17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. (Romans 12:17-18)
Aloha! My husband and I just got back from Hawai’i, which explains the picture. For the first time in years, I traveled without a laptop and social media. It felt good to be completely present and focused on why we were there—my nephew’s wedding and to spend time with friends and family.
We had a great time. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my nephew, whom I still call Li’l Brian, is married. Seems like only yesterday I was giving him a wedgie. LOL
And now the #checkyourheart topic . . .
I’ll try to make a very long story as short as possible. In a nutshell, I decided to give Airbnb a try based on a couple of recommendations. The place I chose turned out to be disgusting. My reaction in my mind when I walked in.
Nice area and place, but the owners obviously learned how to clean in Bizarro World. LOL We weren’t expecting luxury accommodations, but we expected the place to be clean and fresh. In case you’re wondering if I checked the reviews before booking, I did. They had a high rating in March when I booked, but most of the reviews in April and May aren’t good. No, I didn’t check the reviews right before we left.
I’m usually pretty good at planning our trips, but I’ll file this incident as a learning experience. People post their best pictures, and who in their right mind would say, “Oh, by the way, my house reeks of death and butt.” It all boils down to the fact that our cleaning habits are different. We clean, and they don’t. 😊
A decision had to be made. We either stay and risk contracting some kind of infection like MRSA or LEAVE!! Of course, we chose the latter.
Side note: My sister arrived in the middle of the night because her flight was delayed. When she realized the iron they had provided didn’t work, she bought one from the local Walmart along with a small ironing board. End of side note.
A few hours after my husband and I arrived, we politely spoke to one of the owners to let her know we were checking out. We also let her know my sister was leaving them a brand new iron and board for their future guests. Her less than professional attitude and her snappy confrontational tone were enough to make anyone’s eyebrows raise. #checkyourheart It seemed like she was looking for an argument.
Bait of Satan? Maybe. We didn’t fall for it, though. Lord, thank you for Your strength.
Here’s the thing. Sometimes you have to have the Guts Not To Fight Back. Why argue about something that’s out of our control? Yes, we could’ve told her a thing or two or 100 about what was wrong with the place, but I guarantee she already knew. It would’ve turned into a screaming match because that’s how she presented herself. Instead, we left the place cleaner than it was with a brand new iron and board.
Fortunately, my nephew’s place was available and close by. I called Airbnb a few days later to report the incident and requested a full refund. I just got the refund this morning minus a small service charge. The Airbnb reps asked if I had taken pictures or a video. We live in a world where your conversations are secretly recorded, and your most embarrassing or heinous tragedies are posted on every social media outlet for entertainment purposes. Documentation is definitely important, but I didn’t think about taking any pictures or video. Me getting out of there.
However, I will eventually post a review to let people know what to expect.
We had a fantastic time in Hawai’i, and this incident won’t stop me from using Airbnb in the future. As I said above, this was a learning experience. I’m glad we kept our cool. It all worked out without us getting all worked up. LOL
If you find yourself in a situation that is out of your control and the person standing in front of you is tripping, take a deep breath (unless it stinks 😉) and #checkyourheart!
I’m not exempt, I’m just . . .
Blogging It Out.
blogging it out 