I DID IT!

I DID IT!!! I can’t believe I really did it! And I can’t believe I did it on the first try! I haven’t discussed this on my blog in a long time and when I did I just mentioned that it was now my turn to do it.

It has been mentally exhausting and daunting. I have stressed over it. Doubted my abilities A LOT! I beat myself up when I wasn’t focusing on it and well, honestly hated the time when I was focused on it.

It has taken so much time out of my life of doing the things I want to do. My blogging and writing of my book have been put on the backburner. In recent weeks, preparing for this took priority over everything.

We have friends that gave up on it. We know a person who took nine times to do it. Many people take several times to do it.

It isn’t easy. It is tricky. Last Monday I was sure that I couldn’t do it. I have been so stressed about it. I was stressed even though I knew I could try it again. I didn’t want to do it at all let alone multiple times.

Tuesday and Wednesday, I felt a bit better about it but still wasn’t very confident. Perhaps I was more resigned to the fact of whatever would happen Thursday would happen. I had done what I could to prepare. The time had come…to just do it.

Even though Thursday I had to do it by myself, I don’t feel that I was alone. I had the kind words of support and encouragement from family and friends. Not many people knew that it would take place on Thursday…I didn’t want everyone to know in case I didn’t do it.

Bob has been instrumental in my doing it. And doing it the first time. His constant encouragement and guidance made all the difference. You see, he had already done it so he knew what a tough task it was. He understood every single emotion I was feeling as he went through them himself just over a year and a half ago. He remembers it all and he remembers it all too well. Thank you, sweetheart, for all of your help and encouragement. I couldn’t have done it without you. ♥

To my sisters, Sandy and Vicky, thank you for putting up with my whining about it. Thank you for your encouragement as well. Vicky, thank you for that brilliant mantra of yours that I wrote down and carried with me on Thursday.

“I trusted myself that I knew more than I thought I did.” ∼ Vicky V.

Thank you to the rest of my family and friends that have been on this path with me. Mostly listening to me complain about it…I thank you.

What is that question I hear many of you asking? What is this ‘it’ that I am speaking of?

I PASSED THE THEORY EXAM FOR MY SPANISH DRIVER’S LICENSE! I PASSED IT ON THE FIRST TRY!!!! AND WITH ONLY ONE INCORRECT ANSWER!!! WOOHOO!!!

I am thankful that they allow us to take it in English. I am actually very late in taking this exam because within three months of becoming residents we are required to have a Spanish Driver’s License. I have been driving with an International Driver’s Permit and my license from North Carolina. Thank you, Nathan and Jeffrey, for obtaining new IDLs for me when mine was about to expire. The United States does not have an agreement with Spain to just trade in our driver’s license so we are required to take the exam.

I should tell you that I have never been good at taking tests. I cannot retain information as well as is required to be a good test taker. These facts added to my stress level.

Bob had an equally fun time with this entire process which you can read about in the blog post here. Thus his complete understanding of my stress and emotions leading up to the theory exam and now my smuggy-smugface strutting around repeating, “I passed my exam!” over and over again since Friday morning when I found out that I passed.

Here are some samples of the driver’s manual book “Learning to Drive” and the practice test questions. I’m not going to drive a truck or a bus…but I had to know what their maximum speed limit is…oh and what it is on all types of roads. Of course…I had none of those questions on the exam.

Perhaps my favorite sample exam question. Hmmmm, I think B is the correct answer. How about you? I didn’t get this question on the exam.

 

Because of this…the answer is C, we not only had to know about automobile stuff but also motorcycle stuff. On which side of the handlebars is the brake lever that controls the front brake? I’m not going to drive a motorcycle…why do I need to know this?! Again, never got these questions even though I was prepared.

Now, this doesn’t mean I have a driver’s license yet. I still need to take the Practical Exam. To pass that I need to either remember how freaked I was to take the driver’s test when I was sixteen years old or drive like a very old person. Slowly. Extremely cautious to the point of driving all other people on the road to be angry with me. Since Bob has been through this he is going to start teaching me how to do this and how the driving school professor and the examiner will require me to drive to pass. Then I will take 2-3 driving lessons with the professor to make sure I am prepared. The professor will be accompanying me with the examiner when I take the test. We all get comfortable when we have been driving for a long time and I have been driving for thirty-eight years. I’m a good driver. However, I no longer drive like that frightened sixteen year old taking my first exam. So, this training is necessary.

I am absolutely THRILLED to have the Theory Exam done though and have a long list of things I want and need to do. All those things that I put off because I had to study. It’s like getting my life back. WOOHOO and YIPPEE!!!

Hey…did you hear the news? I DID IT!!!