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Erica Durousseau, a 27-year-old fund-raiser with the American Heart Association in Baton Rouge, was the second contestant voted off Survivor: Fiji. This month she’ll travel to New York City for the taping of the series finale and reunite with her fellow survivors for a chance to say all of the things she couldn’t, and find out who won the million dollars.

Before jetting off to the Big Apple, she sat down with 225 to give us a behind-the-scenes peek at her experience, what she would have done with the money, and for whom she’s rooting.

I read that the producers found you through your MySpace page. Is that true?

I got a weird e-mail from one of the casting directors. It kind of went like, “Hey Erica, give me a call I’m casting for something,” and I thought it was a joke. So, I never responded and she sent me another e-mail just saying, “This is legit, just give me a call, I can’t talk about it over the e-mail.” She told me that she liked my face and had read my profile. She noticed I ran track in college and was pretty athletic and liked to travel. She asked, “Would you be interested in doing Survivor?” So I was like, yeah.

How long was this going on before you left for Fiji in October?

Probably at least six weeks. After they took a look at my video clip and I went to L.A. for 10 days and left about a month after the final casting.

When you first arrived on the island, there was a box full of supplies to build a shelter. From the beginning were you skeptical of this generosity?

I was definitely apprehensive from the start. They gave us all kinds of stuff—rice to boil, supplies to build this big shelter, and we don’t see Jeff (Probst) anywhere. We didn’t see Jeff until day three when we had our first challenge. The only instructions they gave us were to build a shelter. So, we worked really hard on it, and the game had begun. Everybody had started talking and shoo-shooing with each other, and we just knew sooner or later that somebody was going to have to go. So, that was my concern. I worked really hard on the shelter and ended up on the tribe that lost rights to it.

From the beginning, food was scarce for your tribe. Do the producers of the show let you guys figure it out, or are they handing you food behind the scenes?

No. After we lost that challenge, they gave us a map to our new home. We went there and just started exploring. We would run across weird-looking things. We’d get back to camp and crack it open, and it would be wood. It would look like a fruit, but it would be a certain kind of wood or a certain kind of plant. So, it was really frustrating.

How involved are Jeff Probst and the camera crew? Do they interfere at all?

No, they aren’t involved at all. After a few hours they kind of disappear. I mean, they are right there in your face, but you just have so much other stuff to deal with.

Do they eat in front of you?

No. They’re on 12-hour shifts, I think, and before and after they come, they eat. I remember one incident where we had a smoker, and one of the camera guys must have had a cigarette before his shift and we could all smell it. Our senses were so keen.

When you came back to Baton Rouge what was the first thing you had to eat?

A pack of peanut M&Ms.

Does the crew stay on the same island?

No, they’re on a different island. I don’t know if you are familiar with Fiji, but it’s a bunch of different islands that can stretch from three to four hours apart. It’s really amazing how they do it. They go months ahead of time and go set up and build little villages there where the camera people stay and research the area.

What were you allowed to bring in terms of clothes or personal items?

We got a bathing suit, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a pair of underwear, a pair of socks, a long-sleeve shirt and a short-sleeve shirt. So we basically got one of everything. They gave us the choice of a luxury item, but it was only given if you won one of the challenges. I never got to see mine while I was there.

What was your luxury item?

A family photo.

What is the hardest part about being there with basically nothing except the clothes on your back?

With no food and water, people get aggravated and tempers flare. I’m kind of a straightforward person, so I’m used to telling people how I feel in a non-threatening manner. If somebody aggravates you in the real world, you can deal with them cordially and choose to stay away from them. But I was around these people 24/7 so the hardest part for me was not being able to express myself or how I felt because I wanted to stay in the game.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the vote that finally sent you packing. What do you think contributed to your going home?

I never wanted to point the finger at anybody, so I start with myself. When I get in competition mode, I get really excited and I screamed at them. I just really wanted to win, so I think I gave them a reason to vote me off.

What happens after you get voted off and Jeff snuffs your torch?

You do your final words and get walked off the set, but everybody comes back at the same time. We all end up staying together. They have living arrangements for us—food, water, you can take a shower every day. There’s a psychologist there because a lot of people come out of the game really angry and frustrated.

So after you’re voted off, you’re still stuck there until the game is over. What did you guys do?

While we were there I got hooked on Nip/Tuck. They had a bunch of DVDs, so every night we would watch like seven or eight episodes.

What would you have done with the money if you had won?

My whole family has never been on vacation together, so I wanted to take a family vacation.

Do you ever get recognized when you go out?

I was in Champps the other day having lunch with my best friend and another waiter walks up, not our server, and asks, “Are you Erica?” There were some people across the room that had recognized me. I get recognized about twice a week.

Who do you think will win?

Earl. I hope he gets far. I’m really rooting for him.

Any regrets?

I wouldn’t change anything. It was just amazing, and I’m so glad I did it, and I don’t think I would have done it any other way.