First Attempt at Getting a License

I am quickly learning that most everything in Qatar involves a long, drawn out process and that if you can't laugh about it and be patient you will be unhappy most of the time.  Even if most of the time it is utterly pure ridiculousness and you just want to pull your hair out!  Today was no exception.  I am happy to report that I feel like this experience has already help me to become a more patient and forgiving person, so YAY for that!

Mary Anne picked me and Kealy up at 7:45 to take us to the driving school.  Acquiring a license here is a 3 step process, and most times you cannot move on to the second step until you have step 1 completed.  Step 1 - the eye test.  We walked into a building and Mary Anne spoke to a man at a desk about me taking the eye exam today.  No such luck, told me to come back on Sunday between 7-11.  So we decided to try our luck at the next building to see if I could take the sign test, which is step 2.  I should also mention that in order to even start this process I needed a copy of my passport, MO drivers license, a letter from my husband stating that he gives me "permission" to obtain a drivers license, and an application form that is completed in Arabic! 

So we walk into where people are waiting for the sign test.  A guy takes my paperwork and gives me a number.  I immediately start looking over my paperwork in anticipation for the sign test!  When my number comes up, I proceed to a desk where 3 women in abayas (long black cloak with a head scarf) are sitting.  Hand my paperwork to a woman, she looks at it, and tells me that I need to go take the eye test first.  So, instead of going back to the original building we decide to try our luck at the eye exam place that Mary Anne went to.  Back in the car to find that!

They weren't open we arrived, so darn the luck if we had to go into a store and look around!  She took me to this place called Al Rawnaq.  They had everything from bedding, to school supplies, to housewares.  We killed some time and found a few treasures and went back to check on the eye exam place.

This time they were open, so I handed the guy my paperwork.  He asked me if I wear glasses, and I said, "no, I wear contacts"  WRONG ANSWER!!!  His reply, "I'm sorry Madame, but I cannot give you the eye test in contacts. You need to be wearing your glasses"  all the while he is twirling a sucker between his hands and smiling at Kealy.  He calls her princess and gives her the sucker.  Wish my luck was that good.  He then asks me how bad my vision is, I tell him not that bad, and he allows me to take my contacts out so he can test my eyes.  First he scans them, and then dials in my prescription.  I simply have to read some numbers on a chart, it takes all of two minutes.  Then he tells me that I need a photo of me IN MY GLASSES before he can pass me.  Seriously?  Or, he was going to try and sell me a new pair of glasses for 200QR ($50) and then I still need to get my picture taken with my glasses on, bring the picture back to him, and he will sign off on my test.  LOL!!!

We decided to go back to the car and re-group.  It was only 10:00, but I was already getting hungry, so we just decided to head back home and try again on Sunday. Lesson learned, just answer the question without any explanation.  Something Eric makes fun of me for all the time.  I also decided that this calls for some homemade chocolate chip cookies!  I will keep you posted on my adventures of obtaining a drivers license!