September 30

News from Cahuita

Dear Friends and Family,

    Sadly, it did not work out for me to have an extended stay in Cahuita, Costa Rica as planned.  The distressing story is that although my friend and I discussed the details of my house sitting at length before I left for Costa Rica, when I arrived in Cahuita she had a very different set of expectations that she had failed to mention in the many emails and phone conversations we had had before my arrival.

    The main problem was that she had started a building project (to build a garage that would house two neighboring families who would become the   caretakers of the land while she and her husband were back in the states).  She informed me that since I would benefit from having the extra people on  the land, I was expected to foot the bill for the cost of the labor for two or three workers to build the garage.  I reminded her that I had told her up front that was on a fixed income and needed to know specifics regarding the costs and that she had quoted me $650 as the most I would be expected to pay per month.  I pointed out that the labor costs (while extremely cheap for the level of skill the workers had) would more than double that figure.  She said, "You´re overreacting.  Don´t worry, it will all work out." 

   Over the next couple of days I tried to initiate a conversation with specifics regarding my responsibilities, (both physical and financial), but was unsuccessful. By the evening of my third day there I was feeling very uncomfortable and confronted her and said that I felt she had baited me there under false pretenses. She said she did not want to argue before bed.

     I didn´t sleep well and tried to come up with some way to compromise to make it work. In the morning I asked her if we could talk and she said, "You need to leave.  I want you both out of here today¨"

    That was it, no more discussion.  I felt devastated because I had never had anything happen like this before.  But there was also a part of me that knew that she was right, it wasn't going to work out as we had hoped. 

     It is very beautiful there and if you are still interested in investigating this area of the world go to http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p169081#propertyInquiry to see pictures of the house and property my friends have to rent or google "Cahuita, Costa Rica" for many descriptions of this area and the surrounding attractions.