Licensed...

... to drive!

That's right. After 4 attempts, I managed to get my Japanese driver's license! Yay!!! If you have not been following the progress, here is a recap:

Attempt #1: not a chance of passing because we did not know we were going to get to take the test. We did the paperwork, took the written and eye exams, and then were given maps and told "memorize the course. you can take the practical in 20 minutes." FAIL

Attempt #2: I failed for going too slowly, turning my head too far when I look over my shoulder into the blind spots and braking too much before certain turns where braking is not necessary. At one point, the proctor told me something like "well, on actual roads you should brake, but this course is closed so... there is no one there." ?!?!?!?!?! FAIL

Attempt #3: preface: got a speeding ticket on my way to the driving center. (irony?) Failed because I was in a bad mood. Ok, not really. Actually, I thought this time went well, but I failed because I took one turn too fast (yes, only one turn) and still turned my head too far to check my blind spots. FAIL

Attempt #4: I took a whole day off of school (usually I only take a half day because the test is in the afternoon) and did a practice in the morning. I also managed to get a different proctor than the previous three fails, which makes a difference in my opinion. (Let's just say that the other proctor has a big stick stuck up his @$ and fails people because he likes to and because he can.) When I finished the course, I did feel like I had nailed it... and PASS!

Problems? Well, remember that speeding ticket? At the time when I got the ticket, I did not have a Japanese license. I was told by the police in Iiyama that since I did not have a Japanese license, that there were no negative points and I just had to pay a fine and so the ticket could be seen as an expensive warning. Ok, no problem, right? WRONG. The Iiyama police were WRONG and had told me incorrect information. As it turns out, that non-existent point DOES exist and is carried over to my license now that I have it. So I asked the people at the center about it, and explained what I had been told. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done, but here is the funny part: They will contact the officer who gave me a ticket. If he did, in fact, tell me incorrect information, then he has to go to police school for a day and he has to APOLOGIZE TO ME! Gosh I am hoping for that apology. I can only hope that he will not change the facts as the police so often do. Luckily for me, Alaina (who was there when I got the ticket and translated all the explanations for me) also heard this, so perhaps he will admit he made a mistake. PS it actually took 8 officers total to figure out how to give me a speeding ticket. I hope they live to regret it and have to come apologize to the foreigner. IF they had just let me go with a warning...

Other problems? The picture on my license is terrible because they told me not to smile. Let's face it, I am a smiley person generally (I have bad days... doesn't everybody?) but I look bad in pictures if I am not smiling.

But, moral of the story... IT IS OVER. I have a Japanese driver's license and I never have to go to that stupid driving center again.