Recent weeks have seen a change in the television watching habits at the home of Oak Harbor residents Ramone and Norma Virata.

Since Sept. 14, the Viratas have made a point to tune into the 13th season of Survivor and watch with anticipation as their youngest child, 29-year-old Brad, tries to outwit, outplay and outlast 19 other castaways on “Survivor: Cook Islands.”

And while the nation is abuzz with talk about this year’s new format of breaking tribes up by ethnic boundries — not to mention a substantial cash prize and Survivor notoriety at stake — all the Virata family and the rest of Oak Harbor care about is rooting for their hometown boy.

Ramone Virata chalks up the new tribe format as an international learning experience.

“To me it’s a good thing,” Ramone said. “I like to compare it to a small U.N. with many countries involved. Everyone has to learn teamwork to survive.”

Growing up on Whidbey Island could give Virata a bit of a home-field advantage as a member of the Asian “Puka Puka” tribe.

Previews for this Thursday’s episode show Virata catching an octupus that turns into a feast for his tribe. This doesn’t surprise his father.

“We have spent many years fishing and crabbing around the island,” Ramone Virata said. “Brad knows how to do all of this and it will prove useful to survive in the Cook Islands.”

The family admits they weren’t really fans of the reality show before, but now consider themselves converts.

His father believes his son has a demeanor that will fit well with other castaways.

“Brad’s easy-going and easy to talk to right away,” Virata said. “When you first meet and talk to him you feel like you’re at home right away.”

Ramone knows his son will come out of the process a better man and is already proud of Brad’s success — no matter what lies in future episodes.

“There were so many applicants and only 20 people were selected — he’s learned so much and made a better man out of himself,” Virata said.

A contractual gag order keeps Brad Virata from talking to any member of the press and even his family is in the dark about the show’s outcome.

“I don’t even ask because I know he can’t say and I don’t want to know how he did,” Chet Virata, Brad’s oldest brother, said.

Brad Virata is the youngest of five children to Ramone and Norma Virata who have been Oak Harbor residents since 1971. Ramone is retired Navy and Norma used to work for the Oak Harbor School District. The proud parents live in the same quaint Oak Harbor home where Norma’s green-thumb skills are apparent in the colorful garden beds out front.

Brad Virata attended Broad View Elementary, Oak Harbor Middle School and graduated from Oak Harbor High School in 1995.

Virata has always been an athlete and played running back in recreation youth league football throughout grade school. When he got to high school he focused on competing in track where he often excelled at the sprint events.

Chet Virata remembers Brad as the “typical little brother.”

“He was a very independent kid,” Virata said. “He wasn’t so much opinionated as he was very smart — book smart and street smart.”

The older brother can remember his youngest brother impressing adults with his intelligent conversations when he was still in grade school.

Outside of school, Brad has always had a love for animals, especially dogs. There are many pictures in the family album of Brad with his beloved Rottweiler.

Virata worked as a lifeguard at City Beach Lagoon his junior and senior year. A photo that appeared in the July 13, 1996 Whidbey News-Times captured Virata while he carried a distressed swimmer to the beach.

Virata attended the University of Washington where he was active in the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and graduated with a degree in international communications.

Virata was discovered and asked to model after a trip to the Phillipines with his parents. He spent a year traveling around Europe and Asia, working as a model, before moving to Los Angeles. He dove into pursuing a career in the fashion industry and attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. He worked his way up from the ground floor and today Virata is the director of men’s merchandising for Lucky Brand Jeans.

Even after moving to Santa Monica, Calif., where he currently resides, Virata stays active with beach volleyball, surfing, rollerblading, running, weight training and yoga.

“He goes to the gym every day,” Norma said. “He’s very strong and fit.”

Survivor host Jeff Probst has said that Virata was someone producers liked instantly.

“He is well-spoken and has a strong point of view when it comes to ethics and he does not easily waver on his opinions,” Probst said. “That makes him a great candidate for ‘Survivor.’”

But Probst has also said that “Brad’s Achilles heel is going to be his mouth. He is not going to just sit back and agree with a decision if he doesn’t believe it to be the right choice.”

Chet Virata couldn’t agree more.

“Brad has a carefree attitude towards life and is sensitive to others’ thoughts and feelings,” he said. “Brad will not change his opinion unless people prove their position is the better one to be in.”

So far, Brad’s place in the game is safe.

In the first two episodes and first two immunity challenges, his Puka Puka tribe has excelled, keeping the Asian tribal members safe from having to vote one of its own off the island.

Sekou Bunch, a jazz musician from Los Angeles, was the first to go and the second show saw the departure of Billy Garcia, a 36-year-old heavy metal musician from New York.

Virata was in focus in episode one when he, like many of the other castaways, developed a headache upon arriving on shore. Brad was headache free after fellow Puka tribe member Cao Boi used acu-pressure to relieve the pain, but the remedy left its mark.

“When that happened I couldn’t help but laugh,” Norma said.

But even after a few happy episodes, Virata’s place in the game and in his tribe is unknown.

Puka Puka consists of 29-year-old Becky Lee, a lawyer and daughter of South Korean immigrants who has also worked as a kickboxing instructor. Anh-Tuan “Cao Boi” Bui, 42, is a former Vietnam war refugee who’s currently a nail salon manager but has an eclectic resume ranging from fisherman to photographer. Real estate agent and self-described tomboy Jenny Guzon-Bae, 36, is a former television reporter who lead Chicago’s only Filipino-American news program. Yul Kwon, 31, is the son of South Korean immigrants. His background includes military service, law experience and even corporate consultation.

Chet Virata said his brother reported his teammates were all “ultra-intelligent” and “got along very well.”

“Even in watching the show I can tell the differences within the tribes,” Chet Virata said. “He definitely felt fortunate to have the team he did.”

Norma Virata is happy to say her son is pretty level headed and knows he’s lucky for the life he has. His bio information credits Virata as a proud contributor to organizations such as AIDS Project Los Angeles, Project Angel Food, Starlight Foundation and the Big Brothers program of Los Angeles.

No matter where Virata goes, he knows his roots.

“Whatever his achievements he hasn’t forgotten everyone here in Oak Harbor,” Chet Virata said. “He loves coming back, it’s his home — he loves this place.”

Expect there to be more than just one household rooting Brad Virata on Thursday nights. Here in Oak Harbor there’s a home-field advantage for an island boy of our own.