Not a great welcome!

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

My family is in the process of moving to Maunabo, PR. My wife and her 85 year old mother have moved to Maunabo, while I am waiting for the sale of our ranch to close in Texas. Middle of August it should be done and I will be moving there then.

We rented a condo in Maunabo, have transported our car there and have it registered. The condo has a security gate with secure parking.

This morning my wife went out to our car and found human CRAP (excremento de mano) on the windshield. The guards have been informed and taken pictures etc. There is also a security camera that should have caught the people responsible.

My wife is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is learning Spanish and trying to use it at every opportunity. Her mother never goes outside without my wife. I know neither of them have done anything to make anyone angry.

I am stuck here waiting for this sale to close and feel helpless. I am ANGRY as hell!!

We can't let my wife's mother know what happened because it will scare her and she will want to move back to the mainland.

Up until this point we have had nothing but wonderful experiences in PR. Everyone has been helpful, and friendly. I hope this is just an isolated incident done by drunk people......but I can't help but worry!

Not the best start to our experience of living in PR.

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ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

Two possibilities:
1) The person who did it does not like Expats
2) You parked on his/her spot

Not sure but that type of behaviors is very unusual and unsanitary to say the least.

Sorry your wife is going thru this.

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

Thanks ReyP,

My wife was parked in the correct spot. She has been there since June 18th.

It seems that the pool, which our parking spot is next to, was also contaminated, and is closed now. Maybe this was not directed at us personally, and we were collateral damage. I hope that is the case anyway. The management of the condo is looking into it.

Schuttzie Serial expat

824POSTS

8 years ago

Yikes, that is awful! I'm so sorry your wife is dealing with this. Let's hope is collateral like you suggested since the pool was involved as well. Just awful bad behavior

Kathryn3000 Member

24POSTS

8 years ago

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. And what a difficult thing for your wife to deal with while you guys are already facing the stress of transition. We moved to the island in January 2016 and have never encountered anything like this. It sounds like your management company as responsive and let's hope they get it resolved.

Spencerazac Contributor

157POSTS

8 years ago

If it was in the pool also I'm sure it wasn't directed at you, it's very bad behavior of course, no matter where you live there are still animals out there, I wouldn't take it personally. Stay positive.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

bkettren wrote:
Thanks ReyP,

My wife was parked in the correct spot. She has been there since June 18th.

It seems that the pool, which our parking spot is next to, was also contaminated, and is closed now. Maybe this was not directed at us personally, and we were collateral damage. I hope that is the case anyway. The management of the condo is looking into it.

Very glad to hear it was not directed at you. Like I said it is not typical behavior and it would have been childish also.

muchmore Guest

0POSTS

8 years ago

Disgusting experience surely...but please don't take it as an unwelcoming on behalf of any specific local as anyone could have decided to act so despicably....including an expat.

I'm speaking from experience as a former maintenance manager of a high-end condominium resort in Florida.
What you encountered in Puerto Rico may have shocked you and your wife but after my experiences dealing with such... I am not at all surprised; unfortunately as it was a routine yet always suprisingly discusting occurrance at my resort....(and others (according to my collegues) in Florida.

There are some who (for whatever reason but primarily being drunk/ high) find doing such things amusing at the time but regret their choice of actions while under the influence of whatever later.

It is astounding what some people will do; unfortunately.
I regret that you had to deal with such.

Anyway...... A sincere WELCOME TO PUERTO RICO mi amigos!!!

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

8 years ago

Well, that's a nasty greeting to the island. Haven't heard of anything like that down in PR. But it does sound like your car may have just been in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Texas eh, I lived in SE Texas for many years. Miss the food!
We have at least one good smokehouse restaurant in my area here in NEPR, but a long ways from Maunabo.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

8 years ago

#10

oh, are you sure it wasn't left by a passing iguana? I have been told they like to get into pools too - nasty!

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

#11

Thank you all for your kind words!

Like a wise man once said,... "sh*t happens".

My wife's first question was "could it be iguana"? Unfortunately it wasn't.

We won't take this as anything to spoil our plans.

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

8 years ago

#12

Stuff does indeed happen... My dog ( a big yellow lab) went for a walk on the beach, found a big dead iguana - and rolled in it - to make matters worse, the damm thing got stuck under his collar!!

Lets jus say it took more than one bath to clean him up.

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

#13

Sitka,

Now that's a mess!! But Labs can't help themselves.

We had a black Lab mix when we lived in Idaho. It brought a brown bear back to me once. Whenever it got scared it hid behind me, even though the dog weighed 130lbs. That was one of the scariest moments in my life. All I could do was yell and throw rocks at the bear. Luckily it thought I was too crazy to deal with so it left us alone.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

#14

a lot of dogs will roll themselves on a stinky dead animal, not sure why, several of the ones I had over the years done it.

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

8 years ago

#15

Sorry that happened to you guys. Like others mentioned before, I also think it was colateral damage, most folks here are more interested in making friends than discriminate.

Welcome to the island!!

ravenmickey Active member

96POSTS

8 years ago

#16

Good to read that you are not letting this nasty experience ruin your outlook of Puerto Rico. Wishing you and your family many happy years in Puerto Rico making new friends and beautiful memories.

KWRealEstate_Act2022 Contributor

101POSTS

8 years ago

#17

Sorry to hear that. The cameras should off seen the person that did it. Don't let that ruin your stay. Welcome to PR!

Spencerazac Contributor

157POSTS

8 years ago

#18

Hey Sitka, where exactly is that smokehouse?

Sitka Serial expat

953POSTS

8 years ago

#19

Spencerazac wrote:
Hey Sitka, where exactly is that smokehouse?

La Vista Smokehouse, it's on Hwy 466, Isabela, PR. On the high ground overlooking Jobos beach. They have a nice variety, I like the brisket.

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

#20

Sitka,

Brisket huh.........sounds like you still have a lot of Texas in you.

When ever we get the craving for brisket, we will have to take a long drive to Isabela!

I will miss the variety of things in HEB markets......but the view will make up for it!

muchmore Guest

0POSTS

8 years ago

#21

Either someone with a mental illness (unfortunately mental health care is the lowest priority here, well, that could be said for the states too) or drunk, either way, not a normal occurrence at all. Sorry you had to deal with that. Soon enough the positives will outweigh the initial negatives, most of the people here will shower you with food and festivities, get ready to eat your weight in fruit.

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

#22

Thank you Karenqc!

Everyone's support is wonderful !

Our experiences (and my wife's since she is there now) have all been great with this one exception. This is behind us now, and will soon be forgotten.

Marion-Olga Contributor

147POSTS

8 years ago

#23

There are nasty people everywhere in the world! I don't think this will happen regulary.

Spencerazac Contributor

157POSTS

8 years ago

#24

Thanks

annabfalter Contributor

124POSTS

8 years ago

#25

Overall, people in PR tend to be nicer than elsewhere. I think an occurrence such as yours is rare. Sorry it had to happen.

seoulguy Contributor

143POSTS

8 years ago

#26

What caught my eye about your post is your wife's 85 yo mother. I'm 74, knew PR from years and years ago when I worked there and it was downright nice, everywhere. Lived in the Condado. But I was in my late 20s and never gave a thought about health care. I assume she has Medicare, and having recently moved, she wouldn't be able to carry over anything but original Medicare and maybe a supplement. I've been warned about the current state of medicine on the island, so I'm wondering how you're going to make this work for her given the exodus of qualified physicians and specialists. I've check the hospital certifications of the major hospitals in the SJ metro area, all bad. The place you're moving to I've never heard of, but if it's a long distance from major services, how is this going to work? None of this is my business, but these are concerns I have for myself.

NomadLawyer Serial expat

693POSTS

8 years ago

#27

Excellent points, Seoulguy. It is not the place for the elderly. Google how the health system is "collapsing" (although it's always been bad).

mac00677 Serial expat

380POSTS

8 years ago

#28

I have friends at church, they are in their mid 60's, and the wife's mother is 89 this year, and they have no complaints; they live in Aguada.

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

#29

Seoulguy - This is Brad's wife. I'm a retired healthcare provider, so really no worries, as my 85 year old mother is in better health than we are ;-)

More importantly, her mental health has improved drastically in the 5 weeks we have been living here. She absolutely loves looking at the ocean every morning. Has not had the same complaints about arthritic issues as have plagued her for years, and is more interested in things than she has been in years.

There comes a point where quality means more than quantity. She is definitely expressing joy over the improved quality in her life.

bkettren Active member

51POSTS

8 years ago

#30

Totally agree, Annabfalter. The longer we are here, the more obvious it is that it was an rare occurrence.

At this point in time it is more apparent that it was an isolated incident, and that our car happened to be in the path of it being flung out of the pool area. I wrote the original post without realizing that the car was parked next to the pool (since I was still in Texas at the time) and couldn't help but worry about my family being there without me to protect them.

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

8 years ago

#31

bkettren wrote:
Seoulguy - This is Brad's wife. I'm a retired healthcare provider, so really no worries, as my 85 year old mother is in better health than we are ;-)

More importantly, her mental health has improved drastically in the 5 weeks we have been living here. She absolutely loves looking at the ocean every morning. Has not had the same complaints about arthritic issues as have plagued her for years, and is more interested in things than she has been in years.

There comes a point where quality means more than quantity. She is definitely expressing joy over the improved quality in her life.

Sounds like the view and weather is doing her good!!!!!

Keep an eye she does not runs out to the disco to check out the guys.