he played for 100 hours while serving in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. He's tough, that's for sure. Married with two kids, a dog and two cats.
Jenny - 36 - Lake Forest, IL. She's a real estate agent who heads up a volleyball league in her spare time. she is of Phillipine descent. You may want to note at this point that the Asian tribe, while made up of all Asian contestants, is still has some widely disparate cultures within it being made up of Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Phillipino players. Calling this tribe an ethnic group is sort of like calling a tribe with people from England, France, Germany and Italy the European tribe.
Yul - Ok, this guy is smart. He attended Stanford University and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in symbolic systems (theoretical computer science). While at Stanford, he received the James Lyons Award for Service, attended officer candidates school for the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Kwon went on to receive his Juris Doctor Degree from Yale Law School, where he served on the editorial board of the Yale Law Journal. Then he practiced a mix of litigation, appellate, transactional and regulatory work at several law firms. He also served as a judicial clerk to a federal judge on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Additionally, he worked as a legislative aide to Senator Joseph Lieberman in Washington, D.C., where he helped draft sections of the Homeland Security Bill and other technology-related legislation. d**n. Then he became a consultant. Now he's on survivor eatin' bugs and stuff. He lists FIREFLY as one of his fave TV shows which immediately means he is WAY SUPER SMART and endears him to me forever. It's ALMOST as good as having a bunny. Favorite book : The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein. Not just your ordinary LOTR fan, eh?
Hiki Tribe:
Nathan - 26 - Los Angeles, CA. He is in retail sales but wants to be a musician. He has no favorite books. He likes hip hop, BUT his saving grace is that he likes classical and plays the violin. He looks strong and seems friendly, two things that will get you far in the game. He likes Dave Chappelle, but his favorite Movies includes Dumb and Dumber. Sigh.
Rebecca - 34 - Laurelton, NY. Rebecca is a makeup artist who does Elisabeth Hasselbeck's (Survivor Outback) makeup on the The View. She actually won an emmy for outstanding make up on a daytime talk show. Her fave movies include The Shawhank Redemption and West Side Story. She likes tennis and dancing.
Sekou - 45 - Los Angeles, CA. Sekou enjoys gardening, painting, drawing, reading and writing. He also enjoys basketball, racquetball and lifting weights. He is most proud of obtaining his first Gold Record Award when he was just 19 years old. He's been in some movies. As a jazz musician he has performed with a long list of well known celebs, such as George Benson, Quincy Jones, Coolio, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli, Luther Vandross, Roger Daltry, Paul Anka, Anita Baker, Wayne Shorter, Ray Charles and Ice Cube.
Stephanie - 35 - Columbia, SC. Stephanie is a nursing student, married to her high school sweetheart. They have a dog named Properity, a chow mix. She likes Gospel and R & B and is another volleyball player. She did serve in the military in Desert Storm. She likes singing and dancing and jogging along with this year's apparent theme, volleyball.
Sundra - 31 - Los Angeles, CA. Oakley is currently a thingytail waitress at a Hollywood nightclub while pursuing an acting career. She has appeared on CSI: MIAMI on CBS, "Strong Medicine," "Sex and the City," several national commercials and has appeared off Broadway. She is the first generation american daughter of Jamaican parents and was raised in Queens, NY. Her favorite movies are: Dirty Pretty Things, Love Actually, Chronicles of Narnia, Mommie Dearest. Thank God there are NO WIRE HANGERS on the island.
Aitu Tribe:
Billy - 36 - NYC, NY. He's a heavy metal musician and pro wrestler under the name "Spanish Fly". His favorite music is metal, including Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. Favorite authors include J.R.R. Tolkien and Anne Rice. He likes fruit loops and raspberry zingers. He has martial arts training.
Cecilia - 29 - Oakland, CA. She works as a technology risk consultant. She's smart, but less athletic than some of the others, but she likes hiking and trekking (what's the difference) and golf. Originally from Peru, she learned English as a second language when she was 16. Her hobbies include black and white photography, dancing and working out.
Cristina - 35 - Los Angeles, CA. She's a police officer who comes from a long line of police officers. Coria has been a police officer for almost 14 years. During this time, she has gone through two life-threatening experiences. First, she was nearly crushed to death when she was pinned up against her police car by another vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver. Second, she sustained an almost career-ending injury to her left arm after being shot by a murder suspect during a hostage standoff which occurred on the Santa Monica Pier on July 4, 2000. She sustained severe bone and nerve damage and was initially advised by doctors that she might lose her arm. After extensive reconstructive surgery she was told by doctors that she would never be able to have full use of her arm again nor return back to work. Through dedication, determination, faith and perseverance, she beat the odds and regained use of her arm. Fave books include Dr. Phil's Relationship Rescue.
jp - 30 - Marina del Rey, CA. He's a professional volleyball player. He has coached women's volleyball, Div I champions. He likes to play volleyball. His favorite sport is volleyball. His favorite magazing is Volleyball. His main outdoor activity is....yep, volleyball. He says he is a fitness fanatic, lifts weights, goes outrigger canoeing and likes to swim and play....uh, what was it again, oh yeah...volleyball. If the challenges involve volleyball, this guy will win. Otherwise, these fitness fanatics often have problems when their protein intake drops off radically. They often end up laying around moaning while the porkies and less agressive fitness types take care of the work. Oh, he has NO FAVORITE BOOKS. Hmmm. He should have at least had a pet rabbit.
Ozzy - 25 - Venice, CA. Looks can be deceiving. This native of Mexico may look like just a nice young guy, but he has skills. He owns land in Panama and enjoys going there to spearfish. He can dive to 30 feet and can hold his breath under water for three minutes. He is skilled at building traps, forts, shelter and surviving in the wilderness on his own. In the summer of 2005, he camped all the way from Panama to San Diego over the course of five months. It will be interesting to see him perform in challenges. I also note that he likes to surf WITH his dog on the board. His music list includes Midnight Oil, Otis Redding, James Brown, Pink Floyd, Bad Religion, Regina Spektor, Chromeo, Groundation, Rage Against the Machine, Mozart, Vivaldi, Bach, Lucinda Williams, Sage Francis, Flamenco, Blues. Interesting.
"I Can Forgive Her But I Don't Have to Because She Screwed With My Chickens."
We arrive at the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. The survivors are given two minutes to gather whatever they can off the schooner they are traveling on, jump onto tribal rafts and head for the beach. There are four tribes, white, black, hispanic and asian. The booty from the boat includes some food, chickens, machetes, lanterns, all kinds of stuff. It may just be me, but it looks like MORE stuff than they usually have.
39 days, 20 people. It's SURVIVOR!!!!! Theme music kicks in and here we go on a new adventure/social experiment that asks the question, "If they really got that hungry, would they eat a tribmate?"
The tribes realize immediately that they are split along ethnic lines. Will this help them bond? Will this reinforce stereotypes?
Aitu. Billy comments that his parents got on a raft in the Dominican Republic to paddle toward America and here they are bass ackwards paddling away from home to an island. Billy is fired up to make shelter and a toilet, but Ozzy quickly feels like Billy is out of his element and JP the pro volleyball player says that Billy is "out of shape". JP that fat could keep this guy going while you're laying around begging for protein.
Ozzy scoots up a tree and cuts them some cocoanuts down so they can have a little snack. Ozzy thinks they are the strongest tribe as long as they stay happy with each other.
Puka. Cao Boi says he is a refugee. He survived the Viet Nam war he can survive this. He gets in early trouble with his tribe mates talking about rowing into the shore and saying how can all these little asians weigh so much. He is immediately chastised to "not stereotype". It's important to note, as Jenny points out, that they are a mixed group themselves. Korean, Phillipino, Phillipino/Hawaiian, and Vietnamese. These groups are not similar in culture. Cao Boi is well aware that he doesn't fit the stereotypical Asian mold as he's more bohemian than his tribe mates. And he's right, since Yul and the others are quick to say they have difficulty with him, chalking it up to a generation gap. It seems obvious to me that Cao Boi has led a much rougher life than the others, who are young, highly educated and making buckets of money in high profile careers.
Hiki. The black tribe (and I'm calling them black because I'm NOT typing Afro-American a zillion times and my black family calls it the black tribe and so there) immediately talks about how they will need to "represent". They talk about how black people do know how to swim and paddle a canoe, it's not all just about running track. However, they quickly have to admit they are "city kids".
Sekou quickly falls into a sort of leadership position. Someone has to herd them into a common goal. They do create a shelter they call "low income housing."
Raro. The white tribe says that the race thing is unimportant, that the real question is can you get along with the people you are with. They ponder whether race will assist in bonding with one's tribe mates. They have gotten off the boat with 2 chickens and 2 machetes. They put the chickens under an overturned box. Jessica, nicknamed Flicka, pick up the box and sets the chickens free. I'm not sure if she wanted to LOOK at the chickens or whether she didn't know the chickens were there and thought she was picking up a stray box. They are off into the jungle.
Jonathan says he the line of the evening...I could forgive her but I don't have to because she screwed with my chickens.
Hiki finds water in a big water barrel. Sundra and Rebecca seem to be bonding quickly, leaving Stehannie the odd woman out. The men begin to work on fire. They are rubbing sticks together and get smoke, but no fire. Sekou takes a lot of breaks.They are concerned that he doesn't stay focused. Stephannie keeps working at the fire.
Some of the Raro tribe is cold so Candace and Adam decide to cuddle for warmth. The others kind of pile around. Adam says he's attracted to Candace a LOT. He's such a frat boy.
Cao Boi has some sort of ritual he performs to relieve headaches. It ends up rubbing a really really red spot on the front of the person's forehead but it does fix the headache. Cao Boi says the headache is called by bad winds. They all laugh at the red spot, but amazingly, the remedy works. Brad is the first cured and he says yeah, he has a red dot on his forehead, but oddly, he has no headache anymore. Cao Boi says they are American Asians who have lost touch with their spirituality.
The challenge is a combined Immunity/Reward Challenge. Jeff asks the tribes about being marooned and Yul says that Jonathan managed to end up with his chicken, which explains why Jonathan ended up with two.
First the tribes must run over a group of hills and valleys filled with water to assemble a puzzle boat. They must then paddle out in the water to light a torch, acquiring fire. Then they paddle back to shore to their starting mats and take the brace pieces off the boat with them to the next part of the challenge which consists of four small puzzles representing North, South, East and West. N,S,E, and W. Assembled, those puzzles are fitted into a big compass and the braces are fitted into the same structure to create a ladder. At the top of the ladder is a platform with a fire barrel. The first tribe to get all members to the top and light their fire barrel wins immunity plus reward...a fire making kit with husks and stuff as well as flint, fireproof matches and kerosene. If you can't get a fire going with that, you need to go home. The next two tribes win flint only and immunity. The last tribe to finish must vote a member out at tribal council. However, the losing tribe does get to select a member from one of the other tribes to go to exile island.
Aitu has it's boat together first followed by Puka. Hiki is having big problems putting the boat together. Aitu is to the torch and back before Hiki is even ready to head out. Aitu and Puka still lead, with Raro somewhat behind and hindered by not having properly braced their boat so that it is being held together by tribe members while others paddle. Aiku and Puka are on their small puzzles as Hiki finally gets out to the fire and heads back toward shore. Puka solved the three small puzzles and is putting it's braces on the compass. Aitu is close behind. Puka wins. Aitu is second. Raro is still working on the four small puzzles and Hiki has finally caught up to the small puzzles. Raro is almost up when they realize they forgot to bring the small puzzles for the compass. Hiki struggles to put theirs together, but are unable to make up their slow start. Raro recovers the small puzzles and finishes third. Hiki must send someone home.
Jeff now explains they get to send one person to go to exile island. Hiki seems really excited about this, but it's just not that big a deal, I wouldn't think, not at this point. On exile island is a hidden immunity idol. It can be used, given to someone else up to the time the tribe leaves for tribal council. In Hiki the two men walk forward and make the decision to send Jonathan from Raro to exile island since he got the two chickens. Jeff questions why the women let the men decide and they just shrug and say seems like the men were taking charge.
Exile island is a lot like a little sand bar with a shipwreck on it. Jonathan is given a clue to finding the individual immunity idol hidden there:
"To make a top grade, stand in a line. If the southern isle vanishes, a salvation you'll find."
Jonathan is unable to locate the idol from the clue and spends a cold miserable night alone missing his family.
Hiki must decide to vote someone out. The three women get together and discuss voting out one of the men. The two men get together and talk about trying to get Stephannie to vote with them since she feels left out of the Sundra, Rebecca friendship. The women decide that Sekou is not conducive to teamwork. The men want Sundra gone. Sekou approaches Stephannie about voting Sundra out telling her that they need the men. He says "when I build a fire, you better keep it going because with me gone, there won't be any more fire." Stephannie is well aware she is the swing vote. Stephannie realizes that they "need" everyone and it will be sad to see someone go but doesn't seem swayed by Sekou's warnings.
At tribal council they all light their torches and take a seat. This year the site seems to be a huge ship with the council on deck. Jeff welcomes them. Rebecca says that Sekou had pretty much emerged as the leader of the tribe. Sekou says they work together well. Nathan says their tribe has a "beautiful spirit". Jeff asks how being divided into tribes ethnically effects the game and they all just laugh. They think it's just funny...something they didn't expect.
They vote. Nathan and Sekou vote for Sundra. Sundra, Rebecca and Stephannie vote for Sekou. He is probably the strongest tribe member physically, but he did take breaks and well, he stepped up to lead a little too quickly for this group, I think. Sekou leaves tribal council congenially.
Jeff tosses them a flint and sends them back to camp.
Next time on Survivor, Cao Boi is still telling Asian jokes and making the others aggravated beyond all measure and Billy doesn't seem to be carrying his own weight, making him a target.
I'm having trouble picking a favorite this year....maybe it will come to me. Right now, I don't dislike anyone intensely either.
" He is incredulous. Billy said that the challenge they sort of mouthed the words "I love you" to each other and that was his prize, his prize was her. (I don't think he realized she said 'WE" love you and not 'I' love you....ooops.) Jeff says he never heard anything that surprised him more than what Billy just said.