Here, it seems that there's always someone out there that's scheming to get more money out of you. Do these people know that I'm still unemployed? Actually, it would do me some good to get out here in the streets and try to sing and dance for some coins. Seriously!
On my return back to Quito, I was renting a room from this lady named Maria. Actually, she's the director of the Spanish Institute, Academia Columbus Quito. This is the school that I went to before acquiring a tutor. (For those of you that want to learn Spanish in Quito DON'T GO THERE!) I really didn't know that she AND her 15 year-old son (who constantly watched the same two videos of Lady Gaga in his room) would be living there, but hey, I needed some place to stay. More on her son later...
Anyway! On the night of Saturday, January 29th, Maria gave me this list, yes, LIST of stuff that she demanded from me. Now, let me remind you, I've been back in Quito two weeks already and have lived here in her place for TWO weeks. None of this stuff was agreed upon when we had a discussion prior to me moving in.
Back to the list. What stuff could she possibly have put on there you ask?
Well, hot water is a BIG issue here in Quito and even considered a perk. You'll even see signs at most hostels/hotels that say "Agua Caliente 24 horas!" Her list demanded that I turn on the hot water heating unit, located in the kitchen, and allow it stay on for only 20 minutes and then turn it off. Actually, this contraption doesn't heat the water up in 20 minutes, not even within an hour!!! So this means, I would have to jump in the cold shower and hope and wish and pray for a trickle of hot water.
Oh that's not it! She firmly stated after she handed me the LIST, that I would have to pay for maid service AND pay the utitilies Was this @#!!#!$#!# outta her mind???
THERE'S MORE! If the hot water contraption got too heated and perhaps exploded or whatever, I would have to pay for another unit and pay to have it installed. Also, I needed to continue to make sure everything was unplugged before I left the house. Did I mention that I sat in the dark the majority of the time while living here? Oh! well, yes. I had this itty, bitty lamp plugged in and she ordered me to unplug it.
It took me a while to decipher all of this LIST in Spanish, but in the meantime, Maria and her weird son scurried back to Maria's room while laughing incessantly. Once I got the verbage of the LIST and myself together. I realized that I needed to get the HELL OUTTA THERE!! The only problem was that I had paid her for five weeks in advance.
The next morning in my tutoring session, I was so angry and frustrated. My saviour (and wonderful tutor), Alba, was so extremely comforting to me. She immediately told me, "We're going to get you out of there and find you another place to stay." Alba gave me the extra push that I needed.
Guys, that afternoon I got back to Maria's apartment and got my mind (and Spanish words) together and waited for her to get home. I immediately went into the kitchen and told her that I wanted my remaining three weeks of rent back. Of course, she paused and tried to come up with an excuse, but I was adamant. She finally agreed that the next day she would return the money.
Do you think she returned it? What do you think happened the next day??? Hmm?
