September 9, 2012

 

We drove 160 kilometers south of Naga to a city called Sorsogon, which is right next to the ocean.  Our purpose for this trip was to bring supplies, including a bed, mattresses, and other miscellaneous items to Sisters and Elders in the area.  One of the apartments needed an air conditioner installed. Jerry, being the handy man that he is, handled this task.  This air conditioner is the only one in all of the Naga Mission.  Needless to say, it will be the envy of every other missionary.  The apartment it was put in has no cross ventilation, and with the humidity and temperatures in the 80+ degrees, it was necessary.   The area is spectacular with all sorts of beautiful trees, bushes and flowering plants.  We stayed the night at a hotel called The Santa Clara Park Hotel.  Below is a picture of Jerry standing on the steps in front of the room we stayed in. 

 

 

 

This is Carol standing close to an old structure which is in the hotel compound. Even though it is very old, it is well maintained. All areas of the compound have security guards watching over the vehicles of the guests and safeguarding the surrounding areas.

 

 

This is another view of the Hotel, but the room that we stayed in was a 2 apartment bungalow and was not connected to this part of the hotel

 

 

This is part of the area as seen from our apartment. This is a cute little gazebo, and those trees you see to the left of it are bamboo trees. All the grounds are meticulously maintained. They don't use lawnmowers to keep the grassy areas trimmed. They use weed whackers and are continually trimming. Everything grows so fast that it is just one continual cycle. They take great pride in the beauty and cleanliness of their structures and grounds.

 

 

If you look close, you will see a branch connected to a board that is sticking out of the back of a dump truck. Instead of fastening a red flag to it to alert motorists, they just put this branch there. This is VERY typical. We have seen this kind of warning notice more than once. Sometimes, they even attach a plastic grocery bag to the end of the pole. It seems that anything works.

 

Today, Jerry was sustained as the Elders Quorum President of the Pamplona Branch.  Now, I guess he has to be called, "Elder President Campbell".  HeHe

 

Carol is still trying to get her Philippines drivers license.  On Thursday, September 6th, we once again went to the transportation department for her to take the written test.  After waiting for two hours and having her picture taken twice (she closed her eyes on the first one), she was informed that she could not take the test that day because it had not been a month and a day since she took it last time.  They don't count the day that she took the test, so Friday, September 7th would be the day she could take it again.  Well, as it would happen, they would be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  This meant she would have to come back on Monday the 10th.  She was kind of upset, to say the least.  Well, Willie, the security guard for the Mission President said that we could drive to Iriga City, (which is 36 kilometers away) and apply for the license there.   He said they would for sure issue her a license without having to take the written test.  We drove for 45 minutes to Iriga City only to be told that she needed a copy of her Visa and if we'd bring it in, they'd process her paperwork and give her her license.  So, we drove back to Naga, got a copy of of her Visa and drove back to Iriga City.  She took the paperwork in and sat for a little while, expecting to be called in to have her picture taken for the license.  Well, she was called into the office and was told that her Utah drivers license was valid for her to drive in the Philippines for 90 days.  Her 90 days had not expired yet, so she was told to come back on the 20th of September.  We're wondering what they're going to come up with this next time to delay her getting it.  Just by way of information, out of ALL of the Senior Couples and Elders who work in the office who are from Utah and have Utah drivers licenses, she is the only one who has been required to spend a month as a student driver and has to take the written test.  There must be some kind of logic here, but we can't see it yet.  Perhaps it is to help her develop patience. 

And the Drivers License Saga continues.