Yesterday I Learned the Word for "Flooded"

Tausha, Greta & the kids at Tausha's beautiful house Tuesday

While I enjoy being in Costa Rica overall and especially seeing Tausha and Greta, this remote work experience has not been as smooth as Guatemala. Who would have thought?  The Internet is slower and there have been some issues with the apartment. As I mentioned in my last post, the toilet was giving me some trouble, and yesterday that really became a disaster.

My apt. (I have the upstairs)

I was in a meeting with a co-worker and, as usual, I heard the toilet start running. I thought nothing of it because the toilet is basically possessed and starts running or even flushing on its own pretty regularly. However, when I got off the call and jumped up to do something, I nearly killed myself because I slipped in a pool of water that covered the already slick tiled floors. The entire apartment was flooded— bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. I quickly turned off the water valve by the toilet, unplugged my computer and all electrical things, and grabbed a towel from the bathroom and started sopping up the mess into an empty garbage can. As I was running around in my socks like a lunatic, dumping bucket after bucket of water into the shower stall, the curtain rod fell on my head and I couldn't get it back up. Like I said, kind of a disaster in here yesterday.

Another vocab lesson 

But anyway, Fernando came as quickly as he could and by then I had the water up. He was able to replace a part in the tank to fix the problem and help me further clean up, and then the whole thing was resolved. Busy morning!

I guess things like that are the downside to renting out an Airbnb, though I have to say it still seems pretty cool to me. I'd love to own a place like this where I could rent an extra apartment to host travelers and help pay my mortgage. That's what my friend Luke will be doing, essentially. He's building a house in Monte de la Cruz (up in the hills where I was over the weekend) and he plans to have a couple of places to rent out. He's looking at longer term rentals, not Airbnb, but what a great side income!

On a walk yesterday

This is becoming a new idea in my head of something I might seriously want to do. Property is expensive back home, but here it would be affordable and plus I'd still have my US job. Something to think about! However, I don't know how I'd manage something like that without residency, and I'm pretty sure I don't meet any of the qualifications for that (you have to have retirement income or start a business, etc.). But you never know.

Today is Thursday so I have just two more days here. Tomorrow we're meeting up at Greta's house, which will be nice. I'm trying to think of something special to do for those girls, but if I do, I guess I shouldn't write about it in here. :) Saturday morning I fly out at 7 a.m. Brutal! But truth be told I can't wait to get back to see Mike and to spend a couple of months in the comfort and high-speed Internet of my parents' St. Pete home, just a bike ride from the beach. Thanks, guys!

Money spent yesterday:
$0