CESCO (DMV) Trips Number 4 and 5

On Tuesday we went to the DMV to schedule our practical driving test. I thought we could schedule it any but it had to be the next day. Our wait wasn't very long, only about 20 minutes. We (Katrina) asked Amparo if she would go with us to the DMV tomorrow so the examiner could copy Amparo's license number down on the driving test form. Katrina was able to communicate all that to Amparo in Spanish. It's so ludicrous for us to have to bring her. I had a hard time at the DMV understanding what they were telling me in English! Yesterday (trip #5) we drove back to CESCO with Amparo this time. We got in line to take the driving test. About 20 minutes later it was our turn. It was a very easy test and we both passed. Now we are official Puerto Ricans or "Gringo Boricua" as someone else put it. The license looks like it was made in the 80's. At least it's good for 5 years. A funny side story... Katrina and I are bad with names. A few weeks after we moved in we had to ask our other neighbors what Amparo's name was. We had been talking to her a few times already and we really wanted to call her by the correct name. The funny thing is she has been calling me Jack and Katrina Kristina. At first we didn't catch it because of the accent but as we had other conversations with her it was clear. So we tried to call each other by name when we were talking to her but that didn't work. Maybe it was our accent this time. So yesterday when we were showing our licenses and paper work Amparo saw our names. We all got a good laugh.

Driver's Licence Trip Number 3 to the DMV (CESCO)

Ok, here is the story so far. We drove home and had lunch. After lunch we drove back to CESCO with our Marriage certificate. This morning we took a number, it was 21. We didn't have to wait long. We left a little after 11AM to go home. When we came back it was a little after 1pm. The number being served was 22!!! The new number we picked was 46!!!!!! I contemplated leaving and coming back but the guy next to us had two numbers and he gave us one. It was 40. Then a few minutes later the numbers climbed from 22 to 30 real quick. We wound up waiting about an hour. Not too bad. We try to explain where we were at to the new person. She goes away for about 10 minutes. She comes back and tells us to follow her. We go into a back office and the woman behind the desk starts to tell us we need a statement or something from Washington ST DMV. WHAT! We explain that we were getting a learner's permit and we wanted to take the written test. Then things were ok and we went to take the test. We go to a class room and sit down with a paper test! I thought I was back in High School taking my first drivers test. That was when we didn't have computers! We get the test, 20 multiple choice questions. Some of them were confusing. I did my best. Katrina finished a minute before I did. Katrina's test was checked by hand. She passed by the skin of her teeth. I got them all correct. So we passed. Now it's time to get the drivers permit. Katrina had an issue again with her last name but got it resolved after 10 minutes and another copy of the Marriage certificate. Then we go wait in another room for our cards. I get my card and my mothers maiden name is on it! Katrina's name is correct. Mine has my name correct but my mothers maiden name added to the end. I don't know what kind of problems this might cause but I am not going to change it. Now all they need to do is put my SS number on the card and if someone ever steals it they have everything needed to steal my identity. And they use the SS number here for everything! So now we go back in 31 days to MAKE AN APPOINTMENT for the Drivers test, buy another stamp, give them two more photos and wait in line. That will be trip number 4. We need the 30 days to learn how to drive...

Now get this, for trip number 5 we have to bring someone who has a Puerto Rico Drivers license with us!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats so we can take the Driving test. Thats a big favor to ask someone to come with you to the DMV while you take your drivers test!But it was a successful day, we got our learners card and some book shelves from Walmart. Oh, to make the card they used scissors to cut the photos and used a small plastic laminator. Not very secure or hi tech. No holograms on this card. Lets hope the real card is more secure.

Getting a Drivers Licence Trip number 2

A few weeks ago we went to Crash boat beach in Aguadilla. As a side trip we stopped at the CESCO (DMV) office to start the process on getting a driver licence. We learned about some of the process from Stefan and Summer's blog (http://ca2pr.com/). We got the form from CESCO, we went to the Dr's and had them fill out the form saying we had two arms and legs and that we had a head. They stated we could walk and said I had 20/20 vision (because I don't wear glasses) and that Katrina has 20/25 vision because she wears contacts. Then we went to the IRS dept and each bought a $10 stamp and a $1 stamp. Then off to the barbers to get our photos taken, yes I said barbers. Then to the pharmacy to pick up the $3 English version of the driving manual. We thought we were prepared so today we went to the CESCO office in Mayaguez and wanted to take the test. We brought our Washington Drivers licences, our SS cards, our Passports, our Birth certificates (THEY KEEP THE BIRTH CERTIFICATES) and then we stood in line. We didnt wait long, about 10 minutes and then the POWER went OUT! We were next in line! When the person in front of us finished we walked up and said hello. We asked about the process and if we could take the test. While we were learning the process the lights came on. That's good we thought, we can take the test. But as the CESCO employee checked our paperwork and documents she said she needed our MARRIAGE Certificate! So we just drove back home and are eating lunch right now. In a few minutes we drive back to CESCO and try again to take the WRITTEN test. (The driving part of the test is a whole nother story to be continued)

The Truck is Stuck and Other Car Related Adventures!

Our first car related adventure was all about trying to figure out how to get a driver's license. We were told to expect it to take all day, and had heard various chatter about the requirements so we figured we better start investigating - we also heard that the car sticker (which is similar to a car tab) includes collision/injury insurance but is only good if you have a valid license. What does it all mean? We still aren't sure... We headed out to Aguadilla to find CESCO (Puerto Rican DMV). We went there instead of Mayaguez because Crash Boat Beach is there and we wanted to have some fun time. Just our luck, the system was down and there were no lines! That meant I could bumble along with my labored spanish and get the forms. The forms we hoped would enlighten us and they sort of did. We need the take the drivers written exam and an acutal driver's test. Where do we get the english verison of the drivers test? At the Pharmacy of course. We also need fotos - ?Donde busceamos la tienda por fotos? They told me to go to the barber shop. "No, no, no necesito una pelo corto...necesito fotos " They kept telling me to go to the barbershop and I kept telling them I didn't want my hair cut. We got photos at the barber shop! They sent us to the glass doors down the hall for a $1 and a $10 stamp needed for the licensing paperwork. We collect that. Now we have to get the medical exam...yes a medical exam. For $10 and no waiting they fill out a form that literally had "piernas, brazos, manos" on it which means "legs. arms, hands" and I told them I had contacts and they made up that I had 20/25 vision. So for less than a co-pay we had the last part of the form completed so all we have to do is study and drive. We are hoping we just have to stay in the lines! It'll have to be on another day...
This next adventure happened after our successful day at the beach (the following day).

This is a photo of Jeff chainsawing a banana tree on our upper driveway. After bringing my desk to the top of the house so we could get it in he decided against my advice (my advice is always "do what the locals do"-- Eddie the gas guy drove around our tree so he was pointed in the right direction) to back down the hill. Well he went off the driveway, broke the water pipe and got stuck! Just 5 minutes earlier he had called our friend (and previous owner of our house) to see if he had recycling that need to be taken in. Now he was stuck. After spinning tires and burning rubber the thought was to cut the dam bananas and gently back the truck onto the flat area before he tips it into the gully. But he keeps spinning and spinning... and it gets more and more stuck.

What a surprise. He shuts the water main off and we stack up palm leaves for traction. Not gonna work.

The truck is now two tires off and this is not good. Lucky for us Hamilton decides to rescue us. But his truck is 2 wheel drive also. (just cut the damn bananas) They don't want to cut the bananas so they concoct this "I'll pull you out" scenario which fortunately for us works out just fine.

I am very happy I convinced Jeff we didn't need a new truck...and we are extremely thankful that Hamilton came by to help us out! We had a little beer and the guys were off to recycle! Jeff would have to stop at our local supermarket "Mr. Special" to pick up some pvc pipe to fix the water. Everything here is very practical - water lines are where you can see them so when they break you fix it easily (under 5 minutes this time), supermarkets have pvc pipe and glue, paint, pipe fittings and other hardware-store-type things. It all just works out great... what's gonna happen tomorrow? Hmmmm