Our Malaysian driver’s license is only valid for one year in New Zealand. The one year starts from the first arrival in New Zealand, regardless of when that maybe. If we had arrived in New Zealand as tourists 10 years ago, our license would have been useless by now, but since we came here in March last year for the first time, our licenses are valid until March 2006. After which we can't drive legally. My having an Indonesian driver’s license in addition to a Malaysian one was of no help. How can they not recognise an Indonesian license? If one could drive in Jakarta, anywhere else on earth would be a piece of cake!
I really don't understand the logic behind this at all. If we are allowed to drive here without being supervised for a year, don't see why we need to sit for a practical driving test to convert the license. Well, being a normal person as I am, I will not bring it up until I have my name printed on a New Zealand driver’s license.
Since Vera does most of the driving here she started with the process of converting her Malaysian driver’s license to New Zealand driver’s license. If one holds a drivers license from the UK, Australia, US or South Africa, all one needed to do was to pass a theory paper. But if the license was issued elsewhere, one had to go through a theory paper plus a practical driving test.
She passed her theory paper with flying colours in one go but her first attempt at the practical test failed miserably. She was quite sure it was the tester's fault and not hers. Each test costs $70.80 so to minimise the damage, she went for a "refresher" course and then sat for the practical yesterday.
The result? Passed!!!!!
We had a celebration of sorts yesterday to honour her passing her driving test the second time around, first being in Malaysia many, many moons ago. The celebratory meal included bow tie pasta with "porcupine" meat balls prepared by Anil. Go figure that one out.
Now it’s my turn to start mugging for those dreadful tests! How I hate tests!
1 comment:
Congrats Vera!
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