Marshall got his license today!!! We leave for Pucallpa on Saturday!!!
Here's a picture of the two of us with our very important pieces of plastic that carry a lot of weight!!!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
A Few Jungle Life Observations
Once we get back to Pucallpa, I will be posting pictures of our home, and it'll be an "Extreme Makeover-Pucallpa Peru Home Edition" of sorts. It needs a good amount of work. We have pictures of before we moved in, what Marshall did to the house while I was gone to the wedding, and we'll be slowly doing things over time as well.
But in the meantime, here are a few of my observations I thought I would share with you from my one week of being a resident in the jungle.
Cold Showers: They are SUPER refreshing when its really hot.....not so much when the weather is cooler. (We got a lovely refreshing "cold" front the week we moved in...temps in the 70s-low 80s. Either way, in hot or cold weather, it requires you (well, at least me) to mentally imagine I'm standing under a waterfall on a hot day.....then of course after a while, it doesn't seem as cold!
Ants: They're everywhere....the bathroom, bedroom, living room, but definitely in the kitchen! I've had various dot-to-dot designs on our kitchen counter from smashing them.
Spiders: My whole life, I've been okay with spiders if I can see them, I can kill them. But if I don't see them, and/or I touch a web, I slightly freak out, because you never know what kind of spider is at the end of that web, if one is even there. Marshall has given me a heads up about the tarantulas: not to freak out, we'll gently brush it into a container, let it outside because it'll kill many other unwanted creatures. I've never lived anywhere that those were an option. Good to know!
Snakes: Marshall also gave me a heads up that sometimes snakes find their way into the washer, so I'll need to call him and he'll take care of it. Ugh! Hopefully the washer is deep enough! I'll definitely look before reaching my hand in! I'm not too comforted, especially after seeing some kind of viper dead on our street.
Bats: They sound kinda cute.... like birds, but they're not at all! And they don't need to be abiding in our attic!! Our landlady disagrees and doesn't want to help us get rid of them, she says, "We live in the jungle! We'll always have bats in the attics!" Umm.... no.... we can get rid of them, and that's our plan when we get back! I've met 2 while going out back to do our laundry. They didn't really like my presence or when I flipped a light on. Marshall killed one the week I was gone when he was doing work on the house.... One down, and a guestimate of 40-50 to go!
But in the meantime, here are a few of my observations I thought I would share with you from my one week of being a resident in the jungle.
Cold Showers: They are SUPER refreshing when its really hot.....not so much when the weather is cooler. (We got a lovely refreshing "cold" front the week we moved in...temps in the 70s-low 80s. Either way, in hot or cold weather, it requires you (well, at least me) to mentally imagine I'm standing under a waterfall on a hot day.....then of course after a while, it doesn't seem as cold!
Ants: They're everywhere....the bathroom, bedroom, living room, but definitely in the kitchen! I've had various dot-to-dot designs on our kitchen counter from smashing them.
Spiders: My whole life, I've been okay with spiders if I can see them, I can kill them. But if I don't see them, and/or I touch a web, I slightly freak out, because you never know what kind of spider is at the end of that web, if one is even there. Marshall has given me a heads up about the tarantulas: not to freak out, we'll gently brush it into a container, let it outside because it'll kill many other unwanted creatures. I've never lived anywhere that those were an option. Good to know!
Snakes: Marshall also gave me a heads up that sometimes snakes find their way into the washer, so I'll need to call him and he'll take care of it. Ugh! Hopefully the washer is deep enough! I'll definitely look before reaching my hand in! I'm not too comforted, especially after seeing some kind of viper dead on our street.
Bats: They sound kinda cute.... like birds, but they're not at all! And they don't need to be abiding in our attic!! Our landlady disagrees and doesn't want to help us get rid of them, she says, "We live in the jungle! We'll always have bats in the attics!" Umm.... no.... we can get rid of them, and that's our plan when we get back! I've met 2 while going out back to do our laundry. They didn't really like my presence or when I flipped a light on. Marshall killed one the week I was gone when he was doing work on the house.... One down, and a guestimate of 40-50 to go!
I'll try to coexist with all of these creatures....they'll just have to be okay with us killing them sooner (which is preferable) or later! And the creatures I won't be killing.... Geekos are fun to see....but they don't really respond to my attempt at a British accent selling insurance. Iguanas are more intriguing and fun to see.... I'll just be sure to stay clear of their whipping tails!
Update on our Driver's Licenses
Here's the latest since I wrote last week.....
Last week after Marshall received that special piece of paper with all of his old resident visa numbers on them, and he went to take his medical/psychological exam. They couldn't find him in the computer, so instead of entering him in as a "revalidacion" they entered him in as "nuevo". He took the exam, not realizing what they did, passed, then went on to take the computerized exam. (He had a choice of taking a 3-4 hour class then exam, or just the exam). He took the exam and PASSED!!! As he handed his forms to the lady at the exam place, he wouldn't come up in the computer, and she realized that his medical/psychological exam was for the new and not a revalidation. She apologized, but said that had to be fixed first, and he'd have to take the exam again. And she ripped up his exam results. Marshall went back to the medical exam place to see why they had him as new instead of revalidation. They said he wasn't in the system and he'd have to check at the place he'd turned that "special paper" into. He went all the way back over there, and they said, "Oh, its because you didn't show us your certificado domicillio." He had it with him the whole time and responded, "No one asked me for it." They asked, "Oh, then do you have it?" He handed it to them. They told him all was set up in the system, connecting all of his resident visa numbers, especially his new one with his original driver's license. So he went back to the medical place....it still wasn't showing up. The boss said he'd turned in a request to change his results to "revalidacion" but it would take at least 5 days. He's been checking with them everyday though, just in case its been changed sooner.
So much of this process has been, "Ok, now you have to wait 5 days."
So on Monday, we went to pick up my papers, they were ready, and in fact I had the stamp on the paper that I was exempt from taking the driver's exam! And while we were in the area we dropped by the medical place for Marshall. We think the guy was annoyed that we were back asking about it being changed in the system. He told us it definitely would be ready by Thursday. We left there, went across town where they release licenses, stood in some REALLY LONG LINES, and 4 hours after getting in the first line, handing papers to different people, they called out my name, and I had this special piece of plastic (my license)! My story ends here!
Poor Marshall left today to check on his status at the medical place. All checked out, BUT his former test was annulled and he had to take the medical/psychological test all over again! So he did, and passed. He took the computerized test again, and PASSED! This should be it! They told him he could now stand in line for his license....hopefully it won't be 4 hours like mine was! And hopefully they didn't mislead him and he's really supposed to wait a few days again!
We've now been here 3 weeks, and would prefer to be spending this time in Pucallpa settling in!
Last week after Marshall received that special piece of paper with all of his old resident visa numbers on them, and he went to take his medical/psychological exam. They couldn't find him in the computer, so instead of entering him in as a "revalidacion" they entered him in as "nuevo". He took the exam, not realizing what they did, passed, then went on to take the computerized exam. (He had a choice of taking a 3-4 hour class then exam, or just the exam). He took the exam and PASSED!!! As he handed his forms to the lady at the exam place, he wouldn't come up in the computer, and she realized that his medical/psychological exam was for the new and not a revalidation. She apologized, but said that had to be fixed first, and he'd have to take the exam again. And she ripped up his exam results. Marshall went back to the medical exam place to see why they had him as new instead of revalidation. They said he wasn't in the system and he'd have to check at the place he'd turned that "special paper" into. He went all the way back over there, and they said, "Oh, its because you didn't show us your certificado domicillio." He had it with him the whole time and responded, "No one asked me for it." They asked, "Oh, then do you have it?" He handed it to them. They told him all was set up in the system, connecting all of his resident visa numbers, especially his new one with his original driver's license. So he went back to the medical place....it still wasn't showing up. The boss said he'd turned in a request to change his results to "revalidacion" but it would take at least 5 days. He's been checking with them everyday though, just in case its been changed sooner.
So much of this process has been, "Ok, now you have to wait 5 days."
So on Monday, we went to pick up my papers, they were ready, and in fact I had the stamp on the paper that I was exempt from taking the driver's exam! And while we were in the area we dropped by the medical place for Marshall. We think the guy was annoyed that we were back asking about it being changed in the system. He told us it definitely would be ready by Thursday. We left there, went across town where they release licenses, stood in some REALLY LONG LINES, and 4 hours after getting in the first line, handing papers to different people, they called out my name, and I had this special piece of plastic (my license)! My story ends here!
Poor Marshall left today to check on his status at the medical place. All checked out, BUT his former test was annulled and he had to take the medical/psychological test all over again! So he did, and passed. He took the computerized test again, and PASSED! This should be it! They told him he could now stand in line for his license....hopefully it won't be 4 hours like mine was! And hopefully they didn't mislead him and he's really supposed to wait a few days again!
We've now been here 3 weeks, and would prefer to be spending this time in Pucallpa settling in!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
All for Two Pieces of Plastic
Marshall and I are on two different tracks to get our Peruvian Driver's licenses. And its not been an easy process at all. Here is what we've been through so far.
First we needed to obtain our carnets de extranjeria (our Peruvian resident visa ID cards). I was able to get mine right before coming back for the wedding in June (both were in process since February). Marshall just got his last Wednesday. Without those, we can't reside here and we definitely can't start the process of getting our license. Marshall has had a Peruvian driver's license before, so he's on the battle track of getting his renewed. I'll get back to him in a bit (he's still in process)
Here's what I've had to do (up to date) the quick version:
-copies
-pay Scotiabank
-pay Banco de la Nacion
-Take the medical and psychological test
- make more copies
- get diplomas, marriage certificates, driving records translated
- get a certificado domicillio (certificate of living in Lima), and/or a letter from my boss in Pucallpa just in case
- make a few more copies
- take the theory driving computerized exam
The more dramatic and frustrating version:
-Make copies of EVERYTHING ....my ID, my Alabama Driver's license, my high school and college diplomas, marriage certificates (which I needed my friends to send me pictures of since my scanned copies were in Pucallpa), my driving record from the Alabama Dept of Public Safety
- Pay ScotiaBank to be able to eventually take the written (and hopefully not the driving exam). This only pays the company that does the exams....stand in line for a long time.
- Pay the Banco de la Nacion- this is for my actual license.....stand in line also for a long time.
- Get a medical and psycological test for driving. We also pay for this. First I had to take the psych test first drawing a human body (that looked like something a 4th grader drew), making my way through a few mazes, drawing certain shapes on a piece of paper, and answering multiple choice questions about random things. Then was the medical part: They pricked my finger (not with a nice little pricker that most of us would use for a finger prick, but at 22gauge needle that would go better in my arm than my finger) to check my blood type. Then I had to play with some other contraption I can only think had something to do with hand-eye coordination. Then understandably an eye test, followed by lifting small weights over my head and back down several times. And finally my favorite, and I'm still trying to figure out how it will determine whether or not I can drive, squatting on the ground and jumping up and down 5,6,7 times. I think they just throw those in for kicks with their boring jobs! In between each part there was at least 30 minutes of waiting, lots of men taking the exam, and only one other woman besides myself....I got out of there with my special and very important paper in hand 4 hours after I had entered.
I had everything I needed (so I thought) to go take my exam. The lady was super nice, but told me that I needed a notarized certificate of where I was living in Lima or she said a letter from my boss in Pucallpa would do if it had our mission house's address in Lima. She also said I needed all my diplomas translated by an "official translator" and I could get a list of that from my embassy. So, to the US embassy I go! Its another bus ride and a small taxi ride. I get there, and though I am a US citizen, I am not allowed in unless its either an emergency or I have an appointment. I'm a flippin' US citizen! SIGH...so the guy gives me a number to call. I do, and have the pleasure of speaking to someone, not in English, but in Spanish, and she tells me to call back during certain hours for an appointment. I tell her I don't need an appointment, but a list of official translators that I was sent there for. She tells me they don't have one, and I need to go to the Dept of International Relations downtown Lima, but she doesn't know where it is. Its already mid-day. I return to the other side of Lima where the SAM guest house is (after a lovely 1.5 hour bus ride through the city)...in all around 4 hours on public buses.
Marshall, through God's providence, was at the Immigrations center at this time, and ran into the legal people for the International Mission's Board who he served with in 2000-2002. They recognized him, and helped him with what he needed there to get his driver's license process started. (He had just gotten his carnet). The man who was one of the people helping, his wife is an official translator!!! He came by the next morning to pick up our documents to be translated.
We have to go try to get the the notarized proof of us living here in Lima, at first they try to give us a hard time about us needing to be in Lima for a year, we have the mission's house's electric bill in hand, then they decide to "take our case". A young law student goes home with us in the taxi, we're thinking he needs to come in the house, as soon as Marshall opens the door, he says "Ok! That's all I need!" We wait over the weekend and pick up that very important paper which is also a requirement.
That night Marshall's friend from the IMB comes by with our translated diplomas and driving records. He tried to get them notarized by the notary he's used for over 20 years, but they wouldn't notarize them without the originals. (We don't have the originals here, nor would we ever like having them here!) He tells us to come by his office the next day and maybe we'll be able to get them notarized, but he has his doubts since they want the originals.
We show up the next morning and are expecting to go to a notary (this was yesterday), but they wanted to try something first. The next thing we know, the lady helping us out takes us to where I'd gone to take the written exam. She pushes my papers, works her magic, and with no notary, no questions asked, within a few minutes I'm taking my computerized driving theory exam! Marshall and I had been studying a book questions that we got in Arequipa, and my test was made up of those questions. The test turned off before I finished because I got enough right! I take my papers back to our "helper" and we turn in different things (after making a few more copies of course), and they tell me to come back next Monday to pick my papers back up and go to the part of town where the licenses are given.
*most places have long lines and waits, most paperwork isn't done that day, and everything is all spread out throughout Lima (we're spoiled by efficiency in the US!)*
And THAT'S just my (Becca) track to drive here legally!!
Marshall got his driver's license in 2001 under a different resident visa ID number. It was stolen in 2010, should have been renewed in 2011, but he came back to the US in 2010 to get married. His friends from the IMB gave him copies they had on file of his old records!!! This is huge because they won't do anything in his process for a renewed license until he has a special piece of paper with all of his previous visa ID numbers. (He just got that today!!!) He's been back and forth between different offices in different parts of Lima for this.
He texted me a bit ago and is in the process of his medical and psychological exam. After that he's got to take a 3-4 hour course with a small exam at the end. Then all is paperwork should be in order for him to get his renewal. Hopefully he won't have to wait as long as me! In the meantime, until we were sure he'd be able to go the route of renewing, he's been making some of the same copies and translations and other steps I've made just in case he has to start from scratch.
We had the joy of FINALLY being in Pucallpa (me for a week, him for two weeks) and this process is dragging on and on! Our boss told us to get all this done in Lima because the horrible process in Pucallpa has gotten even worse. Its hard to believe doing it here in Lima is much easier! I'm glad we aren't doing it in Pucallpa then! But soon....very soon, it seems like we'll be back in Pucallpa and for once in our marriage....settling in!! =)
First we needed to obtain our carnets de extranjeria (our Peruvian resident visa ID cards). I was able to get mine right before coming back for the wedding in June (both were in process since February). Marshall just got his last Wednesday. Without those, we can't reside here and we definitely can't start the process of getting our license. Marshall has had a Peruvian driver's license before, so he's on the battle track of getting his renewed. I'll get back to him in a bit (he's still in process)
Here's what I've had to do (up to date) the quick version:
-copies
-pay Scotiabank
-pay Banco de la Nacion
-Take the medical and psychological test
- make more copies
- get diplomas, marriage certificates, driving records translated
- get a certificado domicillio (certificate of living in Lima), and/or a letter from my boss in Pucallpa just in case
- make a few more copies
- take the theory driving computerized exam
The more dramatic and frustrating version:
-Make copies of EVERYTHING ....my ID, my Alabama Driver's license, my high school and college diplomas, marriage certificates (which I needed my friends to send me pictures of since my scanned copies were in Pucallpa), my driving record from the Alabama Dept of Public Safety
- Pay ScotiaBank to be able to eventually take the written (and hopefully not the driving exam). This only pays the company that does the exams....stand in line for a long time.
- Pay the Banco de la Nacion- this is for my actual license.....stand in line also for a long time.
- Get a medical and psycological test for driving. We also pay for this. First I had to take the psych test first drawing a human body (that looked like something a 4th grader drew), making my way through a few mazes, drawing certain shapes on a piece of paper, and answering multiple choice questions about random things. Then was the medical part: They pricked my finger (not with a nice little pricker that most of us would use for a finger prick, but at 22gauge needle that would go better in my arm than my finger) to check my blood type. Then I had to play with some other contraption I can only think had something to do with hand-eye coordination. Then understandably an eye test, followed by lifting small weights over my head and back down several times. And finally my favorite, and I'm still trying to figure out how it will determine whether or not I can drive, squatting on the ground and jumping up and down 5,6,7 times. I think they just throw those in for kicks with their boring jobs! In between each part there was at least 30 minutes of waiting, lots of men taking the exam, and only one other woman besides myself....I got out of there with my special and very important paper in hand 4 hours after I had entered.
I had everything I needed (so I thought) to go take my exam. The lady was super nice, but told me that I needed a notarized certificate of where I was living in Lima or she said a letter from my boss in Pucallpa would do if it had our mission house's address in Lima. She also said I needed all my diplomas translated by an "official translator" and I could get a list of that from my embassy. So, to the US embassy I go! Its another bus ride and a small taxi ride. I get there, and though I am a US citizen, I am not allowed in unless its either an emergency or I have an appointment. I'm a flippin' US citizen! SIGH...so the guy gives me a number to call. I do, and have the pleasure of speaking to someone, not in English, but in Spanish, and she tells me to call back during certain hours for an appointment. I tell her I don't need an appointment, but a list of official translators that I was sent there for. She tells me they don't have one, and I need to go to the Dept of International Relations downtown Lima, but she doesn't know where it is. Its already mid-day. I return to the other side of Lima where the SAM guest house is (after a lovely 1.5 hour bus ride through the city)...in all around 4 hours on public buses.
Marshall, through God's providence, was at the Immigrations center at this time, and ran into the legal people for the International Mission's Board who he served with in 2000-2002. They recognized him, and helped him with what he needed there to get his driver's license process started. (He had just gotten his carnet). The man who was one of the people helping, his wife is an official translator!!! He came by the next morning to pick up our documents to be translated.
We have to go try to get the the notarized proof of us living here in Lima, at first they try to give us a hard time about us needing to be in Lima for a year, we have the mission's house's electric bill in hand, then they decide to "take our case". A young law student goes home with us in the taxi, we're thinking he needs to come in the house, as soon as Marshall opens the door, he says "Ok! That's all I need!" We wait over the weekend and pick up that very important paper which is also a requirement.
That night Marshall's friend from the IMB comes by with our translated diplomas and driving records. He tried to get them notarized by the notary he's used for over 20 years, but they wouldn't notarize them without the originals. (We don't have the originals here, nor would we ever like having them here!) He tells us to come by his office the next day and maybe we'll be able to get them notarized, but he has his doubts since they want the originals.
We show up the next morning and are expecting to go to a notary (this was yesterday), but they wanted to try something first. The next thing we know, the lady helping us out takes us to where I'd gone to take the written exam. She pushes my papers, works her magic, and with no notary, no questions asked, within a few minutes I'm taking my computerized driving theory exam! Marshall and I had been studying a book questions that we got in Arequipa, and my test was made up of those questions. The test turned off before I finished because I got enough right! I take my papers back to our "helper" and we turn in different things (after making a few more copies of course), and they tell me to come back next Monday to pick my papers back up and go to the part of town where the licenses are given.
*most places have long lines and waits, most paperwork isn't done that day, and everything is all spread out throughout Lima (we're spoiled by efficiency in the US!)*
And THAT'S just my (Becca) track to drive here legally!!
Marshall got his driver's license in 2001 under a different resident visa ID number. It was stolen in 2010, should have been renewed in 2011, but he came back to the US in 2010 to get married. His friends from the IMB gave him copies they had on file of his old records!!! This is huge because they won't do anything in his process for a renewed license until he has a special piece of paper with all of his previous visa ID numbers. (He just got that today!!!) He's been back and forth between different offices in different parts of Lima for this.
He texted me a bit ago and is in the process of his medical and psychological exam. After that he's got to take a 3-4 hour course with a small exam at the end. Then all is paperwork should be in order for him to get his renewal. Hopefully he won't have to wait as long as me! In the meantime, until we were sure he'd be able to go the route of renewing, he's been making some of the same copies and translations and other steps I've made just in case he has to start from scratch.
We had the joy of FINALLY being in Pucallpa (me for a week, him for two weeks) and this process is dragging on and on! Our boss told us to get all this done in Lima because the horrible process in Pucallpa has gotten even worse. Its hard to believe doing it here in Lima is much easier! I'm glad we aren't doing it in Pucallpa then! But soon....very soon, it seems like we'll be back in Pucallpa and for once in our marriage....settling in!! =)
What I Used to Take for Granted
As today many are celebrating Independence Day in the US, Marshall and I are still in Lima battling an insane process of getting our Peruvian Driver's licenses. We've been working on it for about a week and a half. I had the joyous opportunity to be a part of one of my best friend's weddings in Alabama a few weeks ago, and even though I'd only been out of the country just shy of 6 months, there were many things that I got used to in Peru and truly enjoyed while visiting.
So now as we go through a long and inefficient process of getting our Peruvian's driver's license, after my recent visit to the US, and on our nation's celebration of independence, I'm compelled to write some other reasons of why the US is a great place to live.
- Less thieves: My first habit undone in the US was the custom of turning my engagement ring around on my finger, diamond inward in public....I realized quickly that the likelihood of being robbed in the US was a lot less, and the diamond came back out!
- WATER PRESSURE....it really is a great thing! Please enjoy it for us!
- And another thing from the water: the ability to drink it from the faucet!! Not worrying about what water gets in your mouth during a shower.
- And along with that, good pipes + good water pressure= not needing to throw used toilet paper in a trash can!
- Nice, Quiet, and orderly driving....there are occasional honks of horns in the US, but the horn is not used as frequently there as they are here in Peru, and people in the US (for the most part) abide by the rules of driving (aka...2 lanes aren't made into 3.5-4 lanes...the lines are there for a reason!), and this may be surprising, because I know we all aren't super patient drivers at times, but I'd say there is more patience in driving in the US.
- Hearing your heart language everywhere (though that doesn't mean I didn't bust out some Spanish by accident those first few days...telling my server "gracias" or bumping into someone at Wal-Mart and saying "lo siento".
- A beautiful blend and variety of people....sizes, shapes, colors, hair colors, eyes....here is mostly all dark hair and skin, which is beautiful, but its nice to see all cultures represented like in the US.
There's probably a lot more, but I'll stop here for now. Please enjoy these things for us, and maybe, at least for today in reading this blog, don't take them for granted!
(Oh! and don't take Chick-fil-a, Five Guys, Chipotle, California Pizza Kitchen, Target, Wal-Mart, and Publix Premium Ice Cream for granted either!!!!) =D
So now as we go through a long and inefficient process of getting our Peruvian's driver's license, after my recent visit to the US, and on our nation's celebration of independence, I'm compelled to write some other reasons of why the US is a great place to live.
- Less thieves: My first habit undone in the US was the custom of turning my engagement ring around on my finger, diamond inward in public....I realized quickly that the likelihood of being robbed in the US was a lot less, and the diamond came back out!
- WATER PRESSURE....it really is a great thing! Please enjoy it for us!
- And another thing from the water: the ability to drink it from the faucet!! Not worrying about what water gets in your mouth during a shower.
- And along with that, good pipes + good water pressure= not needing to throw used toilet paper in a trash can!
- Nice, Quiet, and orderly driving....there are occasional honks of horns in the US, but the horn is not used as frequently there as they are here in Peru, and people in the US (for the most part) abide by the rules of driving (aka...2 lanes aren't made into 3.5-4 lanes...the lines are there for a reason!), and this may be surprising, because I know we all aren't super patient drivers at times, but I'd say there is more patience in driving in the US.
- Hearing your heart language everywhere (though that doesn't mean I didn't bust out some Spanish by accident those first few days...telling my server "gracias" or bumping into someone at Wal-Mart and saying "lo siento".
- A beautiful blend and variety of people....sizes, shapes, colors, hair colors, eyes....here is mostly all dark hair and skin, which is beautiful, but its nice to see all cultures represented like in the US.
There's probably a lot more, but I'll stop here for now. Please enjoy these things for us, and maybe, at least for today in reading this blog, don't take them for granted!
(Oh! and don't take Chick-fil-a, Five Guys, Chipotle, California Pizza Kitchen, Target, Wal-Mart, and Publix Premium Ice Cream for granted either!!!!) =D
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