Contestant Dee Valladares talks about her time on ‘Survivor 45’

MIAMI — Miami native and entrepreneur Dee Valladares was all in from day one of shooting “Survivor 45.”

Born in Cuba but raised in Miami, she said she was prepared to outwit, outplay and outlast her fellow contestants.

 When asked what she brought to the game that others did not, Valladares said her ability to acclimate to the climate was a big factor.

“I think first and foremost, it was basically like home for me because I am from Miami,” she said. “So, I think for me, it was a little bit easier in the sense that I’m used to the humidity. But I think I brought a little fire energy in there as I was the only Latina in the cast. So yeah, that would be one thing I say I brought to the game.”

Her toughest challenge had to do with eating.

“So, for me, it was being hungry,” Valladares said. “Honestly, I didn’t train for that. I just said, I guess once I’m in the game, I’ll figure it out and survival instincts will pop up. And we have croquettas here. We have everything in Miami. We don’t get anything over there!”

She believes her ability to connect with people, stemming from Miami’s rich diversity, worked to her advantage.

“I think connecting with people, I think that’s what helped me and being from Miami, especially this whole melting pot here,” Valladares  said. “There’s people from all over here in Miami and there’s people from all over on “Survivor. But I think more than anything else that really helped me.”

Valladares can’t reveal how well she did or did didn’t on the show, but she does promise that “Survivor 45” is one to watch.

“It’s insane,” she said. “It’s absolutely insane! The season is going to be crazy.”

“Survivor 45” airs on CBS on Wednesday nights from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.