Salem woman gets second chance on ‘Survivor: Cambodia'

Salemite Ciera Eastin’s second chance has come.

The 26-year-old stay-at-home mom of two spent the beginning of her summer in Cambodia filming the CBS competitive reality TV series “Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance.”

But this was not her first “Survivor” experience. Two years ago, Eastin, along with her mother, Laura Morett, was a competitor on “Survivor: Blood vs. Water,” where she finished fifth place.

“Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance” is about just that. Each of the 20 competitors on the show are returning players picked by fans through online voting.

“I think the viewers are really going to love it because they voted these people in,” Morett said.

Eastin learned she would be officially returning to the show when it was announced during last season’s finale on May 20. A few days later, she flew out of Los Angeles to film in Cambodia.

“Both experiences were incredible — both very different,” Eastin said. “When you play with a loved one, you have a sense of security, at homeness. It’s very comfortable. You look around and can see somebody that is there for you. When you are by yourself, not only do you have all these players who have played before, they are extra thirsty for the win. It’s cutthroat.”

Eastin noted that for her second time around, the game play was more fast paced. The game was on from the get-go, she said.

“Right out the gate, right into a challenge. It definitely set the pace,” Eastin said. “The first challenge kind of sets the tone for at least how the first portion of the game is.”

“The conditions weather and food wise were way worse than my first time,” Eastin added. “The first time I thought it was hard. This time it was unreal ... brutal weather from hot to pouring down monsoon rain.”

Eastin also noted that there was less food in Cambodia than the Philippines, where “Survivor: Blood vs. Water” was filmed.

But less food was not the only challenge Eastin faced.

“For me, at night time, laying there in pouring-down rain. Everything you own is wet — it doesn’t even have time to dry. You have time to miss your loved ones. Constantly thinking about my two kids. Thankful for all these small things you take for granted at home: shelter, a bed, warm clothes, a pillow. I am so fortunate,” she said.

“Even when there were days off, there was constant strategizing going on,” Eastin noted. “There was never a time when it wasn’t. It was very different from my first season, which was a lot of downtime, enjoying each other.”

“CBS really stuck to the theme of second chances,” Eastin said. “A lot of the challenges you are going to see are challenges that maybe one person has done before and lost or won. It’s a second chance to prove you are the winner and win it again, or if you lost that you can win it.”

“This is a season full of surprises and twists,” Eastin added. “They really have stuck to the theme in more ways than just that throughout the season.”

Eastin, thankful for her second chance, noted that she has had two years to revisit, ponder and question her moves the first time she was on “Survivor,” but for some players, such as Kelly Wigglesworth who was second runner up in season one, it has been 10 years.

“There is no perfect mathematical equation on how to win ‘Survivor,’ ” she said. “I went into it with such unfinished business. I felt like, I really just wanted to come in and go all out, leave it all on the island. I probably won’t get a chance to play again. I didn’t want to have regrets this time. My first season, I definitely had them. A lot came down to being timid. I was scared my first season until about halfway through the season.”

“I definitely feel like as far as the theme ‘second chances’ goes, it was my perfect theme season,” Eastin said. “It’s a perfect time and perfect theme to describe my situation and my story.”

“This time I can definitely leave the experience saying I played fearlessly,” Eastin said.

Eastin and her mother will be hosting a premiere viewing party 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Half Penny, 3743 Commercial St. SE.

Although the viewing is free, there is a $10 suggested donation. The money raised will be donated to Andres, a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome who needs a bone marrow transplant. Learn more about Andres at gofundme.com/x7e68v5n.

To stay in the loop about future viewings, follow Eastin and Morett on Twitter @cieraeastin and @lauramorett.

Email cwright2@StatesmanJournal.com, call (503) 399-6671, or find her online at Twitter @CarleeWrightSJ

‘Survivor: Cambodia - Second Chance’ premiere viewing party

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23

Where: Half Penny, 3743 Commercial St. SE.

Cost: Free; $10 suggested donation. Money raised will be donated.

Twitter: To stay in the loop about future viewings, follow on Twitter @cieraeastin and @lauramorett