Licensed to Drive

When you get stationed over-seas there is a long process you have to go through to get everything in order. Here in Naples they call it Area Orientation. Well, when John first moved over here last May the first 2 weeks or so were going through all these different classes and getting all your paperwork done. Some of the different things they do are: Showing you around both bases, getting you familiar with the laws of the host country, getting your visa, and for dependants your sojourner permit, and all other important documents, and taking you to downtown Naples, so you can get used to public transportation and the area down there. One other semi-important section they go over is getting your Italian Drivers License, so John did all this when he very first got out here, but since I wasn't with him I was not included in all these prep sessions.

When I first go out here, November '09, we got started on all the paper work that allowed me to stay in the country, but after driving out in town with John the first day I decided getting my driver's license could wait a little while. I was not in a big hurry to get in a car on my own out on these streets, especially in his pickup which is wider than some streets. So I never got around to getting it done.

Now my sister is getting ready to visit next month and I decided I might need to go ahead and start thinking about getting it in case John has to work and we want to go somewhere. Then John comes home from work on day last week to inform me that he may have to be out of town for work for a week while Bri is out here, so that was the final push to get me in the office to take the test, because if I don't have my license and he is gone we would be stuck with not much to do.

We went by the office last week and asked when the next test was going to be, they only give it every other Tuesday, and they said it was going to be May 25th, today. I filled out the application that day and they got a copy of my TX driver's license, then gave me a sheet of paper with about 60 road signs on it to study. They informed me that the text was multiple choice, just over the signs on the paper and you were only allowed to miss 2 out of 48. So I went home and set the paper to the side and remembered yesterday that I needed to look it over.

I woke up this morning bright and early so I could go sit through the briefing class about driving in Italy, and that was the biggest waste of time, they told you what you were not allowed to do on the road ways and let me tell you everything they said NOT to do you see out there EVERY SINGLE DAY! So after 2 hours of listening to that we were finally able to take the test. Luckily, I passed and can now drive out here, I just need to practice a little before Bri gets out here so she is not completely scared out of her mind the first time I drive lol.