Trust nobody. Sean said it best when he said, "This is jungle paradise with human sharks." People are friendly but you can feel the distance and there is always an old soul lurking in the corner whispering of the same mistakes newcomers make every year. Everything is a contractual agreement that comes with extensive complications and no guarantees. We looked at a truck today but the owner doesn't have the title right now. The explanation he gives seems viable. I crossed it with some mutual friends who said it was fine.
Then, I knocked on some random neighbors' doors and just gave them the scenario and they all adamantly said, "No Way!"
You can anticipate the next line:
Get a lawyer!
The lawyer runs the tags to get the history of the vehicle. They make sure there are no outstanding payments or damages.
Take the vehicle to a mechanic.
The thing is that the title story may be fine but you have to go through a lawyer to ensure that all is legal and trackable. The mechanic check only protects you.
For all of my excitement over accessible and affordable help, I am learning the complexities of hiring help here in Costa Rica. My understanding is that hiring somebody in the capacity of a nanny / cook / cleaner entails paying their social security, holidays etc. You are taking on the responsibilities of employing somebody. It is important to understand the responsibilities before taking on help that one would assume is under the table.
There is this prevailing feeling that some people are trying to pawn off their past mistakes on the newcomers and we have quickly grown wary of friendly business. This is where I think we are pretty resilient: old games, different country. I am proud of Sean's skepticism and of my boldness to knock on anybody's door and ask advice from random passersby.
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