When I last left you I was ready to discuss my experience in updating my Texas driver’s license.
That first sentence was typed about 2 months ago. I typed it and planned on continuing my story right away, but got lazy, again. The other day I was thinking, “I wish I could get back into my blogs like I did when I first started them”. “I could put so much information out and I wouldn’t be sitting at my computer watching so much YouTube”. “Besides, Facebook has been messing up a lot for me lately and it’s pissing me off”.
So, what I’m going to do is to work on each of my blogs (I have 3) just a little bit each day. I don’t know how long yet, but I’m thinking maybe an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon/evening. So a couple of hours per day. Actually, only 2 of them require any real work. This one and my Space-A blog. The other one will be simple, so maybe only 1 hour per day on that one. Then only if I have to make new content. I usually put poems on there, but sometimes stories. Like today, I’m going to just copy/paste my first “To Texas Trouble” post from here. Next week I’ll be “To Texas Trouble 2” and the week after that this one (probably minus these last few lines).
I don’t remember everything I said about my experience at the Department of Public Safety (Driver license), but I summarize what happened. Also, I’ll be summarizing all the other things that happened to me because, by now, I’m sure I’ll get them out of order and might even forget a few things.
To make a long story shorter, I could not get my driver’s license, or even just a Texas ID card, because I did not have proof of residency. It’s been so long, I didn’t think about that. The man that brought me there, the nephew of my good friend Pete Frederickson, I didn’t want to bother anymore. He had already taken me to the base once (to get my new military ID) and now to DPS. The man never even met me and was willing to do this. Cool dude, just like his uncle Pete. So, if I really want a Texas ID, I’ll have to wait until next time I’m there. I could have asked my mother to go with me for the residency, but, she’s almost 87 years old and I didn’t want to ask her to do all that. I’m sure she would have, but it’s not so important since I was able to get my new military ID already. I have a plan for next time that should work.
One of the big things I wanted to do while I was there was to send a balikbayan box to myself. For those of you that do not know what a balikbayan box is, here is the description, copied and pasted: A balikbayan box (lit. ’repatriate box’) is a corrugated box containing items sent by overseas Filipinos (known as balikbayan literally “returnee to the country/nation”). Though often shipped by freight forwarders specializing in sending balikbayan boxes by sea or air freight, such boxes are also commonly brought by Filipinos returning to the Philippines via air.
The cool thing about these boxes is that there is no weight limit. There are limitations on what you can send, but those are normal things like explosives, acids and flammable things. The bad thing about sending is that it comes via freight and, as mine is right now, it’s been 3 months, as of today, and it’s still not here. First time I’ve had one take so long though. Normally 8-10 weeks and it’s already here. The price depends on the company you send it from and where you are sending it. Sending boxes to Luzon are always less expensive. From the small Philippines store in Killeen TX to my house in Calbayog City Samar Philippines cost was $110. The box was so heavy that I could not pick it up by myself. I didn’t weigh it (since weight doesn’t matter), but I’m guessing it was about $1 per pound to send. Maybe even a little less that $1.
As I stated though, the box is not here yet. I am a bit worried about the cereal I bought. I’m not sure it will be any good by the time it gets here. The variety of cereal available here is limited. Other foods I sent, not in a can, are Slim Jims and Corn Nuts, neither of which are available here in Calbayog. I’m thinking they should be fine even after 12 weeks. I have some Spanish peanuts (9 cans) and 13 cans of salmon. The last 2 items are for my wife. There are other items that my mother gave me plus things I bought but they are non-perishable.
Another thing in that balikbayan box is the shoes that I wore on the way to Texas. Did I mention that my foot got so swollen that my shoes popped? I most likely did mention it within the first 2 posts. Although I had to wear those shoes for most of my trip there, I did get to take them off on the plane for a good amount of the trip, mainly the Seoul to LA leg. I had to have them on walking around in LA though. Messed up shoes and swollen legs and feet was not fun. After only 1 day in Texas, my father went to the local Walmart and bought me a pair of shoes for about $15. I’m not easy to buy for but he was able to find the last pair of 14W shoes. They fit great and even have the velcro to secure them. I went back to Walmart the next day to check if they happened to have anymore, maybe in the back room, but nope. I checked at another Walmart in the next town (Temple), nope. Anyway, I still have those shoes and now they are my everyday shoes, on the days I do wear shoes.
Something I was a bit disappointed in is that my favorite Mexican restaurant now is a drive through only. I was looking forward to sitting down at one of their tables and having my favorite breakfast of migas. I could have still got it through the drive through, but, to me, it’s not the same. They still have great, large breakfast burritoes, but the price was almost double from my last visit there. Luckily there is a new Mexican restaurant also not too far from my parents house, so I went there also (twice). I did not go for breakfast, I’m not even sure they have breakfast there, but their enchiladas were great. Their tamales were only so-so, but it’s so hard to get the tamales right. Hopefully, next time I go, I’m not sure when that will be, I’ll have more secure transportation and I’ll seek out a place with good tamales. Oh! I also went by a Taco Bell while I was there. I wanted to remind myself why their food is not even close to real Mexican food. I remembered. Yuck!
Most of my trip I just hung around with my parents. After all, that was the main goal of the trip. I did get a break when they went to play Bingo. I did go with them the first night, but was bored out of my skull, so I didn’t go again. That turned out to be the right move. I love my parents, but it’s nice for them to be away sometimes also.
My brother was a big help while I was there. He was my main transportation. He is retired also, although he still does a few things, so most of the time there was not a problem getting a ride. He is the one that brought me to the VA Hospital twice (and waited for me both times) and also the one that brought me to the Philippines Store twice. Plus there were 2 or 3 other trips in between. Yeah, I really would of had a much harder time if he was not there to assist me.
When I got ready to come back home, I had to make a short detour. My nephew wanted me to go to his son’s baseball game. Cool, so I went. Something called “Coach’s Pitch”. Evidently it’s the step between Teeball and regular baseball. I’ve never heard of it until that day. My nephew is one of the coaches of his son’s team. This is the same nephew that went to Austin (about an hour and a half trip) to pick me up and also the one that was bringing me back to Austin for my flight. He said when I return again, just let him know and he’ll be glad to pick me up again. He is now my favorite nephew.
The trip back seemed longer, especially when I got to Manila. It seems that there were 2 or 3 other flight going to Calbayog that I didn’t know about (or maybe they were high priced for some reason) and I had to wait for my flight early the next morning. I believe it was a 20 hour wait. So close, yet still too far away.
Once I got to Calbayog, I took a center car home. A center car in the Philippines is the transportation vehicle between a tricycle and a jeepney. It is powered by a motorcycle but it has seats like a jeepney in the back, just not as many as the jeepney. The motorcycle is in the front center, hence the name center car. There is probably another name for it, but that is what I know it as.
The surprise on my wife’s face, because I was 2 days early, was what I was hoping for. Basically, the same as my mother’s face when I finally arrived in Texas. A glaring, open mouth stare that left them both speechless for a few seconds. That quiet didn’t last long.
Anyway, I finally made it back to Texas and then made it back safely. I can’t say when is the next time I will be going to Texas, but it won’t be as long as last time. Next year, 2026, is supposed to be my 50 year class reunion. I’ve always thought I’d like to go, but I was never that popular in school so not too many people would remember me, although I’d remember most of them. If they have the reunion and I get informed, maybe I’ll go, if I can. Maybe I’ll just wait until the 60 year reunion. There will probably be less people at that one. Maybe I can win the prize for the person that traveled the furthest to get there.
That’s all I have for now. Hopefully, I’ll start writing about more local things soon and get back into having, at least, a weekly post.
Salamat Y’all
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