Matthew von Ertfelda

Matthew von Ertfelda is a contestant from .
Matthew knew little about the game and initially found himself at the bottom of the main alliances. He tried to improve his position by using his physical strength and survival skills to become the tribe's hardest worker and main provider. Despite this, he became an outcast due to his "creepy" behavior, such as his obsessive sharpening of the machete. Viewing him as an easy pawn, Rob Cesternino made Matthew his "student" and taught him about the strategic side of . Eventually, with Jenna Morasca winning the last two Immunity Challenges, Rob's teachings would backfire as Matthew formed a Final Two alliance with her, ultimately getting him to the end. However, the jury viewed Matthew as a socially and strategically lacking player who rode Rob's coattails throughout the game, and he became the first finalist to lose in a landslide 6-1 vote.
==Profile==
Retrieved from CBS.com
Born in Hong Kong, Matthew von Ertfelda has traveled all over the world. He was raised on a horse farm in Massachusetts and attended Middlesex School where he graduated with honors and served as co-captain of the football team. He received a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in New York. In addition, he attended the Taipei Language Institute where he studied Mandarin Chinese. He also holds a culinary diploma with honors from L'Ecole de Gastronomie Française Ritz-Escoffier in Paris. von Ertfelda currently designs restaurants and bars for a global lodging company. He has previously worked as a restaurant and bar developer in Hong Kong, a print model in Asia and a chef's apprentice/cook in Paris.
von Ertfelda enjoys screenwriting, foreign language study, cooking, rock and ice climbing, weight lifting and hardcore adventure. In 1994, he successfully crossed the Darien Gap, a storied stretch of jungle linking Panama and Colombia. In the summer of 1998, he organized a deep jungle trek into unmapped areas of New Guinea to track cannibals. He dove for sunken treasure off Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands and participated in Earthwatch research expeditions to St. Croix and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. In the past, he has also competed in sprint triathlons and marathons.
In 2002, von Ertfelda was listed as one of People Magazine's Top 50 Bachelors. He describes himself as unique, multi-faceted, hardworking, mentally and physically strong and tenacious. He credits his older brother, Eric (a bodybuilder and writer), with teaching him respect and humility at a very early age. If von Ertfelda could hold political office, he would like to be Director of the CIA because he loves the cloak & dagger operations and the inherent risks. If he wins the $1 million, he will buy a bottle of 1929 Chateau d'Yquem to share with close family and friends. von Ertfelda's favorite quote is "The things you regret most in life are the risks you didn't take."
Currently single, von Ertfelda resides in Washington, D.C., with his vivacious fish, Reggie. His birth date is July 24, 1969.https://web.archive.org/web/20230901141953/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/20570/
==Survivor==
<tabber>Challenge History=
Episode 	TribeAffiliation 	Challenge 	Challenge Type 	Sit-Out? 	Result
1 	rowspan=7 	Unchained 	Immunity 	No 	
2 	Flip Out 	Reward 	No 	 	
2 	Total Recall 	Immunity 	No 	 	
3 	Matchmaker 	Reward 	No 	 	
3 	The Great Escape 	Immunity 	No 	 	
4 	Light My Fire 	Reward 	No 	 	
4 	Gone Fishin' 	Reward/Immunity 	No 	 	
colspan=6 	 	 	 	 	
5 	rowspan=3 	Up The Creek 	Immunity 	No 	
6 	Log Jam 	Reward 	No 	 	
6 	Piranha Feast 	Immunity 	No 	 	
colspan="6" 	 	 	 	 	
7 	rowspan=13 	Perch 	Immunity 	 	
8 	Mud Bungee 	Reward 	 	 	
8 	Face Off 	Immunity 	 	 	
9 	Weapons 	Reward 	 	 	
9 	Amazon Menu 	Immunity 	 	 	
11 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	
11 	 	Immunity 	 	 	
12 	Paddle 	Reward 	 	 	
12 	Shoot 'n' Shuffle 	Immunity 	 	 	
13 	Try Again 	Reward 	 	 	
13 	 	Immunity 	 	 	
14 	Braille Maze 	Immunity 	 	 	
14 	Will Power 	Immunity 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
Notes: Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.	Notes: Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.	Notes: Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.	Notes: Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.	Notes: Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.	Notes: Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.
|-|Voting History=
Episode 	Matthew'sVotes	Voted AgainstMatthew
1 	 	
2 	 	
3 	 	
4 	 	
5 	 	
6 	 	
7 	 	
8 	 	
9 	 	
11 	 	
12 	 	
13 	 	
14 	 	
14 	 	
Jury Votesfor Matthew	colspan="2" 	
 	 	
</tabber>
==Post-Survivor==
* On January 9, 2010, Matthew attended 's 10-year anniversary party.
==Trivia==
* Matthew is the first contestant to reside in Washington, D.C. during filming.
* Fluent in Mandarin, Matthew frequently spoke the language with tribemate Daniel Lue.
* Matthew is the first person to receive only a single jury vote at the Final Tribal Council.
** He is also the first male finalist to receive fewer than three jury votes at the Final Tribal Council.
==References==
Category:Contestants
Category:Male Contestants
Category:The Amazon Contestants
Category:Finalists
Category:Tambaqui Tribe
Category:Jacaré Tribe
Category:2nd Place
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Survivor (U.S.) Contestants
Category:Survivor: The Amazon
Category:1969 births
Category:Living people