I passed!!!

Yesterday morning at 11 o'clock I took my driving exam. After a nearly ugly incident with the first pedestrian I came across, everything went really well, and at 1 in the afternoon, my fantastic teacher, Miguel Angel called me to say that I passed. Whew. And I didn't even have to park the darn car!

While I am happy and proud of passing, I realized once again that the true achievement here was pyschological. Jose and I were riding in the car yesterday (no, I wasn't driving, I have to wait a couple of weeks to receive my license in the mail), and I commented on how anticlimactic it feels. But then he reminded me how I felt before signing up for the school back in January. I remember how overwhelmed I felt by the process, the time, the money and the language and I really wondered if I could do it. It wasn't done quickly, but the whole process makes me feel even more capable of living here and more like I belong. And that I feel really proud of.

Totals:

Time: from 27 January to 24 April
Theory:
studying in the school: 14 hours in February, 13 hours in March, and approximately 6 hours at home (although it was probably more).
Driving classes: 12 classes at 45 minutes each: 9 hours.
Total: 42 hours

Money:
€180 sign up fee
€85 taxes
€42 medical form
€286 driving classes (12 classes + exam)
Total: €593

Hopefully, I don't have to pay any more money for the processing of the actual card, but since this is Spain, who knows. I'll let you know!

What a week!

1. I have my driving test tomorrow morning at 11. I actually feel really confident about the clutch and changing gears. But, after 8 classes of parking like I've been doing it for 12 years (which I have), I've spent the last 3 classes doing it really badly and having my driving instructor scream at me in Spanish, which doesn't help at all. If I fail tomorrow it will be because I parked in 4 manoevers instead of 3! :o(


2. After finding a house we really liked, in a village we really liked for a price we really liked...and after thinking, planning, spending lots of time with the calculator and the simulator mortgage program online...and after talking to the director of the bank and being pre-approved for the mortgage...we aren't going to buy the house. Turns out there is some really weird stuff going on. For all the details, check out Easy Come, Easy Go...Our first taste of Corruption in Spain.

Step 2: April 24

After Step 1 (the theory test) of my driver's license went so well (100%), I'm hoping for the same luck with Step 2!!! My driving instructor has submitted me to the driving exam next Friday, April 24.

So far, I have done 9 classes of "Practicas", each lasting 45 minutes. It's about as exciting as it sounds, I just drive around for these 45 minutes, waiting for a difficult situation to arise (a hill start, a particularly full roundabout, pedestrians who dart onto crosswalks and the like).

Although I have been a licensed driver in the US for 11 years, I did need a few lessons to learn how to successfully go from point A to B with a manual transmission (and I was really bad...and now not much better). But well, knowing how to drive a manual is just one of those things everyone should know, and now I do.

Anyway, wish me luck!

The Tally:
Time:
27 hours studying for the theory exam in the school
9 driving classes (of 45 minutes each)
* I expect to do 3 or 4 more this week before going to the exam.

Money:
527 euros (sign up, doctor's note, exam fees, and 10 lessons)

Semana Santa - Malaga

This Easter Jose did the planning (as I've been really busy with my private classes and driving school). When I initially heard about the camping trip in Malaga, I can't say that I was very excited. I mean, camping is great and the south of Spain has great weather, but we were in the beginning of April and camping is just asking for rain and freezing nights. After a bit of grumbling on my part, we set off with everything but the kitchen sink in our Dacia. And...

It was great!

The weather was excellent; much better than I had expected. The blanket/ air matress/ flannel sheets/ down comforter combination worked wonders and we even bought a little camping gas set so we could have hot coffee in the mornings (there's nothing worse than smelling the other campers hot coffee as you wash down some cold croissants with juice). We spent our days (2 for travelling and 3 for sightseeing) wandering through the mountain villages of Malaga, really enjoying the historic white-washed clusters of houses on mountain sides. Loved it.

Our trip was really great because of two things:
1. We employed the foreigner campsite rule. This states that when camping, put your tent as far into foreign territory as possible (the south of Spain is overrun with British, Dutch and French people) and as far away from other Spanish people! This greatly increases the number of hours you sleep, as Spanish people stay awake much later, are a great deal louder and basically a pain in the ass.

2. Our 5 day vacation to Malaga only cost us 200 euros! This includes gas, campsite fare and all food. Our car consumes nothing! And while we don't starve, we normally eat pretty boring things while traveling. This was a great way to have a really fun vacation without the guilt of not saving for the house!