Drivers License Saga

In September 2021 we went to the government office to pay a $50 fee to take the drivers license test on Bonaire. We took our receipt of payment to yet another government office to schedule the driving test.  We were given a date of January 17, 2022.

Our Expat group told us that we needed to take driver's training class or we would never pass the test. We were referred to Andrew the English speaking driving instructor.

After contacting Andrew and providing him with all the government paper we had secured for the drivers license, he informed us that we were scheduled to take the written exam, not the practical driving exam.  He sent us back to government office to schedule a driving test.  Apparently, if you have a valid US drivers license you skip the written test. Andrew said to be "kindly firm" and explain that the government scheduled the wrong test and should therefore reschedule us for driving test immediately.  Otherwise, they would set a date for March.

Back to the government drivers license test office. We explained our situation to the supervisor and he was kind enough to schedule our test in January.

Yesterday, we took a two hour driving class from Andrew. We learned how to drive and turn on one way streets, how to turn left and right, how to back up into parking spaces, how to parallel park, and how to drive up and down hills. You would think that we had all these skills after driving for 40 + years. But alas, the Dutch have a different way of driving.  No one actually drives the way they teach you in class.  You only need it for the test and then you drive any way you want.

Andrew texted us to say that he had flu like symptoms and was getting tested for Covid.  He wanted us to know since we spent the entire morning with him in the car.

We still have no drivers license. We may have been exposed to Covid. Our test may be cancelled since Covid infections are nearing 500.

Geesh!