An "Insider" Look at Survivor: Cook Islands, Episode 6 – Kicking and Screaming

Cao Boi's Final Words

Cao Boi sounds fairly relaxed and normal in his final words. He says it was a wonderful experience and he had a great time. He didn't make it as far as he planned, but that's how it goes. Jeff asked if he was often misunderstood. Cao Boi should have said he is often misunderstood by the Asian community.

They had a plan. It didn't work out. He was betrayed, but that's alright. He does much better outside that community. Everybody thought he was the weakest on the team, but he would have gotten stronger as time went on. He had a great time. He lives life the way he wants and he liked getting the chance to get back in the surf and sun. What he's going to remember the most is sitting around the campfire, watching people go in and out, being the central station. And he made two good friends, “Chicka-Flica and Ozzy.” He considers them truly his friends and he came away with them and a great experience and Cao Boi wouldn't trade it for anything.

Cao Boi says that what he learned most in the game was really a reinforcement of what he already knew, that he is most vulnerable among the Asian community – his own community. People who are like him, but not like him. He had changed his opinion of other Asians during the game, and learned to trust them. That was a mistake. He should have known better. His final message for Aitu is for them to roll on. He tells Flica to take care of herself and for Ozzy to keep providing. He wants the non-gamers to hang in there, do their best, and watch their backs.

Cao Boi smiled throughout his interview. He seemed regretful, but certainly wasn't stressing over his eviction over much. I get the impression Cao Boi's has experienced some rejection and other bad things in his life amongst other Asians. Those experiences seem to have had a strong impact on his life.

Cao Boi, The Day After

Cao Boi seems pumped and poised as he tells us what a great time he had on Survivor. He says it was very, very positive. It was like the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and army all rolled up in one. His favorite part was the competition. Chopping wood and carrying water and getting food was a basic part of life at camp. But waiting for those challenges to come gets your adrenaline going.

Cao Boi says his strategy was to go moment-to-moment and enjoy the experience as much as possible. He wanted to be nice and kind to everyone and show that this kind of strategy could work in Survivor. He hoped to attract others who were of a similar mind on the game, so they could somehow take each other into the final moments of the game. But it didn't work out that way. He says he was totally trusting and naïve and that was the flaw in his plan. Well, that and having a non-strategy as a strategy.

Cao Boi says that “failure is the mother of all success,” and if he had a chance to go out and do it again he would be much more shrewd, but he would not change his overall strategy. He would still be nice and kind. But he would not have placed his trust willingly and taken people at face value.

Cao Boi says that the game is a real equalizer. It shows you who you are. In the real world you don't have that much time to bond with each other. We're too busy and separated. But with everything else stripped away and nothing but a campfire, carrying water, and chopping wood, there was nothing left but your humanity. Cao Boi says he has an adventurous spirit. He likes the adventure and the hardness. He wished for lightning and rain because the harder things get, the tougher he becomes. He counts on the opposition to not be as strong or as adaptable. They complain and whine because they're used to the comfort of their home. Cao Boi already lives that way! He lives without a TV or cell phone. He doesn't have those distractions and he has a bonfire in front of his house every day. But does he sleep on sticks and eat semi-cooked octopus soup every day? I think not.

Obviously responding to a question about whether he waited too long to make alliances, Cao Boi says he didn't wait too long. He actually united people early. But he made a mistake. He didn't just need good people. He needed strong people too. He needed people willing to lay it on the line and put their necks out for each other. He wasn't choosy enough. He needed honorable people, willing to die for each other and stick together no matter what. Cao Boi says that he should have voted exactly as he wanted at Tribal Council from day one, instead of letting himself be swayed. He went against his instincts. He was going to vote for Becky, but let Yul sway him. If he hadn't, things might have been different.

Cao Boi is hoping to take away a calmness, a silence inside, from this game. He felt like this was the culmination of his life – been there, done that – and all. So, when he got back to the world, most things would be meaningless. The human drama would no longer be as grand or require input. He would just step back and let people solve things, and only when asked would he give his input. Wow. Thinking of a couple weeks on Survivor as the culmination of your life. I guess that's one way to look at it. I'm not sure it's a healthy way, but it's a way.

Cao Boi doesn't think his tribe misses him being gone. They're just relieved they got a possibly dangerous player out. Someone who's vocal and opinionated and can bluntly expose them – going straight to the heart of the matter. Cao Boi says he would go back to the game in a heartbeat. He would volunteer. He would love to give it another go. He would not talk as much and be a shrewd, shrewd player. He would scheme, because he can scheme with the best of them! But he was just too trusting.