Monday, June 26, 2006

Let me tell you a story...

...about acquiring a driver's license in Japan.

As an American, in order to transform my license from North Carolina into a Japanese one, I have to take a written and a practical test. I have to do it by July 29th, because that is when my non-renewable International Driving Permit expires and I DON'T want to be stuck here without a license. So, after driving for 12 years, I must be able to pass a piddly little driving test, right?

WRONG!

No emoticon can convey the sense of absolute agony, frustration, and nervousness that I have experienced the past 3 weeks. That's 3 attempts in 3 weeks, and I still haven't managed to pass. Taking a driving test here is similar to doing a tea ceremony: you have to know exactly what to do and execute it in a precise fashion. If you do anything less than perfect, you fail.

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