That was the longest two minutes of my life.
When the shaking finally stopped, I was almost more frightened than I had been during the earthquake itself. I stood there, trying to process what had just happened. I knew there could be aftershocks, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do next.
The electricity was out. I had no internet. And outside, my pueblo was strangely silent.
Still.
Too still.
I needed shoes, so I entered the Villa. The scene inside was the first indication of just how violent the shaking had been. Paintings were scattered across the floor. The kitchen glasses had shattered, leaving shards of glass everywhere. I went upstairs, found my shoes, and began checking every floor of the house.
Things had fallen everywhere.
In my office, picture frames had crashed to the floor, along with more broken glass. I put the dogs out on the patio and closed the doors leading outside. Then I found a broom and began sweeping.
It felt absurdly ordinary.
There I was, standing in the aftermath of an earthquake, sweeping broken glass off the floor because I was worried my dogs might cut their paws.
Then I checked the Cristal House cabin. Shattered windows. More glass.
The wooden Adventura Treehouse cabin was still standing, although items had fallen onto the bed and floor. The suspended bridge needed bolts because the vertical tubes were hanging at an odd angle. The stables looked fine, but one end of the roof sagged.
At least everything was still standing.
My front gate was locked, and Yesid, my employee, had arrived almost immediately. But I was in shock. I hadn’t even thought to unlock the gate.
He could see from outside that my house was still standing. He could see Cristal House, too. He knew I was alright.
I wanted to go out and find out what was happening, but another thought stopped me. What if I got stuck on the road? What if trees had fallen? What if the road was blocked?
So I stayed. And I waited. With no electricity and no internet, I had no idea how bad the earthquake actually was. I had no way of knowing what was happening beyond my little corner of the pueblo.
I didn’t know that Colombia had made news around the world. I had no idea many people were trying to contact me. I didn’t know yet how badly Cali and other parts of Colombia had been affected. I would find out later. All I could do was wait and hope the electricity would return and, with that, my internet.
Those two minutes turned into a long day without information. I didn’t go to my neighbors because my knee, which needed surgery, kept me from walking long distances. I didn’t want to drive anywhere because I didn’t know the road conditions.
My family and friends knew more than I did! I was desperate to know what was going on.
Yesid came by after lunch and gave me a lot of information. He had a radio and was listening to earthquake notices. I finally found out it was a magnitude 7.4, and at my Villa it lasted over 2 minutes. At the time, it felt like an eternity. I now knew many people were worried about me. I could do nothing but wait.
I had damage, but my Villa and cabins were still standing. I realized how blessed I was to have made it through such a strong Earthquake with repairable damage, and, most importantly, to be okay.
When the electricity returned, my phone was blowing up with messages. I answered everyone I could. I told them I was alive with only minor damage at the Villa.
But I wasn’t fine. I was traumatized, and it has only gotten worse since the Earthquake happened. I started thinking about the year I’ve had and the weather events that had occurred.
I had damage from the first two storms, and now I have more damage. My neighbor’s trees fell on my fence, and they haven’t fixed it even though it is their fault. I have lost a friendship over that. I know that if I had damaged someone’s property, I would take care of it.
Then the earthquake caused more damage to what had already been repaired from those first two storms. It also damaged my bridge and the roof of my stables. I need to file another property damage claim with my insurance.
Many of you have written to me because you saw my posts on my social media sites where I put my place up for sale. The damage, the shortage of good workers, and being alone when these weather events hit helped me decide to downsize.
I want to thank each and every one of you who have contacted me. I am the same old me. I know this place is unique and beautiful. I have created a paradise, and I am very proud of that. A wonderful couple from Colombia is taking care of my listing.
The story of how I found them makes me sure they are the perfect team for my needs. I knew that night after the Earthquake, I wanted to sell. I spoke with my cousin, an excellent realtor in West Palm Beach, and she found this couple for me in one day. Not only did she find them, but when she spoke to them, they were at the airport on the way to Cali, Colombia! I met with them the 4 days after the Earthquake.
I believe in manifestation: it happens when you want something and work to make it happen. When those first storms hit at the beginning of the year, it occurred to me that I should sell. It has been on my mind all year.
So now, I have started the process. I don’t need to do much but let my realtors take over. I have done all the work in the last 15 years. My place is well-known; I believe it will sell itself.
I know that selling might not happen fast, although from all the people contacting me, you would think I had already sold my place. In Colombia, nothing happens quickly. In the meantime, I have made a few changes to my business.
I am now offering long-term stays here. If you or anyone you know wants to come visit, I have a very affordable monthly stay PDF with my rates in Colombian pesos. You can stay in Colombia up to six months without a Visa.
If you enjoy your time here, there are many ways to get a Visa, especially a pension Visa. I would love to host a few senior women in my Villa and make a small community, but anyone is welcome. If you know anyone looking for a change, it would be a perfect place to start. After all, I’ve made changes in my life several times. It has always worked out well for me.
I survived the earthquake.
I survived everything that came before it.
And now I am ready to see what comes next.
