* confessions of a dork.

eeny, “mini”, miny, moe.

two posts back, i blogged about my commitment to break the so-called “curse” (as my sister, pinky, puts it)…that is, of females in the family not being able to drive. while i did drive a little back in manila, my driving was limited to the neighborhood and the malls. i only got to drive in the highway once from work, thanks to keith’s prodding. up to that point, that must have been my proudest driving moment. so, when i decided i’d learn how to drive here in the states, i knew i was setting myself up for a big challenge (and maybe, a disappointment as well).

so after reading that california driver’s handbook for a week, i set off to go to the DMV in thousand oaks and took my driving written test. i barely passed, but what matters is i did and i got my permit! i’ve heard my friends say the test is easy-piecy and it’s common-sense, but mind you, when i took the test, i had to rack my brains to remember half of the rules in that handbook! next step, take the behind-the-wheel test…

here in the states, in order to do the practical test, you either had to rent out a car or drive your own car. you can’t borrow a car from anyone ‘coz the car needs to be insured under your name (even if you rented it out). so after a series of discussions with my parents, they finally agreed to get me a car here. i knew what i wanted (and what papa wanted as well), so over the weekend, i was on yahoo looking for used cars for sale. i was also out and about looking into dealerships for a good deal. and then i found this:

it was love at first sight…for papa!

in two days, got the car and got insurance for it as well so i can drive it with my permit. so i took on a three-day crash course in “driving 101”. i had hitler for an instructor — by the way his name is philippe.

“hail hitler!”

he was worse than anyone i ever imagined! even my brother, monty, wasn’t harsh to me and pippo when we practiced driving with him before. philippe made me drive at night on the first day, made me drive on the freeway and through the canyon (which is like the “zig-zag” road in baguio) to go to pepperdine when it was already getting dark, taught me the tricks to parallel parking and backing up straight to park close enough to the curb…and all those that i should already know if i wanted to pass the test. it was hell, but i guess it was all worth it.

four days after getting my car, i took the behind-the-wheel test at the DMV in van nuys. i honestly thought to myself that a three-day crash course wasn’t enough to prepare myself and that i would be retaking the test two weeks later. i had an appointment at 10:30am, but there were so many people that they got to accommodate me around noon time already. you could just imagine all the cars that were out for lunch. i was petrified…i thought it was the longest 20 minutes of my life! the instructor made me drive through the suburbs first, so i had to drive snail-pace at 25mph. then he started asking me to make all these rights and lefts at intersections. wow, i almost peed my pants! haha! :) so after i pulled up at the parking lot, the instructor sat with me for a few minutes, scribbled some notes — more like reminders for me — on the evaluation sheet (much of which i’d rather not divulge here…haha), and ticked the “passed” box. alleluia!

so yes, now i have my california driver’s license. hey, i even have bragging rights now that i passed my driving test on the first time!

ps: more mini pics at my multiply site. cool, cool!