When you are in school, toward the end of the year, you have to begin thinking about your final exams. Just prior to and during these exams is an extremely stressful time...at the time, this seems to have nothing to do with "real life". Well, this week, rather the Wed. through Fri., was my Final Exam Week.
It all started with an emergency trip to Quito on Wednesday. I had to deliver our official documents, visa, passports, etc. to the government, so that they could process our application for changing our visas. I left at 9am and returned by 7pm that same day - thankfully, the drive is still absolutely beautiful, otherwise, I would have been extremely bored by the end. Having missed an entire day of work during our busiest month this year, and learning that I STILL was missing some documents (why didn't they tell me this before I came to Quito??? Who knows...and YES, I asked and verified my paperwork before leaving: bienvenido a Ecuador!), I decided to make a checklist so that I could get everything done ASAP.
Here is my list:
- Withdraw money. (T)
- Obtain rent contract (T)
- Notarize rent contract
- Print 4 visa-style pics for each person (T)
- Send rent contract and photos to W.C. in Quito
- Finish lab work at Shell hospital for Taylor's driver's license course
- Print 3 visa-style pics for Taylor's driver's license (T)
- Meet with M.M. for banking transaction (T)
- Pay for truck documents (T)
- Wash the truck
- Get ready for A.L. visiting
Come Friday morning, by God's grace, I had actually accomplished most of these items (signified above with a "(T)")! For those of you who have lived in Latin America, then you know that NOTHING is trivial...oh, by the way, I do still work a full-time job. We decided against the notary (it is not the same thing as in the States - it is much more complicated, naturally). By 9am, I had sent my documents to be received by W.C. later that afternoon. After work I planned to go to Shell, but when looking at the clinic's times to be open, I learned that Friday afternoons, they were closed...so, no finishing my lab work and medical exam to start on obtaining my Ecuadorian driver's license this week (this was fairly stressful, because technically my 90-day tourist permit to drive had expired, I had to drive to Quito soon to pick up a friend from the airport, and there are frequent transit police check points looking for correct documentation along the way).
What to do next? Wash the truck of course...yes, it was raining, but only misting at the moment. I took it to a nearby place that washes and cleans for $10 ($35-value in the U.S.). While waiting and walking around, I passed by a building marked ANT (Agencia de Nacional Transito). Assuming that they would know what I should do about my driving predicament, I went in and asked.
They were the most friendly and helpful "officials" that I had met this far (just ask Glory and Levi about it next time you talk with them). After some discussion a man asked me if I was free to go with him, I was, so I did. He was very friendly. We drove for about 7 minutes and came to a very large complex which I assume houses the bulk of the transit police, general police, and military for Pastaza. He honked a friendly sort of honk at everyone and they always waved back. Once we parked and got out, we were constantly greeting people...Puyo is a small, friendly sort of town, so I did not think much of it.
We entered a building and made our way to an office of "the boss" (at least that is what the doorway title signified, though I cannot recall the exact title). My friend who drove me, E.A. introduced me to another man who spoke English; I'll call him Z. He explained to me that Ecuador DOES, in fact honor valid driver's licenses from other countries, and he gave me the form to complete, but said that it may still take a few weeks to finish the process. This was actually going to be easy! (Thank you, Lord!)
On our way back from the compound, I learned that my first friend (note, that HE used the title "my friend" when introducing me), E.A. was going to get me a temporary driver's permit so that I can drive for 30 days and be perfectly legal. But the most fun part of all of this was when I got a piece of paper that was to be my temporary permit and it was signed by my new friend E.A. who is also the Director of Transit for Pastaza!
Wow, I can only be thankful to God for orchestrating me (1) to NOT go to Shell to get the necessary documents for applying for a driver's education course, (2) get the truck washed next door to the National Transit Agency administration building, and (3) to meet with and befriend the top-dog of the agency.
*sigh* I think I'm going to sleep well tonight...finally!
Enjoy!
Taylor
