How do you spend your days?
My days are usually pretty busy. Especially lately, it seems like my calendar is jam-packed with things I have to do. Work, school, events, parties, errands, etc. Never a dull moment with me. At the moment I am working full time for the municipal government in my city in a communications role. I try to go to the gym 3 times a week after work (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) although this week I pretty much failed that haha. My weekends are probably the most busy, especially in 2014. Seems like everyone wants to hang out all the time! My priority right now is preparing for my upcoming international travels that I have planned for the next year and a half. Besides all that, I really need some time to unwind and relax. I'm hoping playing iSurv1vor will give me a reason to stay inside instead of going out to party (I'm so cool, right?).
If you could compare yourself to a actual Survivor castaway, who would it be?I would say that out of the seasons of Survivor I have watched, I think I most closely resemble Yul. And no, not solely because of having similar ethnic backgrounds! I think Yul played a very solid game in all aspects. He was very good socially, physically, and mentally. He avoided conflict and confrontation, and was able to effectively put himself in a good position throughout the game. I believe that if I was on an actual season of Survivor, I would play very similar to him.
If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?When I was younger I wasn't a huge fan of my name. Now I really like it. But if I had to change my first name, I would change it to something very unique. Something barely anyone names their children. I am a big fan of creative, less-used names. Maybe something like Rey or Vail. The options for unique names are endless. I really like the name Zayn, so maybe something similar.
What are some of your hobbies?My hobbies are pretty broad. I love trying new things frequently so I have done a variety of activities in the past. I love to travel and try to do so as much as I possibly can. I've been to places in Canada, the USA, Mexico, and Europe. I love to try new foods! I'm a big fan of Vietnamese and Italian cuisines, but I absolutely enjoy all types of meals. I like exercise and trying new ways to get physically active. I enjoy soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming, running, squash, badminton, biking, skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, yoga, kayaking, working out, dragon boating, and I am also currently in a pole dance class. I'm also a big fan of watching reality TV shows such as Big Brother and Survivor, and as you can tell I play the occasional online game related to them.
What is your favorite color?My favourite color is blue. For some reason I am drawn to most things blue. I'm not sure if I actually genuinely like the color blue because of my preference, or if I have been conditioned to like it because of the male association with blue as being masculine. I also really like teal, turquoise, and yellow.
If you were reincarnated as an ice cream flavor, what would it be?If I was reincarnated as an ice cream flavour, I would say that I would be strawberry. I love strawberry ice cream and you have to love yourself, right?
What's the best meal you've ever had?I'm not quite sure what the best meal I've ever had was because I tend to thoroughly enjoy all my meals. I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to food, I love it all. I do however, absolutely love Vietnamese vermicelli dishes. If you haven't tried this before, you need to leave your house right now, regardless of the time, and go try it! This amazing concoction is delicious in every way possible and I feel super satisfied whenever I eat this meal.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?If I had the opportunity to vacation anywhere in the world at the moment, I would say South America. More specifically Brazil. Which is precisely why I will be going to Brazil this summer!
If I had to pick a place that I don't already have plans lined up to go, I would say Japan. I have always been fascinated with Japanese culture and I know visiting there would be a blast!
What would be one word that best describes yourself?Personable.
What's the biggest problem facing the world right now?Inequality.
What is your animal spirit?I believe that if I was an animal, I would definitely be a dog. Seems pretty basic, but it actually lines up with my personality very well. I am very easy going, friendly, and generally energetic. I'm very trustworthy and loyal, and I get along with most people. I don't really judge people that much. I love food, games, and exploring. I'm protective over my territory and friends. If I get a bad feeling I usually trust my gut. I'm usually nice unless you aren't nice to me. Then I might bite back.
What is one of your favorite quotes?Tie between:
"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" - Dr. Seuss
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” - Saint Augustine
What is one quality you admire most in others?Confidence, because it is something I don't always have.
What is your favorite song ever?
I have way too many favourite songs. It's so bad. Pretty much half the songs I like are my favourite song. Every week I have a new "favourite". Right now I'd say my favourite song is Who We Are by Shermanology & Amba Shepherd, but that could change at any time depending on what I'm listening to.
Do you have any hidden talents?I can name every single country in the world.
If you could do anything you wanted right now, what would it be?Build a brand new city from the bottom up. It would be an extremely difficult task, but I would love every minute of it.
What bad habit would you be willing to give up if it guaranteed you would live to be 100?Swearing. I only use curse words once in a while but I'm not a big fan of myself when I do it, so living until I'm 100 would be a great incentive to eliminate those words from my vocabulary.
What's your dream job?My dream job would be getting paid to have fun. This could include getting paid to travel, try new things, meet new people, etc. Anything that I enjoy.
How many siblings do you have?I have two siblings; two younger sisters. I am the oldest of the 3. The older of my two sisters, Deanna, is 2 years younger than me, and the younger of the two, Dahlia, is quite a bit younger than me at 9 years old.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?
If I could be ANY fictional character? Hmm. Maybe Ditto from Pokemon. Or Mystique from X-Men. Either of those characters would allow me to transform into anything I wanted, so that way I really could be any fictional character I wanted at any time.
What's your favorite movie of all time?I would have to say that my favourite movie of all time is Legally Blonde. I have loved it ever since I was a young kid. I think it's a great story about how hard work and perseverance can help you overcome any obstacle. The movie shows that you shouldn't let others dictate what you can become and it inspires me to never give up.
Who is your favorite celebrity and why? I'm not exactly sure who my favorite celebrity is, but I do enjoy Lady Gaga very much. I'm obsessed with watching her live performances and the occasional interview because she is very unique and eccentric and I love it.
In everyday life, what is your number one pet peeve?In everyday life, I hate when technology doesn't work properly. SO MUCH. It annoys me to no end when I'm happily going about my business and suddenly something gets ruined because of a technological failure. I love technology because it helps make things more efficient and easy for the most part, but when things don't go right I get extremely frustrated.
Who is the one person you miss them most right now?Right now, I'd say the person that I miss the most is my long-time friend Courtney. She is an extremely close friend of mine that I met in high school. When we met we instantly clicked and we would do the most random, bizarre activities together and we didn't care at all. We had so much fun and I'm pretty bummed that she moved to another city. I see her every once in a while but it's definitely not the same. I loved having her as a friend that I could call up to hang out at any time for any reason and have a blast.
What is your favorite smell?
I absolutely love the smell of swimming pools. The chlorine scent is just so refreshing for me. I'm not completely sure why. I really enjoy going swimming, and doing so usually refreshes me and puts me in a fantastic mood. The smell of swimming pools has that same effect on me. It is very relaxing. I just hope it's not bad for you.
What is the #1 thing you hope to get out of this iSurv1vor experience?
The main thing that I want to get out of this iSurv1vor experience is the new connections with the people that I will meet. That is the primary driver for why I joined this game in the first place. I love meeting new people and getting to know people on a personal level. I am very excited to have the opportunity to connect with other Survivor fans from around the world, and I hope that I will meet at least one person that I will get along with very well. The more friends, the better!