Trouble at the DMV (Imagine that?)

Well, my fiber optic internet has finally been set up. It's running smooth and incredibly fast so hopefully I'll be able to get some more stuff up here pretty quick. I've got a few different interesting stories to tell about the past couple of weeks so I'm gonna try and catch up on all of that.

Anyway, last week I took a day off work in order to go to the prefectural driving centre to get my Canadian license converted into a Japanese license. I had gotten all the prerequisite forms completed, had my Canadian license translated into Japanese, and booked my appointment at the DMV in hopes that I could get my license that day and buy a 50cc bike the upcoming weekend. Well, obviously things didn't go quite as planned.

I woke up at 5:30 (an hour before I normally wake up for school) in order to get the the license centre between 8:30 and 9. I made it there no problem and then was escorted to a room where another Korean guy was doing the same thing I was. First, we had to fill out a questionnaire about how we obtained our license in our home countries (driving tests, time period between permit and full license etc.) The DMV employees came in after we had finished and asked us a few questions about the questionnaire and about our licenses. Then they left again and we had to wait for about 45 minutes. The lady dealing with the Korean guy came back first and finished up the paperwork with him and he moved on to the next stage. I was still waiting when my guy returned and told me that it was going to be necessary for me to get my driving records from Ontario before they could process my application and there was nothing else they could do at the time. There's no mention of any of these forms being necessary for the license conversion process on the DMV website, but according to the man who interviewed me they are essential (in my case at least).

With nothing left to do I slinked out of the meeting room feeling quite defeated. I can't say it was a total surprise though. The guy I had seemed like a bit of a jerk and was giving me the run around during my interview. I later learned that many of the DMV employees in Shiga are former police officers, who for one reason or another, were cut from the force. I had done my best to be extra polite with my language and answer the questions the best I could, but I guess it wasn't enough. I do think that if I had the lady the Korean guy had interviewing him I would have my license now though.

On the plus side, when I go back I still don't have to take the road test like Americans do. The road test takes place on a closed course and is extremely strict. It's said the first time you go it's basically just for show and so you can book your second try. This isn't just for foreigners either, most Japanese fail the first time as well, and it takes people upwards of 4 or 5 attempts before they pass. In the history of the Shiga DMV, there is only one foreigner who has passed the test in one try.

And this is the story of how I wasted a day of paid vacation at the DMV.