Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Driving Licenses: Mexico vs. Curaçao (+ The Metaphor of Prison, c/o @ArleeBird )

So. The Mexico trip. Man, that was a fiasco. I mean, it's not easy to travel anywhere from Curaçao. Even direct flights come with delays and cancellations and whatnot. But I've never had as much trouble going to and from Mexico as this time. I'm even down with a weird cold/flu virus since Sunday—and I blame the night I spent on the carpet at the Miami airport.

12:30 am Saturday morning, relaxing with a guilty-pleasure novel on the comfy carpet at MIA International.

Before I go into the gory details, let me tell you I'm over at Tossing It Out today, care of blogosphere's marvelous Arlee Bird, talking about prisons: of the mind, the soul, and the flesh. It's the latest stop for the MIRACLE tour in blogs, after a celebration of the book's quirkiness over at Corinne Rodrigues's place last week, and then the crazy author vs character interview argument that ended with me apologizing and Luis Villalobos in maudlin tears over at The Doglady's Den this past Monday.


This blog tour has been great, great fun, and a fantastic opportunity to both connect with new bloggers and reconnect with older friends—and even turn acquaintances into friendships. I'm hugely grateful to everyone who's pitched in, not just by hosting me (we had limited spots, and I really appreciated everyone's understanding) but by sharing and commenting and spreading the love. The book and I are uniquely fortunate in having friends like you all.



Back to the Mexico trip. The first thing you need to know is why I had to go to Mexico. It was to renew my driver's license, which was set to expire tomorrow, November 12th. Why am I renewing a Mexican driver's license when I've been living in Curaçao for over a decade? It's a valid question. With a really simple answer.

HOW TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE IN CURAÇAO
(When you come from a country that's not Holland or the U.S. or otherwise in Curaçao's list of driver license exchange agreements)


  1. Take driving lessons. Seriously. I'm required to go to an actual approved driving school and get a certificate from them. Kinda cool, taking into account I've never done that—see below for details. 
  2. Pass a driving test at the DMV. But in order to qualify for taking that test I need to show my driving school certificate. These people aren't kidding about not wasting anyone's time, eh? (Well, anyone's not including mine.) The first test is theory; road signs, rules and regulations, whatnot. If—yes, the guy did say if—I pass that one, then I can go on to the actual driving test. As in drive-a-real-car-in-the-street test.
  3. Because I can't drive stick-shift (I know, I know, I'm a total loser), I need a special exemption from a completely different dependency to take the said driving test in an automatic car (and thus to receive a license exclusively for automatic cars... not that I would want it any other way). I have to go to the ARBO office (I don't know what ARBO stands for, but I do know where it is—lucky me) and explain to them why I need an exemption (whoa, that's going to take all of—two minutes? Can't drive stick shift, sir. That's right. No, can't. Uh-huh. Okay. Thanks!). Once I get it, I go back to the DMV and I get to take my driving test.
  4. Assuming I jump all these hoops pass, then I get my photo taken and walk out with a license. Finally.


Approximate length of time from start to end of process: 4 weeks.
(It took me 2 hours of standing in line to get the above information, by the way. So, no, 4 weeks is actually an optimistic estimate.)



HOW TO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE IN MEXICO
(Wherever you come from)


  1. Show up early(ish) at the DMV with your birth certificate and a proof of address (to show you live in the city where you're requesting the license), and two copies of each (if you're Mexican, you do this multiple-copy thing automatically).
  2. Take a written test. (A five-page document with multiple-choice in the vein of, Identify the stop sign in the pictures below, or When a traffic light is orange, you need to a)... )
  3. Pay the fee (1 year 100 pesos, 5 years 500, 1.00 USD = 15.00 MXP, current in Cuernavaca, Mexico, as of Nov 2015). Assuming you pass the test, of course. No one knows what happens if you don't pass.
  4. Go back upstairs to have your photo taken and to pick up your license.

Please note that no one, at any point in these proceedings, checked that you can actually drive a car. No. One.

Approximate length of time from start to end of process: 2 hours.


Mine was only a renewal this time, so I was in and out of the place, new license in the pocket, within 40 minutes. It would've been sooner, but I got on the wrong line for the photos :)

So. This is why I go to Mexico to renew my driver's license. I agree it's impractical, but since it only happens every 5 years, and since my mom lives there, and since we—me and the dushi—consider Mexican food no sacrifice at all... Well, it's a "worth the trip" kind of thing.

Though this time it was a bit of a challenge. Come back on Friday for the fiasco chronicles :) In the meantime, hop on over to Lee's and join the conversation — I dare you to guess his BoTB song pick before it shows up at the end of the post. Seriously. It's that obscure (though not if you're Mexican).

Thanks for visiting, all!



19 comments :

  1. I guess I'll never complain about going to the DMV in Los Angeles again. The hassle here is nowhere near the hassle you describe having gone through.

    Great post on my site, Guilie. Thanks for doing it. You helped stretched my brain for this.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. When I hear people complaining about the DMV in wherever they live, I always chuckle softly to myself. It's like hearing people here in Curaçao complain about traffic when the trip to the office takes 11 instead of the usual 7 minutes. Hilarious is what it is :D

      I'm so, so grateful to you for making me a part of this, Lee... I never would've thought of it on my own, so if I stretched your brain, you definitely stretched mine back :) And the way you built up on it, from the last BoTB results and on Monday's post... Really, you've gone above and beyond, and I'm thrilled to have been your partner in crime—okay, in prison :D—for this.

      So... when can we do it again? ;)

      Thanks for dropping by, Lee.

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    2. How about next time I do a music in Espanol post? I'll probably be doing another one in a month or two.

      Arlee Bird
      Tossing It Out

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    3. Sounds like a plan! Looking forward to it :)

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  2. seems to complicated to me! Can we rob a bank and let someone drive us instead?

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    Replies
    1. I vote for that, too, Dez. Seems way more practical :D

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  3. Wow, that is something you really have to plan for. My first test drive in a car was a stick shift. I'd only once before been in or tired to drive a stick shift. My dad's VW when I was 15. But this was a car my boss had arranged me to see and test drive, I couldn't say to the salesman, I can't drive this. So I got behind the wheel and pulled up ever memory of that day. I don't know how I did it, except to say that God was watching over me as we took off through town. I bobbled a few times but the salesman looked at it as just getting used to a new clutch. I bought the car, after promising my first born son to the bank, (they didn't want to give me the loan because I was new to Alaska, and they were sure once the cold and snow hit, I'd abandon the state and the car.) I've only had stick shift cars ever since! Oh, and I didn't abandon the state! :)

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    Replies
    1. Yolanda, you've officially become my hero. I also learned — way back when — on a stick shift, but I never owned one, so I never drove one... And, honestly, if today I was in the Alaska situation you describe above, I don't think I could do it. I mean I don't think I would even try... Which makes me chickensh*t—and you my hero :) Seriously. This is a fabulous story, so illustrative of you... When will you write your memoirs? I want to read them!

      Thanks for stopping in :)

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  4. I have slept in a few airports, and a couple of times I had a toddler with me. I feel for you. I cannot drive a stick. I am not a loser; therefore, you are not a loser. But I don't know how you could be cruel enough to make Luis Villalobos cry, even if it was pretend. For shame.

    Love,
    Janie

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    Replies
    1. I'm not proud of it, Janie. It got out of hand, I'm not really sure how, but—look, I never expected him to react that way. I thought he'd be pissed and pouty for a few days, but I seriously didn't think it was such a... well, tender spot. I know, that's my bad too... How can he be my character and I claim to not know how he'll react, right? And I'm not proud of that, either. But... well, there you have it.

      You think he'll forgive me?

      (And thanks about the not-a-loser part... I'm glad :) )

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  5. OOOOsh,this is making me nervous. I think my car renewal licence is up next year and I'll probably be put through the hoops as well, eye tests, what signs mean etc ...

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    1. Oh, no... Susan, I hope not! If it's a renewal, won't it be simpler, though? Or do they do all the hoops even for renewal? Because if that's the case in SA, it might very well be the same here (Dutch influence...). Which will mean I won't even attempt to get a license here, hahaha... Mexico works just fine for me, thank you very much. (And it's a great excuse to visit Mom.)

      Thanks for the visit, Susan. And, seriously, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you next year. Remember to let me know any updates :)

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  6. What an ordeal! I hope you are feeling better.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Darla! Yes, today I am better... Hopefully just another day or two at the most and I'll be back to normal :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. Loved your guest post over at Arlee's. OMG-Talk about red tape! I would be hopping on a plane to Mexico too. All we do here is wait in line, pay $85 (every year), more if you need a new photo. Fill out a form with the KM driven thus far and show ownership. Get it stamped and they give you another sticker for another year for the car. Your new DL comes in the mail 4 weeks later so you have a temp one in the meantime.

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    1. That doesn't sound too bad, Birgit... I like that the DL and ownership of the car seem to go hand-in-hand; makes a lot of sense, but it's the first time I hear of a system like that. Here in Curaçao (and in Mexico), it's two entirely separate procedures... double the hassle, technically, but it feels more than that :D

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  8. Talk about a red tape nightmare! Great excuse to go back home for a little vacation, though. ☺ We have it pretty easy here in Canada, as Birgit said, but she's talking about licence plate renewals, which are every year. Driver's licences only need to be renewed once every 5 years.

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    Replies
    1. Yes true...forgot to separate them:) but at least we don't have to go anywhere different:)

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  9. Oh Guilie - that is some palaver ... but I'm glad you got yours and I'm glad you know what to do etc .. except get in the wrong line! The airport fiasco sounds a right pain ... but it happens ... and then you get where you want to go eventually ...
    At least your Ma is in Mexico .. and you have delicious food to calm the nerves ... see you at Lee's ..cheers Hilary

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