what's the deal with Japan and waiting...really, what is the deal. Yesterday I went to get my Japanese driver's liscence so that yes, yes, I know I am hearing the giggles and screams of terror from back in B.C...I can drive a car in Japan. As far as I'm concerned the driver's liscense place doesn't need to know that I haven't sat behind the wheel in 8 years. ..really that's completely irrelevant. So, as far as anyone at the Mie prefecutural driving place is concerned, I'm a super adept driver with a subtle touch for over-the-top safety precautions and we're just gonna keep it that way. Point final, end of story.
Getting back to my original point however, it took me 5 hours to get the freaking thing! Now some of you may think "well yes, this does seem like a long time but with all the things that need to be done, roadtest etc etc. It isn't so bad" Um WRONG! I didn't have to take the freaking test! All I needed to do was hand them my Canadian liscense and they gave me a Japanese one. That's it! But since we are in Japan, it took 5 hours.
How to get your Japanese driver's liscense in 20 easy steps.
1) get to the driver's liscense centre that is conveniently located in the middle of nowhere by 1:00 (which means you have to take paid holiday leave from work to do it) don't be late or else they will gouge your eyes out with chopsticks and tell you to go home.
2) proceed to get ushered automatically into some room with a bunch of Japanese people getting a lecture about driver safety by a man with the worst combover known to man.
3) realize that you are in the wrong room and not so quietly exit, stage right
4) find correct room
5) wait for 40 mins until they call your name
6) attempt to fill out the form that is all written in Portuguese
7) hand it in
8) wait
9) fill in another form (also in portuguese)
10) wait
11) wait
12) go to caferteria because by this time you have been waiting for three hours already...eat the only thing on the menu...pankakes.
13) take an eye test
14) wait
15) have the people in charge freak out about minor anomaly on your foreign registration card and call the mayors office to check and double check...make sure you patiently wait during this time
16) wait
17) get your picture taken (make sure you look totally stunned and out of it..,. the whole waiting for the last 4 hours thing really helps)
18)wait
19) wati
20) finally get drivers liscense 5 hours after initial arrival.
Ya so that was that..it was shit. Then I had to go home and attempt to pack for my trip to Vietnam which consisted of me throwing random dirty clothes into an old dirty bag and hitting the train station. 2.5 hours later I am in Nara city and ready for my last night in J-town before I hit typhoid city.
Next stop, put your life in your hands Air.."service with a smile...and a personal safety waiver"
I'll try to post from Vietnam
Cheers
J
Getting back to my original point however, it took me 5 hours to get the freaking thing! Now some of you may think "well yes, this does seem like a long time but with all the things that need to be done, roadtest etc etc. It isn't so bad" Um WRONG! I didn't have to take the freaking test! All I needed to do was hand them my Canadian liscense and they gave me a Japanese one. That's it! But since we are in Japan, it took 5 hours.
How to get your Japanese driver's liscense in 20 easy steps.
1) get to the driver's liscense centre that is conveniently located in the middle of nowhere by 1:00 (which means you have to take paid holiday leave from work to do it) don't be late or else they will gouge your eyes out with chopsticks and tell you to go home.
2) proceed to get ushered automatically into some room with a bunch of Japanese people getting a lecture about driver safety by a man with the worst combover known to man.
3) realize that you are in the wrong room and not so quietly exit, stage right
4) find correct room
5) wait for 40 mins until they call your name
6) attempt to fill out the form that is all written in Portuguese
7) hand it in
8) wait
9) fill in another form (also in portuguese)
10) wait
11) wait
12) go to caferteria because by this time you have been waiting for three hours already...eat the only thing on the menu...pankakes.
13) take an eye test
14) wait
15) have the people in charge freak out about minor anomaly on your foreign registration card and call the mayors office to check and double check...make sure you patiently wait during this time
16) wait
17) get your picture taken (make sure you look totally stunned and out of it..,. the whole waiting for the last 4 hours thing really helps)
18)wait
19) wati
20) finally get drivers liscense 5 hours after initial arrival.
Ya so that was that..it was shit. Then I had to go home and attempt to pack for my trip to Vietnam which consisted of me throwing random dirty clothes into an old dirty bag and hitting the train station. 2.5 hours later I am in Nara city and ready for my last night in J-town before I hit typhoid city.
Next stop, put your life in your hands Air.."service with a smile...and a personal safety waiver"
I'll try to post from Vietnam
Cheers
J
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