My first "Hating Japan" moment...
My International Drivers license expires today... I can't renew it, I must get a Japanese Drivers' license...
For the last two months I have been going to the Capital (which is an hour away on the highway, at 120Kph... which stands to reason that it's 120 Km away... or so) on the tollway (because you have to report to the Department of Motor Vehicles at 9AM... the window closes at 10AM, so you have to be there during that one hour time.) to find out that I didn't have this proper paperwork (Come back tomorrow, because there is no way you'll be able to get it before 10), that proper paperwork, and finally a translated version of my Colorado Drivers' license (I'm hideously lucky on this one, Colorado puts the issuance and expiration dates on their licenses, if it didn't have that, I'd have to have the Colorado DMV send me a registered version of my driving record... Somehow I think the Colorado DMV would think me a terrorist and insist I show up in person for that). I have now spent over $300 in tolls and gasoline to finally get all the paperwork in order (There is more paperwork to do this than there was for me to come to Japan... I'm not kidding about that, either).
So I have my translator, I have my translation of my license, I have my passport, I have my Visa, I have 2 copies of a photo that had to be made at an instant photo booth thingie specifically build (But nowhere near the DMV) for this job, I have my International Drivers License, I have the stamps (Which have to be purchased at a seperate location as well) that say that I have paid the $28.00 for the test, I have my instructions on how to take the test, and I have filled out all the paperwork listing my name, address, phone number, my length of stay in Japan, my job, and location, the first person I had sex with (Okay, so maybe it only feels like they wanted that information). I have been practicing for the practical test (Which we shall get to in a moment). And I'm here at 9:15.
Great! Thank you Mr. Guy, please sit and wait.
So we do.
10:27: Guy? Please take the written test (It's in English, thank goodness).
10:28: Done.
10:29: Ooooh 10 out of 10 right! Perfect! Well done, please go to the other side of the building and wait for the practical test.
The practical test... this is the thing that strikes fear in people's heart... I had been given a rundown of do's and don'ts... and they are ugly...
Here's an example:
7. Open the door and get into the car.
Note: DO NOT mix the order of the following!
8. Lock the door.
9. Adjust your seat. Move the seat a little, even if it fits. You must show that you are "Checking"!
10. Sit up straight and look straight ahead and then adjust your mirrors.
11. Put on your seatbelt.
12. Make sure the parking brake is applied. If it isn't, then apply it.
13. Make sure the car is in Park or in Neutral.
14. Press the brake pedal and or the clutch and then start the car.
They aren't kidding, one person failed because they put their seatbelt on before adjusting the mirrors... I guess Japan has a high fatality rate of people who adjusted their mirrors with their seatbelt on...
It goes on like this for three pages... And if you mess one thing up, you fail it says repeatedly... So I studied and studied and I practiced (With Maia and without her). Until I had it down.
10:35 the first person is up. She goes through the course... and Passes!
This is good! There are 9 of us...
10:45 The second person goes... fails.
11:05 third person.... fails.
11:15 fourth person.... fails.
Fifth and sixth fail as well...
(I am last... number 9)...
12:00 lunch break.
1:00 seventh person.... fails (She actually had the instructer tell her to stop, get out, and sit in the passenger seat while he drove her back to the start).
1:15 Eighth person... fails.
It's now my turn.
1:36 I return to the start,
Mister Guy, you stayed in 1st gear too long (Since I have a manual, I have to take the test in a manual, unlike America, though, they don't cut you any slack for it... luckily I am really good at driving manaul)... and you weren't left enough (I was in the left lane, but I needed to be on the left side of the left lane...almost riding the gutter), and you didn't look over your left shoulder in turn number 7 (This is a closed course), which is dangerous. Better luck next time.
I go back inside to make my appointment (You may pick the time of your first attempt, should you fail, however, you have to make an appointment)...
Mister Guy, the next available opening is June 4th... is that okay?
My license expires today...
Oh... well then, please don't drive until June 4th! Thank you...
So, at least my family Doctor Mal will be glad to hear that I will be riding my bicycle 20 km every day (Since I live 10 km from my school) for the next 6 weeks.
Of course, this presumes that I don't mess up one of the 130 things on those 3 pages next time and have to wait until August to drive again...
The other bright side (Because really, I think riding a bicycle 20 km a day will be good for me), is that I will be able to get back to the things I enjoy (Kyudo, my blog, comic books) since I won't be preoccupied with this stupid test...
This was just stupid, though. Worse, no matter how many times people say the cards are stacked against me, I still feel like an awful driver because I failed the test...
Aw... I'll be better tomorrow... after I ride 20Km, come home and sleep for 14 hours...
posted by Aabh @ 9:58 PM
10 Comments:
Sobrino...Just think..you will soon be slim like the rest of the family...well ok just me. Remember..we have no problems only opportunities...repeat ..repeat...etc.
Tio
Awww. Guy, that is so sad that I'm actually laughing. But in a sad way. :-) One day, you too shall laugh, even if it's only with your grandkids.
I'm really sorry that you didn't pass. And riding your bike for 20 km each day doesn't sound like a lot of fun either. Just be sure to wear your helmet!
Maybe someone lives in your neighbourhood that goes in your general direction and could give you a lift, even part way there?
-- Mal (who apparently forgot her stupid password)
This all sounds unnecessarily extreme... but the way some of drivers on the road here in America behave, I wish our tests would be a little more like Japan's. :-)
Thanks for the support! :D
I love my friends! :D
And my family... though I sorta see them as one and the same :D
And Mal, I must wear a helmet, I'm a Japanese Junior High teacher, thus, if I am caught without my helmet, my Principal must yell at me... it's his job :) (Though I put a smiley on it, it is the truth)... Also, all of my students must wear their helmets when riding, so I would feel stupid telling them to put their helmets on and not wearing mine...
Ev, there are no words for the stupidness of the test. I have heard that there is no way to pass on the first try because they are told to fail all foreigners...
Oh, Mal... look! I can't log into my blog myself! And I'm using my account! So you aren't alone... ever since they went to Google, I haven't been able to do this right...
Oh Guy, guess who every day tells her patients to get at least 8 hours of sleep, eat a balanced diet, cut out junk food, get enough exercise, and decrease the caffeine intake. And guess who is stuck at her desk, from 8AM to 4AM every day, studying for her licensing exam, eating cookies, chips, and lollipops, drinking coke by the gallon (even had to buy a latte/capuccino maker machine to keep up with my caffeine needs), and gets 15 minutes of DDR a day, if even that.
But Franke also started a 4 gallon jar to collect pennies so that I can finally buy myself a horse. I think that he's tired of listening me talk about riding it every day when I get one. :-) How's that for exercise! Maybe that's what you should do? Get a horse and ride it to work? That would impress your students! :-)
Good for you for actually doing what you say. But that is far from being a given. :-)
So, do you guys get tickets if you don't wear your helmets?
Mal.
Does... Does F know how many pennies it'll take to get a horse?!? Especially Canadian pennies (Since I think they are, like .8 US cents apiece)???
And, no, we don't get a ticket (High Schoolers won't be caught dead with helmets... there's an irony there), but as a teacher I must set an example for my students, and somewhere along the line, the PTA decided that all Junior High Students must wear helmets... Thus, I must wear helmets too (We also can't smoke, which is cool, since I've never smoked before...).
As for the bike riding, I'm in pain, I slept today from 6 to 9 and I intend to go back to bed to sleep all night (It's 10:30), but I know in a week or two, this might actually be kinda nice. I may even continue to do this up until early July (At which time I might die from heat stroke, so I try not to go outside until September) And ride from September to July of next year...
Of course, I'm not going to put money on that...
And Mal, I won't tell you that which you know so well, but... ahem... know that if you die, we'll all kill you.
(What gets me is I can log in to make a post, but not to reply to one... wierd)
You know, considering that he wants some $6,000 computer (I can't even understand how any piece of metal can be worth that much money!), my $4,000 horse is pretty much a bargain. :-P
The jar is currently about 1/8th full, but I'm sure that it will fill up quickly as we start packing our stuff to move to the ranch and find change everywhere.
I applaud you for using your bike. Yes, it most certainly is difficult and painful now, but it will get better. And Tio is right, it is wonderful exercise. How many people get 20 km worth of cardio workout each day?
Be sure to wear sunscreen though, espeically on the back of your neck, where the helmet doesn't cover. And stay well-hydrated.
Do you guys have gatorade (or it's equivalent) there?
And yes, I know that if I die, you will find a way to kill me. That's the one thing that I can always count on. :-) It's sort of comforting. But you have to admit that I'm doing a pretty good job at staying alive and keeping busy (even if not out of trouble). :-)
Mal.
Mal gives good Motherly advice Sobrino...not sure about the drinking and riding thing though..got to be a law against it. I'll take the machine Mal..pay the electric bill once a month...been throuh that feeding livestock every day..you can have it! Anybody priced hay lately?
TIO
Hi Tio,
That's the beauty of having a farm/ranch to go with the horse. We have 72 acres of land, 60+ of which are farmable with oats and hay, and 10+ acres of horse pastures. Our place can sustain easily between 20-40 horses on it, so I think that the hubby is getting off easy with me requesting only one horse (and maybe a second one for him...oh and then there's the nephews and nieces...hmmm...well, just one for now. :-))
And this is why I make the big bucks: so that I can hire a farm hand to take care of my horse, while I enjoy the pleasures of riding it. :-)
As for the computer, it will become outdated as soon as it reaches our home, and soon there will be talk of either upgrading it or buying a new one.
And uh...I know the price of hay...uh...shoot. I forgot, but it's actually a fair price (and has gone up over the last few years). I'll need to call my farmer friend. That's the best part about being a rural doctor, you sure know a lot of friendly people who are willing to help and share their knowledge with us "city" folk. :-)
Mal.
You know, bureaucracy is the same everywhere, isn’t it?
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