I love Tokushima. And I love my Japanese supervisor. And I love them both for helping me get my Japanese Driver's license.
For Americans, getting a license in Japan is notoriously hard. There are horror stories of people taking the test 5 or 10 times, and each time having to pay the fee. I've heard people say that one should reallly invest in 'lessons' to get your Japanese license, because you might actually spend that money trying to pass the test. (This is mostly only true for Americans because almost ever English speaking country has a treaty with Japan for transferring licenses WITHOUT taking a practical exam.)
However, I hadn't really heard any bad stories about Tokushima. (I have NOW, but not before I took the exam...) So I was pretty relaxed. However, just the process for getting your license is pretty complicated. First, you have to get your U.S. license tranlated into Japanse. This costs about $30. Then you have to MAKE AN APPOINTMENT at the driving center for them to check your paperwork. They look over your translation, your passport, and ask you weird questions about visa stamps in your passport. They have to confirm that you were in the U.S. for 3 months after getting your driver's license there. This was a little weird, but my supervisor went with me and it was fine. The guy asking me questions actually remembered her from the time before when she helped another ALT get his license. Apparently she had to beg him to let this guy have his license even though he hadn't had his U.S license for 3 months before coming (this is a huge no-no). But she's amazing and she succeeded.
Next, we set an appointment for my practical and written exams, which was yesterday. the written exam was pretty easy. The weirdest question was something about keeping to the left of your lane (remember we drive on the left here), except when you want to turn you move to the middle and hug the center line. Super weird, but this ended up being a big part of the practical test (seriously, who actually does that????). Then he explained the map and the practical test to me, and my supervisor translated. Then I walked out side and looked at the course. Then we got in the giant Prius and he demonstrated the course.
And then it was my turn. I got one practice round and then the exam. Honestly, the hardest thing about that course was turnign the stupid Prius on. What the heck. Not a normal car (I guess this is a GOOD thing) but still, it was weird. There's a power button. Like on a computer. For a car. hahaha. So I did the course. It was fine. I was super obvious about looking around and checking my mirrors and probably turned my signal on too early a few times.
So we stop. He immediately turns to my supervisor and asks me about what schools I teach at. This is how I imagine the conversation went (in Japanese):
Driving Guy: Daiichi JHS? My sister works there. She's in charge of the kendo club.
Sato-sensei: Oh! That's your sister? Wow! I'm Sato Michiko and my daughter was in that club.
Guy: Your daughter is Sato-san? oooooh wooooooow! Amazing! She must be so old now. What is she doing?
Me: *inspecting the incredibly tacky, lacey, Prius seat covers. Who makes this stuff?*
Sato-sensei: She lives in Tokyo....yada yada yada.
Guy: Wow!! Cool. Small world, ne??
Sato-sensei: Small world desu ne!!!!!!
Guy: And she lives on Kizu (pointing to me). I live right around the corner from her house near the ~~~ Shrine.
Sato-sensei: Oh yes! I think my daughter and I went to your house once!
Guy: Right! Yeah because of kendo. Oh btw, she passed. She was perfect.
Sato-sensei: Great!
Me: *smile, nod, display incredible happiness*
hahaha. So that't it. Turns out this guy is an incredible kendo instructor. Who knew? And he lives in Naruto. I can't place his sister though. Going to have to ask at school to see who the kendo teacher is and then I'll have something to say to her in an incredibly broken English-Japanese-gesture hybrid: "Sumimasen, senshu wa, Driving center (with handmotions), uuuuuhhh, Komatsushima ni ikimashita. Your brother (point at her) was my (point to me) instructor." Wait for response. Most likely response: 'eeeehhhhh??? *look of disbelief*'
Indeed. That's how it went. Once again, I love Sato, I love Tokushima.
Small world, ne????? Small world DESU NE!!!!
