February 27, 2013

Leap of Faith

For the first time in my life I did something I never thought I would. I left the two most important things in my life at the hands of a stranger. A stranger that doesn't even speak the same language. I don't know how I was able to do it, but what I do know is that I was trying to think about the dogs and what would be best for them.

So what happened was that we were not able to sail our boat Endymion all the way to Costa Rica. We were simply trying to do it during the wrong season weatherwise. However, my parents had planned a trip to Costa Rica to meet us at the end of February and couldn't change their schedule anymore. It was too late. So we had to get to Costa Rica somehow to meet them. My plan was simple: take a bus and take the dogs with us like that time we traveled around Nicaragua. Later on, however, I realized that this trip was going to be different. It would include a nice hotel, nice dinners and tons of things mainly set around my parents schedule and needs. It would be hard to figure it all out with dogs to consider at all times. Then I started really thinking about the dogs. Would they really enjoy being dragged around in buses and taxis from one country to the next, one hotel to the other, only to be left alone while we go ziplining or whatever else there might be for us to do? They would much rather stay on the boat which has been their home for already several years, be in a location they were familiar with and play on the beach everyday chasing tiny hermet crabs and playing with coconut shells (which by the way are Vanilla's new favorite toy!). 

At this point I was pretty much terrified. But nevertheless went on to find the Harbor Master of Puesta del Sol the next morning. I told him about our situation and he immediately said he knows a person who would love to take care of our dogs. It was someone who he knew very well and said to be honest and trustforthy. Sounded pretty good I thought. He wouldn't recommend anyone who wouldn't do the job, right?

The next day I met Ana. We didn't share a common language but with the little Spanish I knew I tried to explain to her all the details about my dogs. She was patient, caring and truthfully, a real sweetheart. I feel like we fully understood eachother, even when we didn't know exactly what the other one was talking about. But with her help I found all the right words and saw her handling my dogs as if they were her own. I was convinced she would make a good dog sitter. And just as a sidenote she was willing to do the job for 5 dollars a day!

Today I am in Costa Rica, enjoying the time with my family. Yet I am filled with anxiety. This was releaved for a little while when I got my first email from Dorian, our Harbor Master, this morning (after sending about 3 emails to him during a 7 day period) that my puppies were doing good. Not only were they playing on the beach for hours with Ana and her 7 year old daughter, but also spending time on the deck of the boat doing their guarding duties and making sure not a single little bird or form of wildlife got on our boat or even nearby. I'm sure the noise Vanilla is keeping is driving everyone nuts. Ofcourse Gin had also done her usual "i'm running after a hermet crab" disappearance and they had tried to catch her for almost an hour! This didn't worry me though, she would never go far.

I have to say I felt tons better after this piece of knowledge but only a half a day later I'm again faced with anxiety. I can't help but wonder. I just hope I will find them in one piece and unharmed when I return. On the other hand, I'm really proud of myself for being able to do this. I was able to give my trust to a stranger in a foreign country, where I basically know no one, and was unable to fully communicate and let them care for the most precious things I have. My dogs. It truly was a leap of faith. 



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