Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
The goal ofSurvivoris to stay in the game as long as possible.
However, the longer you stay, the harder it can be to recover.
Tina Wesson on ‘Survivor: Blood vs. Water’.Monty Brinton/CBS
BecauseTina Wessondid not just play 39 days onSurvivor: The Australian Outback.
And, 20 years later, shestillfeels every single one of them.
“I had the most difficult time returning fromSurvivor: The Australian Outback,” Tina tells EW.
Tina Wesson on ‘Survivor: Blood vs. Water’.Monty Brinton/CBS
“I can honestly say I’m not sure my body has ever fully recovered.
I rarely have gotten above 115 since my return.
I don’t eat very much still.
It’s as if my stomach permanently shrunk.”
“Everything became relative.
Now when I’m cold I can say, I’ve been a whole lot colder.
If I get hungry, I can say I have been a whole lot hungrier.
It also gave me the wonderful gift of showing me what my true grit really is.
And should our world turn to mayhem…
I am pretty confident I will be just fine!”
And she may not be done yet.
TINA WESSON:My entire life I have tended to be pretty fluid.
Then I will think I need a break and I will just enjoy freedom for a while.
Usually when I’m in work mode it involves something in the hospitality industry because I truly love people!
Yet on the opposite end of that, I truly love isolation.
I can be a real conundrum!
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
That really meant a lot to me because I do believe love wins!
I really wasn’t.
It was sheer luck and old-school true alliance gameplay that won the game for me!
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperiences?
I really wish that I had won the last challenge inSurvivor: The Australian Outback.
One question was the difference.
I would have to say it was some of the conversations that took place onBlood vs. Water.
Between Kat, Tyson,Aras, and Gervase it was absolute Comedy Central!
The best was when I instituted my daily “hi-low” round Robin.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
I feel great about all my edits.
I think they all were accurate and have zero complaints!
I also feel as If they get most people right!
It is extremely difficult to fully get the personality of all 16 people when trying to filmSurvivor.
As far as for my three seasons I think they did a great job.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
I had the most difficult time returning fromSurvivor: The Australian Outback.
I can honestly say I’m not sure my body has ever fully recovered.
I rarely have gotten above 115 since my return.
I don’t eat very much still.
It’s as if my stomach permanently shrunk.
The good news is I came home a different person in that I could never see life the same.
Now when I’m cold I can say, I’ve been a whole lot colder.
If I get hungry, I can say I have been a whole lot hungrier.
It also gave me the wonderful gift of showing me what my true grit really is.
And should our world turn to mayhem…
I am pretty confident I will be just fine!
Never, ever, ever in 1 million years would I ever regret going onSurvivor.
It has been one of the most brilliant colors to my life’s painting.
It held countless opportunities that I am so grateful for!
The opportunity to travel to Australia, Panama, Patagonia, and the Philippines.
The opportunity to meet such interesting and unique people from all over the U.S.
The opportunity to go through something more difficult than the average bear and come out on the other side.
For me, I have to say behind having my children it has been my greatest experience!
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your seasons?
From Australia, Colby, of course, is still my go-to person.
We still have that mutual love and respect that will always be there.
I have been in often on communication with Jerri and was communicating with Mike before he had his difficulties.
In theAll-Starsseason cast, I am contact with Ethan, and of course my sweetheart boyfriend Big Tom!
InBlood vs. Water, I communicate constantly with my BFF Katie.
I also became close with my Redemption Island partner in crime Laura Morett.
I’ve spoken some with Colton as well and I always look forward to his call.
Same thing withSundayas she battles her cancer.
Same thing with Hatch when he was incarcerated and even the same thing with Skupin.
It is when people are at their lowest and worst that they have their greatest needs.
My heart truly hurts for all my fellow survivors who have had to go through life struggles.
Of course I watch!
I just loved the dynamic of their tribes.
Who’s one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I have always said my favorite player isYul.
There was something in watching him play that resonated inside my being.
His integrity, his quiet spoken demeanor, and just how he seemed as a person.
He gets life and the true meaning of it.
It’s not about him, but about others.
That’s the kind of human we all can learn from!
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor,what would it be and why?
I am not a big fan of all the hidden immunity idols.
I loved a more pure game.
I think it gave the viewers more opportunities to get to know the players more intimately.
So it seems a lot of time is spent an idol searching instead of human searching.
I think the viewers would benefit more from interactions between the players than looking for idols.
But that’s just my opinion.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
It might not be pretty, but the heart of thisSurvivorgirl beats strong andSurvivortrue.
Heck yeah bring it!
Especially since I was left adrift fromWinners at War.
(But looking back am a little thankful.)
It would have been like myAll-Starsseason.
