KAREN Forscutt is a bit shyer about cameras when she's on her home turf.
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When you are out burning the PR circuit as an evicted Big Brother housemate, it's easy to slip into the role of a celebrity.
But back in Batemans Bay Karen feels more like her true self, which is why a camera in her face along the Clyde River feels a little strange.
"It's different when you're home," she said.
The past few days has been the longest stretch of time Karen has been able to be home since her Mother's Day eviction, as she's been bound by Big Brother to a rollercoaster tour of major cities, TV shows, radio stations, shopping malls and nightclubs.
"It's been fun, but I feel I have been living an alias life. It's not the life I'll be living," Karen said.
Karen has got one more trip next week, then she can kick back in the Bay, hopefully until the final Big Brother show, but at least until her daughter Krystal is evicted.
"When Krystal gets out I get to do it all again," Karen said. "Next weekend I'm going to the Gold Coast with Jade (a fellow housemate).
"I've got to come home one day a week since I've been gone; every other night has been
pretty much 4.30am to bed," she said.
"Krystal has no idea, she won't be able to cope," Karen grinned.
Karen was awed by the devotion in some of the fans; especially those who can recite comments she made in the house word for word.
"There are some real diehards, it has made me conscious of what I say."
Karen said that knowledge has made life in the spotlight difficult, as the pressure is on to be yourself, yet an ideal role model at the same time.
Karen was happy to leave the house when she did, but she's glad Krystal is still in and having fun.
"She's doing great and she likes it in there.
"When she gets mentioned she gets the loudest cheers. I thought it would be the guys, but it's not, it's the girls."
Karen did say that not everyone has been as supportive as she'd hoped, and after her words have been contorted in gossip mags she said they hold little value.
"Before, I was right into them. Now I look at them with a grain of salt."
Karen wasn't surprised to hear the Bay Post had received some vicious letters about the care of her children - she'd heard some hurtful words herself.
She said her whole family was behind her decision to enter the house and had organised a roster to care for her other children.
There was one point where Karen wanted to pull out prior to Big Brother because she was worried for her family, but her friends and family rallied further still to stem her fears.
"In the last two weeks I rang them and said, 'I can't do it',", she said.
"I wanted to feel sure everything ran smoothly when I went away."
Karen has encountered a few people who have treated her differently since her return, which saddened her.
"If there are any people who have changed their opinion of me, that would upset me,"
she said.