sarahsimon

Edited for readability :)

Here are the answers from the request about a Survivor contestant. My Answers:

1. What kind of shit went on before the game started? Did you get to talk and hang out with the other contestants and shit or were you blindfolded and separated from all human contact?

Everyone is at the same location called “ponderosa” you are not allowed to talk or have any type of interaction with the other contestants; the first time you talk to them is when the cameras are rolling. At Ponderosa they have handlers there so you are allowed to talk to them. It’s a lot of reading and relaxing before the game starts.

1. Do cameramen talk to you guys? If you are mean to them, do they try and make you look bad on tv?

The cameramen did not talk to us, even if we tried to talk to them they were not allowed to respond. There was no reason to be mean to them. The cameramen are not the people that edit the show. The people that edit the show are the ones that could potentially make you look bad.

1. You would obviously need to be a fan of the show to play, did any part of your experience diminish your outlook on the game? If so what?

Not at all, I am a HUGE fan of the show. I think that by me playing the game I feel I have a whole new respect for the game and the people who have ever played the game. I enjoy watching the show now more since I was able to actually play.

1. At any point did you feel your life was in danger? How far away were medical? Close? Could ever hear them at night?

The only time I felt like I was in danger was when it was raining for many days straight. I was so cold and shaking for days. We had no water at that point and were not about to drink the rain water because it was runoff from the trees. I was scared my body was going to shut down with no water and food. A few days later Russell collapsed due to dehydration. In Samoa if you were at camp medical was about 40 minutes away from us. If it was an emergency they could get to us within 15 minutes. At challenges medical was right there in case something happened. The only people that were with us at night were the camera crew. They were very respectful of us trying to sleep.

1. It seems to me like old players become friends with new ones (like on twitter and what not). Do you still regularly hang out with people from your season and from others? What does the show do to foster these relationships? Survivor parties etc.?

There are several charity events where we get to see and meet one another. This is how I stay in contact with people from my season as well as others. I don’t live close to people but the people that live in LA and NY are all very close. We have a shared experience that only we can understand so we are all a big “family.”

1. All you guys seem to loose your shit when you see your family. Like 20 days in ... what does the show do to make this experience so emotional? Do they actually separate you from your family long before the game even starts?

You are going through a really difficult time while you are on the island and VERY vulnerable. You haven’t seen or heard from your family at that point for over a month. I still cry when I watch the family episodes because it brings back memories of seeing my family when I got home. Even when you are voted off you are not allowed to call or contact your family so it’s a long time to have no contact with them.

No problem! Thanks for the AMA!

My sister, friend, and I have a tradition for the past four years to get together and go to our favorite coffee shop and do it together. It's been wonderful.