ready, set, GO!

after so much prodding from people around me, i finally found time to apply for a driver's license! sweet!!!

and the best part of if is that i got one by passing through LTO's rigorous, time-consuming, freakout-inducing, but legal process!!! yehey!!!

ang haba nang araw na ito. taba and i arrived at the LTO compound at 8:30am. to start off, we were told that we have to undergo drug testing and medical check-up at any of the accredited clinics situated at the lot across the compound - this took us about 30 minutes. after securing our health clearances, we jumped in line to have our applications processed - taba, for the renewal and i, for the new license. after submitting my papers for evaluation, i was directed to the lecture area to review for the written exam and was told to wait for my name to be called. while giving the review material a once-over (naks, ang yabang!), i was called to have my picture taken. syempre, mega-pose ang lola mo, trying to make a better picture for an id that i will have to carry with me for 3 years (learning from the disastrous passport picture that i'd have to endure seeing since it's 5 years worth!). after that, i thought everything will be done in a jiffy. but no!!! two and a half hours had to pass by before my name was called for the exam, which i was able to finish in 10 minutes! (yabang mode na naman!) again eternity followed. we had to wait until 11:30 before my name was then called again to inform me that i have passed the exam but should return at 1pm to proceed with the practical driving test. tough luck.

when i got there at around 1:15pm, i was the 2nd one to be called. when i got up to the table where the driving marshall is, natanong niya tuloy ako kung kaya ko raw bang i-drive yung owner o kung meron ba akong dalang sasakyan kasi mukhang hindi ko maidra-drive yung owner at ayaw naman niya raw akong ibagsak. he must have seen the "worry look" painted all over my face that he had to use the "daddy tone" on me. so we brought taba's car inside the practical driving area and i had to endure the jeering provided by the crowd, and the tension building up inside me caused by the idea of having to show-off my not-so-good driving skills for a manual transmissioned vehicle. i nearly passed-out because of embarassment for taking a long while to course the perimeter of the otherwise, relatively small driving area. (karma at work!) the whole scenario was really faint-inducing because i am not used to driving a manual car plus the fact that i'm doing something relatively unfamiliar under close scrutiny. buti na lang, taba was there to coach and cheer me on (thanks so much, ba!).

after the stressful ordeal, i finally got the nod from kuya-manong. hay, that particular moment was heavenly!!! hindi ko na tuloy nainda yung pag-aantay ko uli nang isa't kalahating oras for my license to be released. and when it was finally handed to me, i couldn't help but stare at it and feel a tinge of pride! sa wakas, lisensyado na ako, wohoooo!!!!

ready, set, GO! hello, world! be ready for me ha!:)