Thursday
Not a good day.
After another not good day. In fact, I think my yesterday is seeping over into my today.
I actually looked up one-way tickets back to Maine this morning. For $1600 and 24 hours of my life in coach, I could be home.
In April.
I didn’t dare look up the cost for next week.
I probably would have had a heart attack, and I’m not sure we even have health insurance coverage at this point.
The car, however, is insured.
The Mustang Showed Up
The Ford Mustang convertible, last spotted in San Diego two months ago, showed up yesterday. That was good. But here’s how taking possession of it went down:
In order to go through customs and actually take possession of the car, C had to have car insurance.
In order to have car insurance, he needed to have a Guam driver’s license.
In order to have a Guam driver’s license, he needed to have [printed out] documentation proving he lives here. We had our lease agreement and luckily we’d already been billed for electricity (two days after we moved in. Surprise!) However. . . it was an e-statement and our printer is somewhere on the Pacific Ocean.
So in order to get the documents to get the license to get the insurance to get the car, we had to find a copy center that would take an electronic email attachment. We did. Very nice ladies at the copy center.
We went to the DMV.
I tried to get my license, too, but my name wasn’t on the electric bill even though it was emailed to my email and I’m the one who walked down to the condo office to hand over the check. I also had an internet provider order document with my name on it . . . but we didn’t get that one printed at the copy center, not realizing that just because my name was on the lease and the electric bill was attached to that lease, doesn’t mean I actually live there with my husband, at least according to the powers that be in Guam.
So I have no license. So they won’t put me on the insurance. So I can’t drive until I go back to sit in that DMV with the cement floor and 9 rows of chairs in what looks like a warehouse facility with all varieties of humanity, many of them coughing. To give you an idea of the pace, they close the outside doors at 2:30 in order to get through everyone by 5. However, we were surprised that they take seniors separately, and since we are now seniors (is that supposed to make me feel better?) it doesn’t actually take us old people that long.
But still. I have to go back and do it all over again. For NO GOOD REASON.
(On the plus side, everyone in Guam is super, super nice, even the people at the DMV. But honestly? Pretty much made me want to punch someone in the face. When someone is making your life difficult with a smile, what does that mean?)
C got his license. He got his insurance. We found customs. He filled out more forms. We went to pick up the Mustang. It started. He drove his baby out of there. So happy for him.
Still no household goods. I’m still drinking Diet Coke out of paper cups and using sporks from a KFC meal to eat frozen dinners that I cook in the microwave.
Not. Happy. At. All.
Banking While Abroad
That was yesterday. So today, I decide to set up automatic condo rent payments because they don’t accept credit cards and they want us to do bank transfer instead of checks.
When I logged on with my usual name and password, my bank tried to text me a verification code to let me into the system and the text didn’t come through, probably because of being overseas, on an unusual wi-fi server instead of a tower. With a fifteen hour time difference, I couldn’t phone the bank in Maine because they were closed for the night. I might have to use international roaming charges to do banking if I can’t get them to send me codes via email instead of text.
Tired of being a helpful wife. In Guam. With no furniture. And no alcohol to dull the pain. (I’ve been booze-free since mid-October. Maybe not the best time to be totally sober?)
Even if I wanted a cocktail, I have no glass to drink it from, and I’ll be damned if I sip martinis from a paper cup.
Bananas
I did manage to get my addresses changed on my credit cards. How shall I celebrate? Giant bowl of instant ramen noodles from K-Mart? I’m not walking to any restaurant as it looks like it could rain any minute plus mid-day temps/humidity are not for the faint of heart–or for people who already want to catch the first flight out of here to Boston, snow and ice notwithstanding.
Moving to a foreign country, even if it’s actually a territory of your home country, is a challenge. It’s beautiful here. The food is good. The people are nice. I’m sure once we have arranged everything and our stuff arrives, I’ll begin to enjoy the adventure.
Or else I’ll just quietly go bananas.
Literal bananas in a tree next to the parking lot at the customs office.
I do enjoy reading your adventures, even when your day is not so good 😉I know things will get better , even if it doesn’t feel good now – a virtual toast to you in a make believe Martini glass to better days 😊
Thanks, Mary Jo. I’ll virtual drink to that.
So sorry! Hugs!
I feel your pain. We experienced and are still experiencing some of these things. In fact the may take possession of our Vespa- not a cheap item- because we don’t have the inspection paperwork they demand. It is not necessary in the US. So there is no way to get one. If we go through a foreign vehicle inspection process it will cost even more than the Vespa is worth. The people here in these roles are NOT NICE! Poor Fave has been insulted and shamed in multiple ways. We should have left it in the US. Getting it here was as much of a nightmare. We were so relieved when it finally arrived. It sits in our garage awaiting the vehicle “ICE” patrol
Oh, Bec, no! What a nightmare. I’m sorry people aren’t nice there. I keep thinking this would all be fun at twenty-seven, but not so much in our fifties. Adventure is more fun as a)vacation travel or b)when you are twenty or c)if you are going to retire somewhere permanently. That would make all the difference, for me, at least. If I knew I just had to go through this and then I’d be settled. But for two years? Three tops? I think we should both move back to the home place and build cottages on the back acreage!
Oh Shelley! I hear you .. BTDT too. (I recall wanting to leave Germany and return to S.A. 6 months pregnant). It’s incredibly hard getting through all the bureaucracy.
But honestly, your honesty and realism about your “adventure” is wonderful! So relatable.
I thought about you, Debbie, as I was writing this and thinking how you would totally understand this.
I really enjoyed hearing about your life’s experience thus far in guam. I’m hearing homesickness, difficulty in nesting when all your possessions are in transit from San diego, Kmart shopping necessities for your new place, Delights in restaurants, pubs and Eatery hideaways and you embracing all your explorations of the local people are fashion and culture. I am glad for you and C. You seem to be making the best of the adversity and finding pleasure in what Guam has to offer. Keep your chin up beautiful. Love shell
Thanks, Shel. I’ll get into the swing of things, I’m sure. It’s hard when it’s one-two punch two days in a row, but hopefully this weekend we will get out and explore a little bit more and . . . maybe our stuff will arrive! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I meant art and culture. What is going on with my avatar! I need a more peaceful little icon face. Still painting and we have a blizzard today so shoveling later.
Keep on painting! I kind of miss snow. I’m sure it would get old, as it does, but it sounds lovely and peaceful and cozy. I’d love to see more of your art. Let me know if you post any!
Oh wow I hope things start going better for you. 🤞🤞crossed your things arrive soon and you can eat and relax in comfort. Good luck with the DMV at least folks there are friendly!
Hi Heather. Thank you! I’m looking forward to cooking some Chamorro foods.
Just remember, moving is one of the most stressful things out there, next to divorce lol hahaahaha..hang in there…it will get better. Or, look at it this way, like I do: 1 month of 24 down, 23 more months to go 🙂
It’s pretty stressful. So funny you wrote that about the months…I seriously started x-ing off the months on my planner the other day. But I’m really, really trying to stay open to the unexpected and enjoy it.
Shelley, I’m greatly interested to find this, via Type M for Murder. I was in the Navy way back when and stationed on Guam, 1975-1977. I’m assuming you’re affiliated with the military. I was an enlisted journalist in the public affairs office at Commander, Naval Forces Marianas, and went through Typhoon Pamela while there. I’m sure it has changed a great deal since I was there. Sometimes I think I’d like to go back and see what it’s like now.
Hi Janet! My hubby works for the Navy, and he took a position here for a couple of years. That must have been such an interesting job working in public affairs as a journalist. It’s a very pretty place. I like the food, the people, and the climate.