Archive for May, 2005
Japanese Driving Test: Passing the First Time
Like many things in Japan, getting your driver’s license is a show, and the speed and ease with which you get your license is directly proportional to how well you play your part. But, like it or not, you are unfortunately expected to play a part and it is easy to play the wrong one. I have no doubt that there are many ways to find success with this process, and what follows is simply one that worked for me. It is a path that emphasizes speed and low levels of stress more than anything else. It is neither the cheapest (or the most expensive) way that someone can take the test. But, for me, the time and aggravation that I saved by passing the test the first time was well worth the marginally higher cost. I hope it is helpful to you.
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On the Roof of Saga: An Ascent of Kyoga Dake
During a recent school lunch, I made the mistake of assuming that people who had lived in Saga their entire lives would know a thing or two about their home. So, I asked a simple question: What is the tallest mountain in Saga? After a 20 minute discussion and still no answers (though much amusement in actually being acknowledged as a sentient being for once), I decided to ask the one infallible source in the school. Sure enough, the social studies teacher had the answer. “Kyoga Dake izu da to-re-sto,” he said proudly in bastardized English that would make the Queen weep.
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