As you can see, our digs are not too bad. We have most of the conveniences.
We are on the 28th floor of a 40 story housing tower. We have a great view.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
LOOKING FOR AN APARTMENT
We'll it's apartment hunting time. We are shown apartments in 2 areas. Eastwood, which is an upscale area and Pioneer Highlands, just across the street from were we are staying at Legends Villas. These are the two areas where the Senior Missionaries are staying. We chose the Pioneer Highlands, because we get a bigger apartment for the money and many of the missionaries that we are working with are staying here. We moved in on Saturday the 16th of June. And Bonus, we already kind of know the neighborhood.
As you can see, our digs are not too bad. We have most of the conveniences.
We are on the 28th floor of a 40 story housing tower. We have a great view.
We go about 2 blocks to a local mall and make 3 trips to shop for our apartment needs.
As you can see, our digs are not too bad. We have most of the conveniences.
We are on the 28th floor of a 40 story housing tower. We have a great view.
NEW DAY IN MANILA
It's our first day in the Philippines and it's time to look around. We take a walk in the area we are staying and find familiar stuff. McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, KFC, etc.
The pictures I have attached really say 'Welcome to my neighborhood'.
Quezon City is part of the Manila Metropolitan area that together make up about 12 million people.
It is very different than what I had in mind for the Philippines.
We then meet Clem for our 1st assignment - Get our driver's licenses. Our first stop is to get our urine tested. While they are waiting for the results, we go down a couple of doors to get a medical exam. This is not at the driver's license bureau, but just in a mall area.
We get the medical OK, pay the pesos and head back to the urine testing place. Found out that Becky couldn't give a sample but passed anyway. A few pesos and everything is good.
We then went to get our licenses. We provided them with our Idaho license, passport and information from the medical, etc. We payed our fees and waited. The driver's license bureau is combined with a Catholic Church. As we are waiting for our licenses, people are lighting candles and praying behind us. No separation of church and state here. Becky got her picture taken and had her license in pretty quick order. I got my picture and waited. Then the computers went down.
Solution - Try tomorrow. Called tomorrow - Try tomorrow. Waited til Friday - OK we can finish it now.
I had to get one because Becky's is just a keep sake. So far, she isn't going to drive. Driving here is an event all should experience. 12 million people all on the road at the same time trying to go somewhere. There are Buses, Large Trucks, Jeepnees (a small bus that looks like a long Jeep), Tricycles (a small motorcycle about 100 to 175 cc hooked to a side car that carries up to 3, OK 8, people), small motorcycles and cars. It is a sight to behold. 2 rules apply - biggest vehicle always win and if there is an opening, go for it. Head lights, turn signals, and brakes are all optional. Only one thing works well - THE HORN. Pedestrians have no right of way - They are on their own. You have to be very patient and forgiving to drive here. Cutting someone off is just standard practice. There is no reason to get mad - if you do - you won't survive.
The pictures I have attached really say 'Welcome to my neighborhood'.
Quezon City is part of the Manila Metropolitan area that together make up about 12 million people.
It is very different than what I had in mind for the Philippines.
We then meet Clem for our 1st assignment - Get our driver's licenses. Our first stop is to get our urine tested. While they are waiting for the results, we go down a couple of doors to get a medical exam. This is not at the driver's license bureau, but just in a mall area.
We get the medical OK, pay the pesos and head back to the urine testing place. Found out that Becky couldn't give a sample but passed anyway. A few pesos and everything is good.
We then went to get our licenses. We provided them with our Idaho license, passport and information from the medical, etc. We payed our fees and waited. The driver's license bureau is combined with a Catholic Church. As we are waiting for our licenses, people are lighting candles and praying behind us. No separation of church and state here. Becky got her picture taken and had her license in pretty quick order. I got my picture and waited. Then the computers went down.
Solution - Try tomorrow. Called tomorrow - Try tomorrow. Waited til Friday - OK we can finish it now.
I had to get one because Becky's is just a keep sake. So far, she isn't going to drive. Driving here is an event all should experience. 12 million people all on the road at the same time trying to go somewhere. There are Buses, Large Trucks, Jeepnees (a small bus that looks like a long Jeep), Tricycles (a small motorcycle about 100 to 175 cc hooked to a side car that carries up to 3, OK 8, people), small motorcycles and cars. It is a sight to behold. 2 rules apply - biggest vehicle always win and if there is an opening, go for it. Head lights, turn signals, and brakes are all optional. Only one thing works well - THE HORN. Pedestrians have no right of way - They are on their own. You have to be very patient and forgiving to drive here. Cutting someone off is just standard practice. There is no reason to get mad - if you do - you won't survive.
Monday, July 2, 2012
WE FLY OUT TOMMORROW
It's Monday morning the 11th of June. We are finally at the airport and ready to start our adventure.
We stayed at Rich's last night so we had the closest trip to the airport. We arrived at 6:30am and began to get our luggage checked.
I'm a little worried because of all the medications and axillary stuff (needles, etc) that we need to take with use. We have a limit of 50 pounds per bag. We go to the counter and I'm more than concerned. They charge 100 plus dollars for being overweight. OK - here we go. The first bag goes on the scale - 50 pounds exactly. Yeah! OK bag #2 - on the scale it goes - 49 pounds! OK we're on a roll. Now bag #3 - It feels heavy - 50 pounds again. Wow! Things look good. Only one more to go.
The tumblers roll - 49 pounds. Yeah - I did it!!! With 2 pounds to spare. It's going to be a good day.
Then I realize how heavy the carry-ons are. Well I guess we need it ALL.
We see Jim and his family just before we board the plane. It is so good to see them and get one last hug. We love them all so much.
The first leg of the flight is to San Francisco. It's a 2 hour flight and then a layover of 4 hours. We then head for Tokyo and the longest flight I have ever been on. Four full movies don't even cover the time. I think the flight is 12 hours or so. We find we have another long layover in Tokyo. A connecting flight is late and we wait forever. We finally fly to Manila and arrive at 11:30 on Tuesday night. We missed a whole day. We thought we just had to get a ride to the Mission Home.
Oh contrair!! (I still can't spell that word) We spend another 2 1/2 hours waiting to get our passports checked and to get through customs.
We're through. Now were is our ride? It's 2am and we are beat. We follow the direction on the paper we got from LDS Travel and go to the 'H' platform. Lots of taxis, but no one with our name on a sign. (We are important - they should have had a sign). I said a little prayer to know what to do. Just then a man came up to us and asked if we are the Hardlucks - Yip we sure are. Perfect name for the condition we are in.
Brother Clem was there to pick up another missionary couple, but he thought he would check to see if we were taken care of before he left. Prayer answered.
We finally got to the Legends Villas about 3am in a daze.
WE ARE FINALLY HERE!!!
We stayed at Rich's last night so we had the closest trip to the airport. We arrived at 6:30am and began to get our luggage checked.
I'm a little worried because of all the medications and axillary stuff (needles, etc) that we need to take with use. We have a limit of 50 pounds per bag. We go to the counter and I'm more than concerned. They charge 100 plus dollars for being overweight. OK - here we go. The first bag goes on the scale - 50 pounds exactly. Yeah! OK bag #2 - on the scale it goes - 49 pounds! OK we're on a roll. Now bag #3 - It feels heavy - 50 pounds again. Wow! Things look good. Only one more to go.
The tumblers roll - 49 pounds. Yeah - I did it!!! With 2 pounds to spare. It's going to be a good day.
Then I realize how heavy the carry-ons are. Well I guess we need it ALL.
We see Jim and his family just before we board the plane. It is so good to see them and get one last hug. We love them all so much.
The first leg of the flight is to San Francisco. It's a 2 hour flight and then a layover of 4 hours. We then head for Tokyo and the longest flight I have ever been on. Four full movies don't even cover the time. I think the flight is 12 hours or so. We find we have another long layover in Tokyo. A connecting flight is late and we wait forever. We finally fly to Manila and arrive at 11:30 on Tuesday night. We missed a whole day. We thought we just had to get a ride to the Mission Home.
Oh contrair!! (I still can't spell that word) We spend another 2 1/2 hours waiting to get our passports checked and to get through customs.
We're through. Now were is our ride? It's 2am and we are beat. We follow the direction on the paper we got from LDS Travel and go to the 'H' platform. Lots of taxis, but no one with our name on a sign. (We are important - they should have had a sign). I said a little prayer to know what to do. Just then a man came up to us and asked if we are the Hardlucks - Yip we sure are. Perfect name for the condition we are in.
Brother Clem was there to pick up another missionary couple, but he thought he would check to see if we were taken care of before he left. Prayer answered.
We finally got to the Legends Villas about 3am in a daze.
WE ARE FINALLY HERE!!!
FINAL TRIP BEFORE WE LEAVE
As we finished our trip to Jerome, we went through Pocatello to meet Shari and deliver Kyla to her.
Kyla had been visiting in Utah for the week. We met up with Shari and she had prepared a picnic lunch that we ate at a small park in Pocatello. We had a great time and then we said our goodbyes.
I must be getting old, I cried all the way to Malad with the thought of leaving Shari and Kyla.
It helped me realize how much I will miss my family. It is true, families are the most precious.
Kyla had been visiting in Utah for the week. We met up with Shari and she had prepared a picnic lunch that we ate at a small park in Pocatello. We had a great time and then we said our goodbyes.
I must be getting old, I cried all the way to Malad with the thought of leaving Shari and Kyla.
VISIT TO JEROME
After we completed our 2 week training at the MTC, we had a few days open before we flew to the Philippines. I felt we needed to visit my Mom and Linda in Jerome, Idaho.
We had a great visit with Mom and took her on a drive to the areas around our old home south of Jerome. We had a great time remembering all the things that were part of my growing up.
My Mother is a strong lady in the gospel. She has a strong testimony and has always been an example in righteous living. I am grateful for that time together before we left.
We saw Linda and I'm impressed with how well she has done since the passing of her husband Jan.
It is always good to go to Jerome, but this time it felt different.
We had a great visit with Mom and took her on a drive to the areas around our old home south of Jerome. We had a great time remembering all the things that were part of my growing up.
My Mother is a strong lady in the gospel. She has a strong testimony and has always been an example in righteous living. I am grateful for that time together before we left.
We saw Linda and I'm impressed with how well she has done since the passing of her husband Jan.
It is always good to go to Jerome, but this time it felt different.
MTC TRAINING
The first week in the MTC we trained as all missionaries train - we used the 'Preach My Gospel' manual and taught other couples and others that came to the MTC for the very purpose of being taught. I found it to be a very spiritual opportunity.
The second week, we focused on Welfare Services training. We had attended an addiction training and an Employment Training. We found these to be gems in the welfare system.
During the Employment training we were just one of the group. The Sister Missionaries did a great job of training the group. The group introduced themselves and the type of job they were looking for. One young lady said she wanted a job in the music/entertainment field and that her wife was the strength of her life. The next man was from Ireland and had spent time in a Mexican jail. He was hoping to get a job bar tending or building bars. I sat next to a young man from western Africa that didn't speak English very well, but he had a skill of running a fork-lift. Each person had a story, but they all needed help. I saw a beautiful thing happen that day, as I saw confidence and self esteem grow in each person. What a wonderful program.
We also went to Welfare Square on a bus from the MTC for a day for a tour and training. After the tour, we went to the Joseph Smith Building for a luncheon and a talk by Elder Rudd. He literally wrote the book on Church Welfare Services. At 94 years old, he still has a full schedule. He is remarkable.
The second week, we focused on Welfare Services training. We had attended an addiction training and an Employment Training. We found these to be gems in the welfare system.
During the Employment training we were just one of the group. The Sister Missionaries did a great job of training the group. The group introduced themselves and the type of job they were looking for. One young lady said she wanted a job in the music/entertainment field and that her wife was the strength of her life. The next man was from Ireland and had spent time in a Mexican jail. He was hoping to get a job bar tending or building bars. I sat next to a young man from western Africa that didn't speak English very well, but he had a skill of running a fork-lift. Each person had a story, but they all needed help. I saw a beautiful thing happen that day, as I saw confidence and self esteem grow in each person. What a wonderful program.
MORE MTC
Well, we are really behind. We have been without Internet a lot and I have been slacking. So it's catch-up time.
Let's get back to the MTC. (May 28th thru June 8th). We had a wonderful experience there and met some great missionaries. They also feed you a ton of food. I won't see that much food again until our family gets together.
I was asked (called from the group) to be the District Leader. We had a marvelous group. Our Teachers were Brother Hawkes in the morning and Brother Hepworth in the afternoon.
Bro & Sis McOmber - going to Long Beach as Medical Advisers - She is a nurse and he will probably be running the fleet of cars.
Bro & Sis Stark - going to South Africa on a MLS mission - Member Leadership Support.
Bro & Sis John - going to Honduras on a MLS Mission - He is a retired seminary teacher and she tries to keep him in line. We really made great friends with the Johns.
Let's get back to the MTC. (May 28th thru June 8th). We had a wonderful experience there and met some great missionaries. They also feed you a ton of food. I won't see that much food again until our family gets together.
I was asked (called from the group) to be the District Leader. We had a marvelous group. Our Teachers were Brother Hawkes in the morning and Brother Hepworth in the afternoon.
Bro & Sis McOmber - going to Long Beach as Medical Advisers - She is a nurse and he will probably be running the fleet of cars.
Bro & Sis Stark - going to South Africa on a MLS mission - Member Leadership Support.
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