License Quest Update III

My (Nancy's) quest for a Hungarian license continued this week. I've been faithfully studying the traffic laws books and going to the driving school to practice for the exam on the computer. By Tuesday I was entirely frustrated and discouraged. I kept missing too many questions on the practice test, many of them because I could not understand the questions or answers. I decided to check out other options. First I tried emailing the American Embassy in Budapest to ask them if there was an agreement between Hungary and the US that would make it easier to get a driver's license. When I didn't hear from them, I called an English-speaking lawyer that missionary friends of ours had used to get their licenses. He said that with his help, I would have my license soon. He said I would only have to take one test, and that he would help me take that test! The downside was that it would cost quite a bit. I was at the point where I decided it might be worth the price, so I went to the driving school to ask for my doctor's certificate back so that I could give it to the lawyer. The owner seemed to be very concerned that I might be making a mistake. There happened to be a student there who spoke a little English and through him, the owner said he thought that what the lawyer was suggesting was illegal! He also said that I was so close to being ready to take the test that he recommended I stay with them. So I left without the paper for the lawyer, went home, and called a friend who is an excellent translator and who knows the traffic rules vocabulary. Eva is a very busy lady, but she agreed to go with me to the driving school and translate the practice tests for me this coming Monday. Soon after I got off the phone with Eva, we got a reply from the American Embassy. From what they said, it is possible to receive a Hungarian license in exchange for a valid American license without taking tests. But, the local driver's license office can require tests to be taken. So it's not illegal to get a driver's license without taking tests, but in my case, the local office said I needed the tests! Oh well!
This weekend I am studying the traffic laws books again. Please pray for me. God has helped me thus far and I believe that with His help, I will soon have my Hungarian license in my hand!

Working in the INSTE Office

Misha and Alexa Tovtin help us in the INSTE office frequently. Here they are working last Saturday.

While the Tovtins and Mike worked together in the INSTE office, Nancy played with their daughters, Anastasia and Veronika in the living room. Guess who had the most fun?

License Quest Update II

Progress toward getting my Hungarian driver's license has been made since my last update almost two weeks ago. But first I (Nancy) need to clarify that I can drive now in Hungary with my international driver's license since it is still valid for a while. I need to get my Hungarian license, however, before the international one expires.

Well, I was able to complete the first aid course successfully, including giving artificial respiration to the first aid dummy. I have not been able to take the Red Cross test yet because I have not found a translator to go with me. More on that later.

Last week the driving school's secretary called and asked me to come to the office. When I got there, she had an English translation of the traffic laws book for me! I was so excited to be able to buy it. It's in British English, so some of the terms are different and the translation is a bit rough, but it's much more understandable than the Hungarian book. While I was in the office, they asked me if I had been able to get the doctor's exam that is needed for the license. Well, no, I told them. I had asked my neighbor about it and she had called her doctor. The doctor didn't think she could help me since I am a foreigner. Well, the driving school's secretary called another doctor and was able to set up an appointment for me. Then the driving school owner asked me if I could bring someone with me who speaks English so I could practice taking the driving laws test on their computer.

On Monday of this week, I called Zoli Acs who has been so helpful to us in the past. Zoli is an INSTE student who attends the Shalom Open Bible Church here. At the driving school, Zoli helped clarify some things about the application process for me. Then the driving school owner asked if we could go see the doctor right then, even though my appointment was not until the next day. He thought it would be better to have an interpreter with me. We both agreed and he drove us to the doctor's office. Zoli helped me fill out the forms and after a short wait, I got to see the doctor. The exam went smoothly and I got the paper I needed for my driver's license.

Back at the driving school, Zoli helped me go through the practice exam on the computer. The results showed that I need to study more and take the practice test a few more times. I was told that I need an official translator to help me take the official written test and that the driver's school can arrange for one for me when I'm ready. Since the vocabularies of the written driving test and of the first aid test are specialized, I will ask the official translator to help me take the first aid test also.

Praise the Lord for the progress made toward my driver's license. I think I need to go study some more!

This is little Daniella, the daughter of one of the INSTE leaders in Muzsaly, Ukraine. Sunday we went with Michael Gulyas to Muzsaly to visit the church and the INSTE leaders. During the worship, it was wonderful to hear everyone in the congregation singing with all their hearts. We had a very good time together, and Daniella was one of the day's highlights.
Saturday we visited the Nyiregyhaza Open Bible Church where Mike preached. Earlier in the day, Mike trained their two INSTE leaders. The leaders shared with us some of the struggles they are having getting their INSTE groups going. Together we prayed and stood against the attacks of fear, illness and financial problems that are coming against those who want to study the Word. God is good, but when the devil sees us taking steps to grow in our faith, he attacks. Please join the fight against the enemy and pray for the growth and success of the INSTE students in Hungary.

We have a car!

We finally were able to pick up our car yesterday! It's a 2007 Skoda Fabia. It's not very big, but is supposed to get very good gas mileage and be a dependable car. Thank the Lord! Now we don't have to haul books and supplies in our tiny hand cart or bother our friends to take us to the office supply store (right, Tammy?). We are also able to visit INSTE groups and churches interested in INSTE that are out of the Debrecen area. It's just in time, too! Saturday we are scheduled to visit the Nyiregyhaza Open Bible Church that is just beginning INSTE groups. Praise the Lord for the car!

License Quest Update

On Thursday, as previously reported, I (Nancy) returned from the driving school with the hope of hearing from a translator about taking my written driver's test early next week. Yesterday (Friday) I got a call from the driving school asking me to bring in a paper they needed to copy. At least that's what I thought they said. Hungarian is very hard for me to understand over the phone. Anyway, I took the paper in to the office and the secretary and the gentleman who talked with me before talked with me again. From what they told me and from the list the secretary gave me, I figured out that I needed several things. I already knew that I needed to take a written driving exam, a behind-the-wheel test, and a doctor's exam. But, Friday I also learned that I needed to take a first-aid course and the Red Cross first aid exam. They told me to arrive at the driving school at 8 a.m. today. So I did. What I didn't quite understand was that my morning would be spent taking the first three hours of the two-part first-aid course! I was in a class with twelve teenagers and it was all in Hungarian. I had studied the book ahead of time, so the instructor and I agreed that I could understand enough to take the course. He will try to get me an English-language test or a translator to help me take the test. Tomorrow is the second part of the course and Tuesday is a practice test. Pray for me! God has helped me so far in my quest for a driver's license and I am counting on Him to help me the whole way!

License Quest

Here is my (Nancy's) quest for a driver's license. It's not over yet, but I thought I'd let you know how a foreigner tries to get a Hungarian driver's license when her Hungarian language skills are sorely lacking. By the way, only one of the people I talked with below spoke any English, and that lady only spoke a little. This is how I have stumbled through so far with the Lord's help.

My first step was about three weeks ago. I went to city hall with the papers I thought I would need. First, I had to find out where to go. A kind receptionist man pointed me in the right direction. There I found a little machine where you push the button for the kind of license you want and the machine sets up an appointment for you. Another kind man helped me there, and I got an appointment for the next day.
The next day, I arrived early, again with all my papers. The lady at the window looked at my papers and said the translation of my American license from English to Hungarian was not an official one. I asked where to go and she told me the name of the street. So, I walked up and down that street looking for the office of the official translator, in the snow, to no avail. I gave up and went home.
After trying to find the translator two more times, Mike and I found them and ordered translations of both of our licenses. After several days, our translations were ready, so we took them back to city hall and got another appointment. The next day, a kind lady at the window helped us fill out the form and took all my papers. She looked at Mike's papers and said he couldn't get a license until he had a permanent license from the US, not the temporary one he received after his wallet was stolen. Oh well. But, she told me to pay the cost at another window. I did that and went back to the window. The kind lady said I had paid the fee, but hadn't bought the official stamps she had told me to buy. I went to buy the official stamps and came back. The kind lady took some copies of my documents and told me to come back on Tuesday of this week.
I went back to the city hall all excited that I might actually be getting my license. Instead, the kind lady handed me what looked like a proclamation by a judge or something and told me where to go next.
So, I searched and found the national driver's license office, but it was closed due to computer problems.
Today(Thursday), I went back to the national office, showed them my papers and asked them how to get my license. After a little discussion among themselves, the two clerks and a man who appeared to be their supervisor told me that I needed to go to a certain driver's school. I would not have to take classes, but I would have to take a written test and a driving test. The clerk phoned the driver's school to tell them I was coming. I didn't understand where the school was, so the next lady in line kindly took me out of the complex and pointed to the school across the street.
I walked across the street and opened the door to an office. It was dark and appeared to be empty. As I turned to leave and try another door, an older gentlemen appeared and motioned for me to come in, saying he was expecting me. He helped me fill in another form and told me that his colleague who spoke English was out for the day, but would be back early next week. He will help me take the written test. After I pass that, I will need to take the driving test. Before they can send me on though, I will also need a physical exam stating that I am fit to drive.
Okay, so now I know what the next steps are. I just need to study the driving manual I bought, practice driving, and find out how to get a physical! The quest continues!