s07e11 insiders

Survivor Insider Episode 11 Yahoo Platinum

A True Fish Story (02:45)

Clip description: You saw the tribe blame Christa for throwing the much-needed fish into the jungle. Watch as Insider brings you back to the Balboa tribe as Christa explains her predicament.

Christa (sobbing confessional): Apparently, last night, the fish were thrown into the forest. And Sandra and I were accused. I was basically the one that was blamed for throwing fish that we had leftover from Rupert's fishing that day, into the woods or into the ocean. I didn't throw fish anywhere. I didn't even see the fish come up when Burton was gutting them right before we left for tribal council. I didn't throw the fish into the forest. Yet Burton and Jon make up this big old story blaming me.

It very well could have been Sandra. I know she snuck oranges before and snuck mangos before. She promises me that she didn't do it. Maybe that's the truth or not. Maybe she's trying to save herself now one more spot than me, by saying she didn't do it. Because I did have about 30 seconds where I put down my canteen in the corner of bed and that 30 seconds made everyone believe that I took some trip back to the camp, took the fish and threw them in the forest. And went back and put the bucket back, which is impossible. But I'm the only one that was gone for 30 seconds and I just didn't want to listen to Sandra and Jon argue over and over and over. I hear Jon and Sandra argue all the time so that's why I didn't want to hear it. So that's why I left the whole situation. And people think that I threw away all the fish. I feel horrible for being blamed and not have any way to prove that I didn't do it.

CUT

And I talked to Lill this morning and she said that I can't be trusted. And she doesn't believe me. And that she believes I threw the fish out. I just feel like I can't talk to anybody here. They all think that I threw out the fish and that I tried to sabotage the camp and the tribe. And I didn't and it makes me feel bad for doing something I didn't do.

CUT

So nobody wants to talk to me because I threw out the fish! That I didn't throw out. That I can't prove that I didn't have any part of it.

Tijuana the Day After (07:13)

Tijuana (day-after interview): There are two parts of the game that were the most memorable to me. I think the first was when I had to jump off the boat. I'm not a very good swimmer. And I had been practicing two months prior to this experience. To better my swimming skills. So when I was told I had to jump off this boat, considering I had jumped off a diving just two times in my whole life. It was not something I wanted to do, nor was I prepared. But once I saw everyone else doing it, I knew I had to do it.

So it was just a test for me, can I really do this. And I did and I was just very proud of myself. To take that risk.

I think the second time was in a challenge when I had to dive for pieces. I just didn't think I could do it. And I was out there for a while; I didn't think I was going to succeed. But I didn't want to let myself down; I didn't want to let my tribe down, considering we had already lost some challenges. So I went in anyway, and it took some time, but then at the last minute, as I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it, I went down again and got a piece for our challenge. We ended up losing that challenge because of a number of other things. It just felt good for me. It's a good feeling. You get out here and you test your will power and your strength. ... It's been a fulfilling experience.

CUT

I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was definitely hard out here. Even up to the moment when I was shockingly voted out, I still would have gone another how ever many days. It was OK. You still knew why you were there. I would have continued on for as long as I needed to. And I learned a lot of good things about myself and bad things about myself, so that I can improve. Just in group dynamics, with strangers, how am I? And then thinking about my friends and family and how I am with them. You're just able to reflect and how can I be a better person. I definitely have grown from this experience. And I think I'll grow even more when I see it on TV. It'll be a true reflection for me. I would do it again of course. I was so happy to experience it because I know there are many people who have either tried to be at this point and weren't able to. I'm blessed.

CUT

It's something that I don't regret, but I would have changed would have been, the last day when I was voted off, I was on my high horse. I was kind of in charge. "We're going to vote out a person." And I told myself in the game to align myself with people and respect people and try to be as honest as possible. By the last day, I kind of forgot those values that I told myself I would keep by my side until the end. And I think it came back to nip me in the butt.

I got to the point where I thought, "things are going my way. I can kind of control this setting." And I used the power I had at that time to a point where it hurt me. It's a reality check. It tells you, "You may think you're in control but are you always in control?" And to make sure you're always paying attention and I wasn't doing that the last day. It was the reason why I got voted out. If I had paid attention and not got too high up on my horse, I would have gotten farther in the game, because that was the whole plan. To be in a five-person alliance and be further in the game. I didn't. I thought I was controlling things a little too much. That's probably the one thing that if I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed with who I would say I would be in the game and be consistent with that. And I forgot that the last day of the game.

CUT

There are a few. I think with every person I came across, there was some sort of relationship. From the very beginning, when there was Nicole. It went from me not knowing her to hearing from other people that there were some things going on as far as her strategizing the game and how it potentially hurt me.

From Nicole to Ryan S to Lill to OT and thereafter, and coming over to the Drake tribe. A few days before I was leaving, I started to develop a relationship with Jon and also Burton. And those are probably the worst relationships I could develop (laughs). I didn't know them, and I took what Jon's words would be as truth. Because they sounded like valid points, the things they were saying to me. They made sense. In retrospect, I was just being very naive. But all in all, ya know? He's playing the game; he's playing the game well. And we're total opposites in how he was playing the game and I was playing the game. But look who got further? He did!

So I've had a bunch of relationships out here. But regardless of the relationships I've had in this game, I think I can walk away and say I have some friendships here. I don't have any hard feelings. I'm not going to say, "To hell with them." They played the game. They came in with how they were going to play it. In the end, we're all people, and we're all trying to get to the same point. However you play it is how you play it. In the end, I respect the experience. I respect the people who had this experience with me. And I'll walk away respecting everything about the game, including the people who helped me and hurt me. So, I walk away I think with 15 other people, potentially, I didn't get to know everybody, who knows if we'll be friends or not, but there's a few friendships I've walked away with.

What Tijuana Learned (04:46)

Tijuana (final words): I've learned a lot, I've learned what I am willing to do as far as people are concerned. ... I've learned that if I try my best, I can do it. Aside from that, it's very hard dealing with this kind of game. I was sitting there at tribal council saying, "God, this is such a difficult game," on a personal level, because there are certain things you wouldn't do outside of the game, that you start to actually contemplate doing in the game to get your further, one of those being to vote off Burton. He's a good guy and he deserves to be here after Christa and Sandra. But it was very hard for me to make that decision. I sort of learned a lot from this game. I'm happy where I'm at. I'll go home, and hopefully I learned enough to share with everyone and live a better life.

CUT

Definitely a long journey, but so worth it. I wish I had it longer. But I don't. Trying to take a step up and try to take an advantage and take that leadership role, I think cost me the game. It was a high risk, I knew it was. I tried to get other people involved so I wasn't going to be a major target. But I think I still was. I definitely was the messenger for the remaining tribe members. But that's the risk I took. It nipped me in the bud, but it's all right.

CUT

I think what surprised me most... uhm... first of all, just the dynamics to the game, from the rain, to the wind, to the cool nights, not being able to sleep at night, then have to get up the next day and do a challenge... uhm... to people that have attitudes with you, uh... for people who support you and people that you care about that ultimately, do they really care about you? Uhm... there's just so many dynamics to this game and it makes it that much more tougher. Uhm... Coupled with the fact that it's all in one day or 39 days, it's not, you know, over the course of a lifetime. All of these elements come down in a matter of days and you have to live with these people, people that you don't know. There's just so many different dynamics to this game that make it truly one of the toughest things I've ever experienced.

It's truly the toughest outside of my mother's death. It surprises me even more that I was able to go through it. And have a positive attitude. I mean, I've had some bad days out here... uhm... I definitely having been one to be ... uhm... the most to get along at times. But I think, overall, I still had a positive attitude and I've tried to support not only myself, but others. And uh… I don't know. It shows I can still do everything I can put my mind to. And I did it here. And I'm happy about that.

CUT

It definitely is a reflection being here of all the dynamics of life experiences that you have from people who don't get along to other people that argue to maybe someone who doesn't like you for your skin color. All of these things, coupled with the fact that you have try to find food and shelter. The elements that are out here. It's all compressed into 39 days, coupled with the fact that you can't get away. You can get away for a little bit, walk down the beach, but you have to come right back. You can't go for too long because then you never know what is happening when you're gone. SO it's definitely all the experiences, mostly positive things, compressed into 39 days. It makes it that much more tough, a challenge. But at the same time, it makes it that much more rewarding.

I've always respected and loved my family, so that's not something that would be heightened in any regard. It will continue to be the same. I'll try to do more things with them.

Voting Booth Cam (06:47)

SANDRA: [ed. votes for Tijuana] You came to our tribe. You tried to take over... uhm... You tried to delegate what we were going to do, when we were going to do it, how we were going to do it. And frankly, we're sick and tired of you. By the way, Happy Birthday. Uhm... Take care, good-bye, adios.

DARRAH: Burton, I'm voting for you only because you're the biggest threat we have right now and this is the only chance cause you didn't win Immunity. Uhm... Thanks for being a good friend and being respectful... uhm... to T and I for bringing us into the alliance with you to get me further along in the game. Uhm... thanks for the fish and thanks for everything.

CHRISTA: [ed. votes for Tijuana] You're very rude, disrespectful and you like to order people around. And... I just don't want you around anymore.

TIJUANA: Burton, this vote is for you. Not because you're not a good person. Uhm... You're not only a good person, you're a hard worker around camp. Uhm... You raise our spirits and... uhm... we appreciate everything that you've done. Uhm... So it's nothing that is against you personally. It's merely to the fact that you are the strongest player here mentally and physically. On top of that, uhm... as you know, I heard you and Jon talking, along with Darrah. And... uhm... you had a lot of just differences in what you were telling us versus what you told Jon. And it just contradicts our alliance. So, with that being said, this vote is for you. But again, good blessings to you. I hope that in the end, when this is all over, we'll be friends.

LILL: Tijuana, it's a little bit of payback time. You didn't think anything about getting rid of me four weeks ago. You broke our alliance with some wonderful people who saved you. They brought you in and saved you. And now you want to get rid of our main source of food, Burton. I say no. I'm here to protect Burton. I think it's time for you to go.

BURTON: T, I know it's your birthday tomorrow, but I don't think one of us is going to be here to see it. Uhm... A little piece of advice, a day early, for you. Never assume you are in complete control of a situation until you're 100 percent assured.

JON: [ed. votes for Tijuana] Say your prayers and take your vitamins. It's for greatness run wild.