German driver's license cont.

The saga continues!!

I'll begin with the good news... I passed the test today!!! However, I must admit - barely! People are allowed to miss 9 points but I wasn't sure if that meant the 9th point missed knocked you out OR the 10th point missed. Either way, I missed 8 pts so I squeaked by.

I borrowed the English study guide and the practice tests last spring and SHOULD have been studying all summer. I had it with me during my summer travels but like a true procrastinator, I didn't even BEGIN to study until I returned to Germany. In fact, I was home sick yesterday (really!) and I was trying to cram feeling miserable. I was very lucky today that I guessed correctly on a couple of questions that I wasn't sure about.

If you go back to a previous post (http://caryvarela.blogspot.com/2010/06/german-drivers-license.html) you will see what I've been through up to this point. Two weeks after I returned from Oregon, I got a call from the driving school - all my paperwork had been processed and I made an appointment to take the written test (giving myself a few weeks to study).

Today (Friday the 10th), the guy from the driving school (Stefan) picked me up at school at 2:30. He drove me into Frankfurt to the testing center. Two days ago I had asked if I could reschedule but a 7 day notice is required or you have to pay whether or not you take the test. I figured I would go for it and kept today's appt. So, I was waiting at the test center along with a bunch of other people. They opened the testing room and we had to sit at the computer with our name on the screen. The man in charge asked if all of us were taking the test in German (in German of course). I caught the "auf Deutsch" bit and had noticed my screen was all German so I quickly turned and raised my hand. "English bitte" I asked meekly. Then two other ladies quickly added "Turkish bitte". Whew, I wasn't the only "special case" today. Then we all had to lay our ID on the table next to us and he came by and collected them, matching them with the paperwork he had.

OK, time for the test to begin - he gave all the directions in German and everyone started. I pushed something wrong immediately and he came over to rescue me. I had to stop a few times and do some calculating (If your speed doubles, by how much does your braking distance increase? Luckily, I had memorized the formula for that one but it took me a few minutes to make sure - 4x). At the end, I actually thought I had failed the dumb test. The guy laughed at me and told me I passed - sweet! So, I got my license today right? Wrong!

Now, I have to take my test results and a certificate they stamped and signed, along with my Oregon driver's license and 57 Euros to Bad Homberg (calling ahead to make an appointment, of course). That is where I will finally get my German driver's license! What an ordeal - just so we can rent a car and drive someplace for the weekend!!

DMV is looking better and better all the time!

Note: I think I annoyed the driving school guy just a little. On the way back to Oberursel I quoted the driving book about wearing seatbelts (required) and using a cell phone while driving (strictly forbidden). He was breaking both rules - right in front of me!!! What kind of driving instructor is he anyway!?