I´ve been driving to work for the past three days now, and everyday so far, I´ve managed to hit a different way going there AND coming home... At least, according to my father-in-law: I drove, I got there, did something at work, and came home; how it all happened is less important.
I must admit, I do secretly love driving, and missed having a car for the last 5 years. Until I'm brave enough to take Mia on to the public transportation again someday (say when she's 18?), it's a good thing I'm driving again. What I need now is some open highways like the ones in northern Arizona, where I can roll down the windows and sing my heart out, watch the miles go by with the roads all to myself except for the passing canyons.
Incidentally, a blog is more fun if there are feedbacks; I do encouarge my dear friends to leave your thoughts and observations. It's getting rather lonely here talking to myself ;-)
Do YOU like driving? (baits for leaving comments) How do YOU pass the driving test here in Europe, aside from spending thousands of euros???!!!!
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4 comments:
I passed the written driving test, but failed the practical test 3 times.
I passed on the fourth attempt. Maybe because I drank a beer just before the test and that kept me relaxed? Ironically enough: my driving teacher and the examiner where drinking coffee in the same bar at the same time. Where they negotiating the percentage of the "extra" driving lessons that my teacher earned with me because of the failed test?
A.
a brave soul has answered! thank you, A :) Yes, I had a suspicion that some 'under the table' transition is needed in order to pass the exam. The embarrassing thing is that I'm taking the written exams in...ENGLISH! (shhh, don't tell anyone!!) and I STILL can't pass it, I would however, someday, like to see my failed exams, just to see what I've missed. For all I know, I probably passed the first exam, and they just wanted to keep me paying 75 euros per test each time...:(
i have yet to take a written or driving test, but i have lately had the urge to hop in a car and drive for miles, just like your open highway in arizona.
i had an interesting discussion with michael about this urge to get out, move on. part of it is fight or flight...the flight part, trying to escape the too many things i've planned for myself. and flight that takes place hundreds of miles from here (holland), preferably in america (home, where i am these days a guest.)
another aspect of this for me is a real desire to regain my feelings of personal independence. since moving here 6 years ago, i've not driven a car once. (ok, aside from the one time i drove your car up the hill in tiana, and boy was that fun!) in america, i could go anywhere, anytime. here, i'm stuck to the schedule of the bus or train. (i'm deliberately excluding bikes from this discussion because i'm talking long distances that are unbikeable for me) in america i was free. i could leave any situation, go to a new situation, go to another state for a few days or just overnight. here everything has to be carefully planned.
i want my independence back. i don't want to drive all the time. i like public transportation. but i want to be able to rent a car and go somewhere, to the remote areas that trains don't go, where along the way i can stop and get out and just admire the view. or where i can just go and go, and see where i end up.
why can't europeans just accept american drivers licenses? why deny that to people who have been driving since they were 14? why deny that to people who actually drive on the same side of the street as they do here?
i miss my car in america. we sold it. i feel like i've sold a bit of independence.
here's to regaining a bit of our independence! :) may it return stronger and longer!
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