By: Dani Julien

If you had told me a year and a half ago that I would voluntarily spend 3 weeks of my life running around starving, exhausted and naked on an island with nothing but a machete to get me by, I might have taken your temperature and asked what types of hallucinogenics you had consumed in the last few hours or directed you to Santa Cruz County Mental Health Services. That isn’t something that sounds appealing, even in the most remote sense of the word, let alone safe or fun. Is that something people willingly sign up for? Who in their right mind with any sense of reality would want to do that? Apparently, they do. And the only reason I would know is because I did.

My name is Dani Julien, and I’m a mildly kooky climber/cyclist from Santa Cruz. I’m prone to misadventure and enjoy a good romp in the woods at night. More often than not I have leaves in my hair, dirt under my fingernails, and chalk all over my clothes. I like cats. I don’t like raw oysters. I live in the woods in a trailer, and apparently I have a knack for getting naked and climbing coconut trees. Nice to meet you. Have I mentioned that I’m single? Are you shocked?

In July of 2013 I received a call from Los Angeles based Metal Flowers Media asking me to audition for Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid where elite survivalists and hardcore outdoor enthusiasts challenge themselves in harsh and often unforgiving environments around the globe. (For the record, I am NOT an and elite survivalist, and “hardcore” isn’t a descriptor I would apply to myself. But it sounded like a good time… or so I thought). Locations such as the Namibian Desert, Louisiana Swamplands and Amazonian Jungles have become the norm as people push themselves to their limit… sometimes pushing a little too far, to complete the ultimate survival test: 21 days, 2 complete strangers, no food, no water… No clothes.

When I heard the proposal, my response was a per-Dani-standard impulse reaction. What else was I going to say? “Hell, yes. I’m in.” I had never actually seen the show (actually, this is the first I’d heard of it as I don’t own a TV) and have a tendency to act first, then think about it 3 days later while I’m recovering, so it was no surprise that it took me a few weeks to watch an episode for research. I went over to my parents house to borrow their cable and holy S#!%, my stomach flipped more times than a Ukranian gymnast as I witnessed people dropping from Malaria, Fer De Lance bites, heat exhaustion and mental ill-preparedness on the screen and I quickly realized what I had gotten myself into. This was the worst good idea I’d ever had. I was terrified, and I was SO in.

6 months later I was on a plane to Andros Island armed with little more than a Condor Machete, a pair of clean underwear and a water bottle for last minute hydration. Most of the flight was spent over-studying, taking “breathe, you’ll be fine” breaks and reminding myself of why I was going. My mantra was simply this: Try harder when you want to quit (the only way to learn one’s limits), and have fun (my father’s advice). I had no idea if I had what it took… I picked a helluva way to find out.

For the next 21 days, in partnership with a firefighter from Callahan Florida, I battled the elements, lack of reliable water, lack of food, shredded feet, Poinsonwood rashes in TRULY inconvenient places, internal conflicts and teamwork challenges with my cohort. We ate whatever we could find, took some calculated risks and ultimately survived long enough to make it to our extraction point. It was the best camping trip ever… it was also the vacation from hell.

It’s been almost a year since departing for Andros. People often question, “Would you do it again?” and since I’ve been home my response has consistently and without hesitation been, “Absolutely. In a heartbeat.” Little did I know, however, that it might actually happen…

Recently, Discovery Channel reached out to former cast members to ask if they would be interested in participating in what is informally being called “The All Star Series”. The Network has posted a page on their website where the public can vote for their favorite survivalist to return to the show once more for the opportunity to prove to themselves and the world that they have what it takes to make it. Currently, I’m on the board and am looking to land the chance to test myself one more time, and come out alive to tell you the tale.

So, if you have access to the internet and feel like helping a local homie out I would be the MOST psyched on you voting for me. You can vote here:

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/naked-and-afraid/games/vote-for-your-favorite.htm?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Naked%26Afraid

If you haven’t seen our episode of Naked and Afraid and want to do some research before voting blindly, it’s available on Amazon Prime. The episode is titled “Blood in the Water” and Aired on July 6th, 2014

Thanks, guys! I’ll let you know how it goes!!! For updates and to find out the results (or just to say hello) check out my Facebook page!

Instagram: @dirtbagdani

Twitter: @danijulien

Facebook: facebook.com/godirtbagdani

Discovery Profile: http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/naked-and-afraid/bios/dani-julien.htm