It looks like you are the owner of a lovely gloxinia. This tropical plant is related to the African Violet and has many of the same requirements. It like bright light for 4 to 5 hours a day but the leaves will sunburn if summer sun heats them up even through a window. Turn the pot a quarter of a turn every week to keep the plant from leaning toward the sunlight. Water only when the top one inch of the potting soil is dry. Then water enough that you see water coming from the drainage holes. This plant needs high humidity. Grow it on top of pebbles set in a saucer with water or in a humid bathroom. When your gloxinia is done blooming it will take a rest. This means you can cut back the stem, leaves and old flowers and cut back on watering. After a few months when you see signs of new growth resume watering and add some Osmocote to the soil. As you story tells, these houseplants need to be ignored when they are not in bloom. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti