Isabel - My Hero

Any construction project anywhere in the world has its difficulties and Costa Rica is no different.  Although I speak sufficient Spanish to get by I will always have “la cara del Gringo” - The face of the Gringo.  This means I will always pay higher prices, get pushed to the back of the line, not have everything explained that I really need to know etc.

I rely on Isabel to do all of the people work and paperwork. She has such wonderful people skills, she is able to get things done that nobody ever thought would happen. Some examples:

• The ICE employees know her by sight. She doesn’t even have to wait for everyone that arrived before her.  ICE started an experimental ADSL project where we live and they put us first on the list to get it.
• The water department bends over backwards to help her. Even though Don Minimo is friends with the city attorney, the water department manager offered to set up a private meeting with himself, Isabel, our attorney and the Mayor to explain the problem.
• Permits in 2-3 days. Isabel got 2 sets of building permits approved in the week before Christmas. It normally takes 3 weeks to get approvals and nobody works the week before Christmas.
• Department of Health approvals in 4 hours! Unheard of in these parts.
• Isabel calls to get prices and because the people remember her from a prior phone call or visit, she can get an even better discount than our main builder.

What is her secret?  First, she is the opposite of me. She puts others needs first in her mind when she goes to talk to them. She practices the art of social visits before business, even if it means an hour of listening.  Most importantly she gets their name and remembers it.  Isabel explained that these people work for low wages, for corrupt agencies, overbearing bosses and generally get little or no recognition or respect from work. If someone calls and asks for someone by name, asks how their weekend trip went and what they are planning next then asks about the status of our projects she gets results.

I, on the other hand, am still the Type A from the US. I had people who worked for me who’s job was to get the information. When I want something, I want it now, not considering the needs or wants of the other people.  That is almost verbatim from one of my employee reviews.

If Isabel were not here for me, I probably would have thrown in the towel and gone home feeling like a failure.  We have been many discussions where she tells me that she is uncomfortable because she doesn’t know what she is asking for. Well, if she is uncomfortable, I am terrified. We would not be anything without Isabel.