Getting our German drivers License

Today I took my German Drivers license test. It is one of the things on my check list that I am able to check off so I can move to the next thing. In order for me to get my license I first had to take a 2 and half hour class. On our way to class Julia wanted to take my picture with my book in hand. I did not want her to take a picture before I walked in, as she insisted, because I felt like it was my mother taking the classic first day of school picture with your lunch box and book bag in hand.

If you know German culture, you know that Germans don’t mess around with the rules. When there is a rule, you must follow it to a T. Julia and I went to our class room and I look at a sign that said, “no eating or drinking allowed in class room.” As I am reading the sign Julia is taking out her bag of almonds to snack on, and I quickly told her to put them away and showed her the sign. She did and then moved on to her classic water bottle that she carries with her. Julia then said something along the lines of “it’s probably ok to have water,” she then placed her water bottle on top of her purse. Class then started at 8 o’clock and in came the teacher of our class. A German gentleman, who’s English sounded like the classic German scientist from the movies that pronounce their English like, “zing instead of thing”. He looked as if he just woke up to make it to class with his beer belly hanging out of his shirt, which had the front untucked and his hair as if he just got out bed. When he came in he saw that someone had a water bottle on their desk and told her the rules and made her put the bottle outside the classroom. Then as he looked back he saw someone who was slouching on his desk and told the man, that if he wants to sleep, he does not have to take the class and can leave. At this point Julia and I looked at each other and she ushered her water bottle away in her purse so that she was not the next person to get yelled and deemed a rule breaker. We then had to fill out some paper work, as usual, and our teacher didn’t want anybody to fill out anything on the sheet ahead of him. Some girl had disregard his request and then was scolded by our teacher. She seemed to irritate him, because he would find something wrong with her paper work throughout our time of filling things out. Then came the great video of European driving rules we had to watch. It was hosted, not by David Hasselhof, but by the head of the German police force. The man seemed as natural of a public speaking as a Junior High boy who realized that his mom bought him girls jeans instead of boys jeans for back to school shopping, both very awkward. The music that was behind him when he was talking in very stiff English was music that you would find in a dance club or a rave someplace. I am not sure if this was supposed to inspire us to break out some German dance moves, or to make us think that Euro driving was best. Class was over and then I took my test 3 hours later and passed! Julia will take her test as soon as she gets her visa (waiting on our marriage license), but it was a great experience to have and to share with each other. We are loving every day and enjoying every moment. I can’t believe it has only been 3 week here!