Hi Mae...Did you enrol in a driving school?.I'm planning to enrol maybe this coming June or July. Having my hubby to teach me was the first choice but I think it will just result in argument . I'm thinking of reading a Driver's Manual Guide to give me a headstart.Do you know where I can get that?. Thanks.

Thank you. I took my actual test yesterday afternoon and PASSED!! yeheyyy!

Tip: My husband and I actually drove to the DMV office every weekend and I practiced driving from their office out to all possible directions that the examiner might take me. It worked!!

As a test yesterday after I took the exam ( They gave me a temporary pemanent license in paper - I will get my card soon) I drove from my house to Walmart alone. I was on speaker phone with Joe( updating him where I was because it was a 15 minute drive one way ) and I made it home intact, lol. I am just so happy!! I never drove in the Philippines and not in my wildest dreams that I will be driving in America and I just love it.

Mae, I believe the actual driving test is easier here in FL because they didn't let me do a parallel and back parking which you said you will have to do there , so goodluck on that. The hardest part was backing for 50 feet at a slow speed where I have to maintain the car on my lane but I guess I did okay. The FL DMV handbook actually tells us what maneuvers to perform during the test so I concentrted on that.

I am a happy camper. This morning I insisted I buy the milk from win dixie alone so I get used to driving by myself.

I believe I am a good driver and I have my husband to thank for. .he is the best teacher and a very patient one.

Now, we still await for our pending AOS, lol.

Speaking of driving....

Mirasol is learning to drive also. She has her learner's permit after passing the written test, first try. Then I took her out a few times to drive. She is learning, but has never really driven before so its a challenge. I am pretty patient, but I get nervous when I tell her to stop and she can't find the brake! I don't get upset though and we have never argued over it. Just scares me that she will crash. I am considering lessons with a private instructor. Not because I can't do it, but because I am hoping since they teach lots of people that their experience in teaching will help her to learn more quickly. I really want her to get her license.

Good luck to all those taking their driving test!

Scott

Congratulations!!!

congrats jom i still have a long way to go i already had a permit last march and my husband let me drive so far so good but we cant afford yet to buy a new vehicle(yikes )plus the gas is pain in a butt!!

Hi there... you can get the Driver's Manual at any licensing offices or DMV near you. It's for free. You need to study that to pass their written test for the Learner's Permit. All questions were actually taken from that book. I didn't enroll in a driving school. My husband taught me the basic but after getting scared that we will wreck my new car, we've decided to have his friend teach me some of the things I needed to learn. My husband gets nervous, hence, makes me nervous even more. His friend did a good job in teaching me. And then the last part of the lessons, I was back with my husband as my instructor and he said I did so much better. I help him now with the driving every now and then. And he's calm... except whenever I would try to drive when it's already yellow light. Changing lanes is still a challenge because my car has blind spots, meaning I couldn't see cars on my side. More practice, more practice...



Congrats, sis Myla! Wow, you are lucky you don't have parallel and back parking there. Here, it is part of the test. I can fairly drive, in fact, my husband said I have improved 100%. We practiced that backing part on a farm road when we were in NE and I did well after few mistakes, so that won't be a problem. Just the f@$%ing parallel and back parking. Maybe we should practice driving from DMV (where I will be taking the test) to anywhere to get used to it like what you did. I'm thinking about practicing the parking at the place where they are actually doing it. Right now we're too busy with too many things to focus on my driving. Once we're free, I'll be practicing more.



Good luck to her too, Scott! Filipinas are fast-learners!



Hey Ruchie, how are you girl? Missed your Memorial Day gathering. Gas price is really a killer! And David's truck is like a thirsty dry soil that drinks 27 gals every time we fill it. Hope to see you soon, friend!

--Mae

P.S. I'm glad to see that this thread is reviving. I miss all our chickahan here...

Mae,
I am doing pretty good girl We had fun eventhough it was very hot and we had some bbq at home and grace cook sticky rice(biko) delicious yummy hmm and we finished around midnight!!!I told Danny if he can trade in the truck coz the gas is really a pain in the butt!!! hope too see you too it's been a year since the last time we met..take care girl..

RUCHIE GIRL!!!

Mae,

Let me know when you drive in Kansas City and I will call a Filipina driver ALERT to shut down the highways ..... Just Kidding! It won't be long you will get in the car and drive and not even think about all the stuff you have to do. It all comes with experience!! You will do fine...... I had left you a message on our Kansas City Zoo thread about the next get together...... Tell David hello..
Danny

Now I miss you guys even more. I can't believe that it's already been a year... Wow... Last night, David prepared a sumptuous dinner because he thought it was my 1st year here in US. He forgot that I came here on July 1. So I just told him that let's think of it that way and then next month, we'll do it again. I am 1 year old next month. YAY! And of course, we'll be celebrating our 1st year anniversary too. I'm so excited!!!



You guys are so mean! That's the same thing that David's friends told me when they learned that I have been driving. They even told me to inform them of the time that I am on the road so they won't go out on the same time and avoid me. Oh well... I'm getting better each time I drive, BUT, a Filipina driver is really a helluva driver.

Miss you guys!

--Mae

a little video for those who will be soon taking their driving test.

hopefully no one gets this examiner

Mae,
Since u know how to drive already and next month is your 1st anniversary it's about time to learn how to make a baby Isn't cool joke..joke..joke...
TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS ALWAYS...
P.S
TELL PEPPER AND DAVID I SAID HI!!!

I would have to take a baseball bat to him if he treated my wife that way... No what I mean????

Thanks Mae. I'll get a copy of Driver's Manual one of these days. I have mix feelings about driving here, nervous and excited .I better quit drinking coffee to keep from being too tense But I see that people here follow traffic rules even if there's no police around. No "bumper to bumper" either so I guess this is a better place to learn how to drive than in Manila . I hope my hubby will be as calm as your hubby when I eventually do my initial driving

Congratulations!!! . You and Mae are good encouragement for me to finally get started in my driving lessons. I was intending to enrol in a driving school back in the PI but my husband thought that I might copy the offensive driving there so I scrapped that plan . I'm just new in waiting game that is AOS so in the meantime aside from learning how to cook I'm looking forward to learn how to drive too

Roy and Yazi.... thanks for scaring me

I have never driven in the Philippines but I have started driving here since December to go to work using my International driver's license. I had passed my written test last year and still have to do my drive test this month before my permit expires. For California DMV - they have a Youtube videos on driving test: Rules of the Roads (this one specifically, there's about 15 or 16 videos), Reasons for failing the drive test, etc... for those who will still have their drive test, maybe this will also help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9H0yON1Xf0...feature=related

That was funny!!!



Here in MO, they assign female examiner to female applicants so I don't have to worry about this.



Oh no, we're still on honeymoon stage so no baby plans for now. I don't think I'm ready for it. I mean, I'm still enjoying my time being spent with just David and I'm telling you, he feels likewise.




If your husband can assign somebody else to teach you, that would be so much better. Once you already know the basics and can control the car smoothly, then have your husband practice you more.

Goodluck!

--Mae

Since the last post is still about driving, just an update of my progress. I drove for 90 miles in Georgia ( my husband and I were on our way to SC today) using I-95 and I did good. It was scary at first but I survived lol. It was a big step for me to drive in the interstate. Learning how to drive made me realize how patient my husband is with me, he is heaven sent.

Myla

Wow, that was a long drive at sa interstate pa Congratulations Myla

Thanks a lot.

Yes it was. . I was hesitant at first and even asked my husband if I was ready for the interstate and he said yes. He gave me so much confidence.

We had a " small " incident though where I learned a big lesson. The highway from Brunswick to Savanah is "still" under construction and the road changed from 6 lanes to 4 lanes. I was at the left lane and closing in with a semi when I saw the merge sign because of the construction, my husband told me to pump up the accelerator to to be able to pass the semi and merge , I saw the incoming cones and my lane closing so I accelerated but it was not enough so my husband pushed my knee to accelerate the car more and was able to pass by the semi and merge just right on time. My heart was beating 100 beats per minute, lol but I didn't panick ( I know my husband also got nervous but he just explained the rationale why I had to accelerate). My hands were grabbing the steering wheel so hard they were sweating, lol. Both sides of the road were lined with brick barrier so it was still scary especially with the semis. My husband forgot about the construction ( he drove from our house up to the border of FL and GA) and so when we go home next week, he will be driving that area and I'll drive in I-10. But , it was an experience and the only way to learn is to drive and drive and drive. And today I also learned how to gas up the car, hehehe.

Just sharing my experience .

Myla

I know how it feels, sis Myla. When we went to NE for mushroom hunting, my husband made me drive from Stromsburg to Omaha, which is about 95 miles. It was scary because some drivers were not very patient with me. David said not to mind them, if they want to pass, they'll pass, if they don't, then let them tailgate me. He said whenever a car is riding my bumper, and I know I'm not doing anything wrong (like being too slow or under my speed limit) I should just ignore it and mind my own driving. We made it safe and sound and I was sooooooo proud of myself. Today, David had his eye doctor's appointment at the VA (50 miles away) and he made me drive home because his eyes were dilated. It was another nerve-wrecking experience because I-44 here is 70mph, which is the highest speed limit I have driven so far. But we made it home safe and sound. He's also making me drive home from the church to practice more on city traffic and signal lights. So far, so good. I'm supposed to be using my own car in practicing but it looks like I will get used to David's Chevy Tahoe more than my own little car (an Accord). I even told him that I might end up taking his SUV on my actual driving test since I'm more comfortable with it. Driving becomes more enjoyable for me, unlike before, I get so nervous and scared. I still do, but I've started building my confidence and my husband said, the more I drive, the better driver I will be. YAY!

My Honey (Mirasol) had her first driving lesson tonight with a certified driving instructor. That was quite the experience. He talked very fast, kind of slang, and with big technical words. This was all at the same time she was driving the school's car (a brand new experience) and in city traffic (also a brand new experience).

She did good for her first time. She has a bit of a ways to go before she can take her test for a license, but she made it through the first lesson with no accidents or stops by the police. I give her a lot of credit because I could barely understand the guy sometimes and so I know she must have had some trouble. She was very nervous too as we had only driven in parking lots with no other cars moving until now. Tonight she was on the streets with lots of traffic at 6pm at night. The instructor seemed to be a "sink or swim" kind of guy. He just throws you into it full speed and then corrects you as you go along. There wasn't really a lot of time to work up to it.

Anyways....we'll practice more together just her and I in between and try it again with the instructor next week. Just thought I would share since everyone is talking about driving so much lately.


Scott

Hi Everyone,

It's been few months since the last time I posted on this board. Glad to see that I am not the only one getting crazy and happy all at the same time driving in America.

Like everyone else, it was scary at first. I have to get used to the wide road and no bumper to bumper unlike in the Philippines. Hubby said I was a natural driver....hehehe...and I never thought I would be driving in America for I never drove in the Philippines. Driving in the interstate was a challenge especially that one day my hubby just instructed me to go right into the interstate without warning. Gosh! My heart was racing so fast! But I made it through.

The only difficult thing for me is that I am small and have to push the driver's seat forward to the extent that it is difficult to see the side mirrors....hahaha...especially the left side mirror and when I changed lanes, it is a blind spot. Hubby is so patient and days from now I will have my actual driving test.

Good luck to everyone and happy driving!

Bernie and Bien

Just like my husband the other night when he made me drive from church to home. He said I'll just sit here, will not say a word and pretend I'm an examiner, I'm not gonna correct you, just drive. It was a new experience without my husband instructing me every now and then. We made it home and then I asked him how I did. He asked me what mistakes I have done and I told him I still could not keep my consistency on speed limit. I still go 5 miles slower and sometimes 10 miles faster than the posted speed zone. And also, I step on the break too late on stop lights so as a result, we kept on jerking forward and back and got too close to the car's bumper in front of me. I forgot that his car's break is a lot different from my car's, which is very touchy and sensitive. He said it was good that I can recognize my own mistakes. He also said if I will keep on doing that, it means I am not really learning. But he praised me for doing a wonderful job. He said, all in all, I did great.

More practice, more practice... My next lesson would be parking... I don't know when we'll be doing that since we're too busy with so many things.

--Mae

since Philippines Independance Day is June 12th, thought we could post some things relating to the Philippines. I'll start with this video.

Funny!!!
But is this really how the driving test in US?

VERY COOL!!!
Wow I miss my elementary life..I used to dance folk dances and I danced Pandango sa Ilaw when I was in Grade 2....hehehehehe
Very nice, its nice to preserve our Filipino culture.

back to driving....

question:
will i be allowed to drive in california using my license from the philippines, that is of course, till i secure a license in california?

second question:
what are the requirements in getting a license in ca?

thanks guys:)

- sue

Of course not...




Here, I quoted what Helen said regarding your question #1



As for the requirements, here in MO, you have to pass the written, road sign, visual and actual driving tests and you must provide some documents i.e. EAD or greencard.

--Mae

hi mae. thank you.

i'm just thinking since i will only get my ead 90 days from the time i submit my application, i wont have anything to present to dmv. ergo, i'll be forced to take the bus, since my husband wont be able to take me anywhere at a moment's notice (since he's working). but if an international license will suffice (for 90 days, or until i get the ead card), then that'll be way cooler

- sue

hello! hows everyone here in VJ? hope everythings good. anyway i have a quick quesiton. can i still use my expired I-94 to get my state id? thanks

I am glad that road test in Ga is not like that !!!!

I don't think so... don't you have EAD or GC yet? Either one will suffice.



I'm glad that you finally got your DL. Did you have to do parallel and back parking there?

--Mae

Thanks Mae.. I did parallel parking and backing .. the parallel was very good but the backing i hit one cone pero wa na tumba hahahaa and the guy from DDS told me just to how to do it .. he was nice. Imagine because of my nervousness i forgot how to turn on the AC . We are sweating the entire 10 minutes.. Just glad he let me pass.. God is so good that That man was nice though otherwise nah.
He told me that he understand that people who will have a test esp the first timer are like me since I also having hard time getting out from the parking lot( parallel) when we started the test.

I am sure you are ready for your test too..

RIZa

Dang that parallel and back parking! Well, I can really fairly drive except the 2 kinds of parking. The streets around our main DMV downtown mostly are one-way and my husband is afraid that I will fail to notice them and drive through it that's why we've decided to take my test on a different office. Next week we will look for the DMV office where I'm planning to take my test and see if I can drive around the area without any hardships. We'll probably practice more and then will go ahead and take the test.

looks like in the future a new DS form will be coming out to replace the DS-156. 156k and 157.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_1342.html

hopefully it will simplfy the process for those applying in the future.

JUNE 18 WEBCHAT WITH U.S. EMBASSY TO DISCUSS FIANCÉ (K) VISAS

The U.S. Embassy’s Virtual Consulate Davao will host a live webchat on Wednesday, June 18 to discuss issues concerning fiancé (K) visas. A group of experts from the U.S. Embassy Immigrant Visa section will be available to discuss a range of new developments in this visa category as well as to address any questions regarding qualifications, applying for a visa, costs involved, etc.

During this live webchat, interested participants can log online to discuss and ask questions about fiancé (K) visas. The program will start promptly at 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18 and last one hour. Those interested in participating in this live webchat should register as a user and log in by 7:45 a.m. Philippine time (Tuesday, June 17 by 6:45 pm EST).

To join the live chat, follow the instructions on the Virtual Consulate Davao’s Web site at http://www.usvirtualconsulatedavao.org.ph/.

This information was taken from the USE website [CLICK HERE]


WOW!

Thanks a bunch. The only unfortunate thing is that the government probably spent a little change developing the online version of the DS-156, which was implemented two years ago. Hopefully, they have gotten their monies worth because it should undergo an overhaul with the new DS-160 for that replaces the DS-156. 156k and 157. We'll be standing by for the roll-out date for the Manila Embassy.

Keep a look out...

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

Ok, let's go back to my driving... Last Monday, my husband made me drive to the grocery store. I parked the car (the regular way) poorly but he said it was not so bad. He wanted me to drive home again so I did. I was so ready to do backing to pull out of the parking (with me looking over my shoulder, which is the right thing to do) when I heard my husband said "Stop, stop!". I pressed the brake so hard, looked at him and with a puzzle look on my face, I noticed that the gear was on "drive" and I was doing "reverse". There was a big post in front of our car and I was 6 inches away from hitting it. Boy... did I scare David. Poor thing!

Here's a video to help with parking technique.

Mae,
When you drive thru Kansas City, Call first and please give me a fair warning.... Pretty Please!!!!!!

That was Great!!! LOL....

Mae, that's not so bad. at least not as bad as this lady..... LOL



or this one...

You and David's friends! Don't worry, Danny... you'll know when I'm around KC. Sirens will be heard anywhere to anywhere, and I will be all over the news (God forbid!)





Good thing I was soooooooooooo careful... otherwise, BOOM! There goes my husband's precious fender. Hey, the videos made me feel better... Thanks!

--Mae

LOL.... I was kidding! Don't worry, you will be a great driver......