Friday, October 08, 2010

We passed!!!!!



Yes, we now are the proud owners of official Japanese driver's licenses!!! Thanks SO much for your prayers! We were both nervous going into the test early this morning... we both said many times that we didn't expect to pass the first time, this was just another good practice and time to see what they really want. But we did our best and miraculously, we passed! Oh, and the reason we look kind of goofy in the pictures is that in Japan, you're not supposed to smile for pictures like this... we're still trying to overcome this instinct and the result always ends up being a goofy expression. ;)
After we passed we had to do some more paperwork and go to different stations in the driver's license bureau before we were finished. The greatest part was that all the officials smiled and congratulated us when we presented our 'passing' paperwork... maybe it was great because it's not always usual to see such spontaneous, warm reactions in extremely formal and polite Japanese culture... or maybe it was great because sometimes you just need a little encouragement that, as a foreigner, you did something right, and it's one small step closer to connecting with our new home.
This seems to be the last 'big' thing we needed to do to really 'settle' as official residents in Japan... we have visas, health insurance, a car and car insurance, city registration, and now driver's licenses... last step - learn to speak (and read and write and understand) Japanese... our next lifelong adventure. :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome! I knew you would make it. ;) Gambatte! ;) Congratulations!

Candie Perry, Living Grace Church@sbcglobal.net said...

Dear Julie, Hello!! Thank you for your post regarding you and your Japanese family. I am Candie, the secretary for Living Grace Church in Merrillville, In. Of course, we are relieved to hear you are safe....but still grieve for our Japanese brothers and sisters as well.
But my comment today is about your post about your driver's licenses. I was thinking of our cultural differences as you mentioned that you were not to smile when pictures were taken and how hard it was to adjust to that. Several years ago I worked with a Vietnamese couple that I became close to. They invited me to their house for dinner and to surprise her, I decided to bring her a nice floral arrangement. Well, I was definitely confused by the look of horror on her face until she explained that flowers were assiciated with death in her country!! She also would not allow me to come over with a gentleman friend because she did not want her young daughter to be too 'Americanized...' and think that that was ok. (I thought this was a little much until years later when I had my daughter...then it sounded like a pretty good idea!!)
Thank you for your great work and to go where God would send you!! I know there are times of loneliness and frustration for you....but God has promised to "...never forsake you...."
God Bless You and your family as you minister to God's people!!

Love,Candie