An “Insider” Look at Survivor: Samoa, Episode 7, Part 1 – “We’re Competing Against Hairdressers and They’re Whipping Our Ass!”

Liz’s Final Words

“This experience was nothing but intense,” Liz begins. She’s appreciative of her family and friends for helping her get here. “This is one hell of a game.” Liz says her gut instinct told her it was possible she could go home tonight. “It was a very strategic move. It’s a little bit surprising, but not that shocking.”

Liz acknowledges that it’s a game and somebody has to be voted off. She goes on to say that Foa Foa just needs a break. Liz says that, strategically, she understands why they kept Natalie. “Diplomatically, Natalie has made some strides with Laura, so it was a very strategic move on Foa Foa’s part.” Liz says she voted for Jaison because she thought that was the plan and his heart isn’t in it anymore, but she understands the vote. Liz was the strongest female, but Natalie would be a better asset following a merge, and that may well be coming up.

Liz shows a very clear understanding of the game and why she was voted out by her tribe. She doesn’t seem resentful – just analytical. I think Liz could have tried to work the social game harder since she seems keenly aware of just what Natalie was doing right there, but maybe Liz just has trouble doing that.

Liz the Day After

Liz looks relaxed as she tells us that her primary goal for coming on the show was to test the outer limits of her capabilities. Liz never thought of herself as a complainer, but maybe she was. “I wanted to test myself.” Liz goes on to say that she has always led a comfortable existence and gotten whatever she set her mind on.

To find herself on Foa Foa, losing so much, was a real change. “It’s mindboggling. It really goes to show you how difficult the puzzles and challenges are. That last immunity challenge, you had two lawyers and a doctor! It’s mindboggling.” Liz says it’s not the same as watching it from home. Mentally and physically it is difficult when you don’t have the sleep, nourishment, and other things you’re used to having. “All we had was each other.”

“Kudos to Russell. He got me when he told me I should vote for Jaison. For that, I commend him. I do hope he makes it far along in the game.” Liz hopes a Foa Foa makes it to the final three. Every day they woke up with optimism, hoping the game would change for them. It hasn’t yet, but they always hoped.

Liz says she didn’t do enough scheming in the game. She’s very proud of how she played. She was very principled – but Liz says this might have been her Achilles heel too. But even though they were losing so much, Liz felt she gave 110% every time. Liz says her big misstep was when she couldn’t put her personal feelings aside and fight harder for her position. “I didn’t put aside my subjective, human, personal attachments to these people and attack them with my game hat.”

Liz says the biggest thing she took from the game is the importance of human bonds. She’s amazed that strangers can become so close in the matter of days – just due to necessity. They had hours to get to know each other and they really bonded. “It was a huge take away for me.”

Again, Liz seems to be very comfortable with herself and how she played the game. Her complimenting of Russell for his strategy to oust her seems very genuine. I think Russell would have had Liz’s vote if she had made it to the jury. She seems to have no resentment and to look at the experience as a game. I’m quite impressed by the way Liz looks at her experience, the game, and those around her. She’s very observant of herself, the game, and her own strengths and weaknesses relative to it. So, I’ll give Liz my kudos here.

The Galu Men

Erik is hiding in his tree as he interviews that it was like they had a few leaves around on the lawn and were thinking they should rake when, suddenly, this huge wind storm comes in and you better get a “damn rake.” Now, with Russell leaving, the men have to get a damn rake. “Now, it’s survival of the fittest.”

Erik says that the men on Galu outnumber the women – especially if he counts Shambo in their alliance – Galu outnumbers Foa Foa. Erik says there is no reason why the four men shouldn’t make it to the final four. “There’s no reason Foa Foa should be considered competitors in the game anymore and there’s no reason the women in the Galu tribe should be considered competitors anymore. It should be all about those four ‘slash five’ Galu men.”

Erik is clearly working the game. I find it fascinating how the men have to sort of kind of classify Shambo as a man to work with her. They’re right to make her feel part of their alliance, because they need her. What Erik is not considering, though, is that the Galu women could ally with the Foa Foa to get rid of the strong Galu men – something they quite possibly should do given the Galu men’s attitude towards them.

The Cursed Necklace

Mick interviews, “We do everything by consensus.” He says there are a few exceptions, but that’s generally the way Foa Foa does it. Mick says he’s the first person to admit when he’s wrong. He goes on to say that maybe the necklace is a curse. He laughs and wonders if they should throw it away or burn it. “I’d probably just wake up the next morning and it would be around my neck again.”

Mick says things have gone so badly it kind of feels like there’s a curse. He says that Natalie has been praying and being really positive and just acting like a little Southern belle. She’s even gotten everyone else praying… And it still doesn’t work.

Heh. Mick’s obviously not taking the curse too seriously, but he is keenly aware just how badly Foa Foa is doing. Mick seems at a loss about what to do to change it, though.