Driving triumph
Oct. 17th, 2006 06:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annabtgI passed the driving exam. Just barely, but I passed it.
OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE I PASSED IT. *hyperventilates*
We went down to the exam area - seven students and two instructors. Three students went before me - they all passed - and then it was my turn.
I was doing fine, following the signs and everything, did the backwards corner (the bane of my existence) just fine, then drove a little more, and then it was time to park.
Normally, parking is my forte. The thing is, as I was going backwards to park the car, I heard one of the examiners say "Is it getting close?" and the other one reply "Yeah, it's getting close," and I freaked out because I thought they were talking about me and that I was about to crash on the sidewalk, so I turned around the wheel and started trying to make the car parallel to the sidewalk. When I was done parking, the car was quite far from the sidewalk. Then the following dialogue took place between the two examiners (the old one was sitting on the road side, the blond one on the sidewalk side. Both women):
O.O.: It's a little far from the sidewalk, isn't it?
B.O.: Eh, a bit...
O.O.: How much exactly?
B.O.: Eh... just on the limit.
O.O.: Well, if it's on the limit...
Then I was released. I wasn't even sure I had made it or not (was suspecting I had, because the instructor had told me "if you fail, they'll tell you. If they don't tell you you failed, it means you've passed" - they don't actually say the words "you've passed"), until all the students were done and the accompanying instructor was free to confirm who had passed it and who had failed. He named three students that failed, and I wasn't among them, therefore, I passed! *OMGfaints*
And I didn't promise the examiners any money, either. (It's relatively common practice, to promise the examiners some money so that they'll be a little more lenient with you. They don't take it and fail you anyway if you prove to drive very badly, but still.) So I made it with my own abilities. *smug*
...I still haven't believed it. I think they'll call me any minute now and they'll tell me, "there's been a mistake, you didn't actually pass your exam." It's... crazy. Absolutely crazy.
Within the next 20 days, my licence will be ready and I will actually be able to drive. Roads of Athens, here I come!
(I still can't believe it.)
Also, had my first Anatomy class this morning. It was good :)
I'm off for now.
Still shocked,
Anna.
OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE I PASSED IT. *hyperventilates*
We went down to the exam area - seven students and two instructors. Three students went before me - they all passed - and then it was my turn.
I was doing fine, following the signs and everything, did the backwards corner (the bane of my existence) just fine, then drove a little more, and then it was time to park.
Normally, parking is my forte. The thing is, as I was going backwards to park the car, I heard one of the examiners say "Is it getting close?" and the other one reply "Yeah, it's getting close," and I freaked out because I thought they were talking about me and that I was about to crash on the sidewalk, so I turned around the wheel and started trying to make the car parallel to the sidewalk. When I was done parking, the car was quite far from the sidewalk. Then the following dialogue took place between the two examiners (the old one was sitting on the road side, the blond one on the sidewalk side. Both women):
O.O.: It's a little far from the sidewalk, isn't it?
B.O.: Eh, a bit...
O.O.: How much exactly?
B.O.: Eh... just on the limit.
O.O.: Well, if it's on the limit...
Then I was released. I wasn't even sure I had made it or not (was suspecting I had, because the instructor had told me "if you fail, they'll tell you. If they don't tell you you failed, it means you've passed" - they don't actually say the words "you've passed"), until all the students were done and the accompanying instructor was free to confirm who had passed it and who had failed. He named three students that failed, and I wasn't among them, therefore, I passed! *OMGfaints*
And I didn't promise the examiners any money, either. (It's relatively common practice, to promise the examiners some money so that they'll be a little more lenient with you. They don't take it and fail you anyway if you prove to drive very badly, but still.) So I made it with my own abilities. *smug*
...I still haven't believed it. I think they'll call me any minute now and they'll tell me, "there's been a mistake, you didn't actually pass your exam." It's... crazy. Absolutely crazy.
Within the next 20 days, my licence will be ready and I will actually be able to drive. Roads of Athens, here I come!
(I still can't believe it.)
Also, had my first Anatomy class this morning. It was good :)
I'm off for now.
Still shocked,
Anna.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Congratulations!!!
Date: 2006-10-17 04:20 pm (UTC)now quit fainting and lets celebrate!!
Carole (/me pushes a piece of homemade far breton -typical britannian cake- with sparkling sticks to Anna)
PS: had a smal victory too today. I cooked, I mean a real homemade meal. Hadn't done it since may.
PPS: Anatomy? Do you also do autopsies or stuff like this?
Re: Congratulations!!!
Date: 2006-10-17 04:29 pm (UTC)Re: PS: Yay, you! :)
Re: PPS: We'll only do one autopsy during the semester. The rest of the classes will be theoretical examination of the body, aided by photos and sketches.
See ya,
Anna :)
Re: Congratulations!!!
Date: 2006-10-18 09:01 am (UTC)LOL
Carole
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 05:21 pm (UTC)See ya,
Anna :)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 06:26 pm (UTC)Isn't that money thing akin to bribery? *is surprised* (Yay for making it on your own abilities!)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 06:50 pm (UTC)But excuse me for not going to drive around Athens any time soon. ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 06:58 pm (UTC)See ya,
Anna :p
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 06:57 pm (UTC)Yay me! *g*
See ya,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-19 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-19 07:27 pm (UTC)Anyways. Corruption in Greece has been a problem for a very, VERY long time. I seem to remember it goes back to before Greece was even a country (with the Turks ruling us and everything) but I'm not really sure. In any case, there was a time when you could get nothing done in the public sector without paying something extra, or having an inside man in the sector in question. Until quite recently.
Little by little (I think joining the E.U. helped with that) the corruption phenomena started to diminish, and I know several people that would say that the death of a certain politican in the '90s helped too *g* The point is, things are getting better, measures are being taken. It's still not perfect (as you already realized) but it's better than it used to be. The satires of the corruption in the late 80's today seem overdramatic and lame. And, yet, back then, they were successful.
If you watch political debates over here in Greece, the representatives of all parties always repeat the same thing: the other party is corrupted and if you vote for us, we'll do everything in our power to end corruption :p Just because Greece has suffered so much from corruption.
Hehe, I guess our environmental influences show up again. I knew things in Greece are worse than in other countries, but I hadn't expected that comment to make such an impression. I was expecting that someone would pipe up with, 'oh, yeah, that-person-I-know ended up failing several times, and eventually they had to pay the examiner to pass the exam,' or something. I am, of course, against corruption (in fact, I have the most meritocratic beliefs you can find) but somehow it's been imprinted in my head that this is something that happens.
See ya,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 07:01 pm (UTC)Seriously, people promise the examiners money? That's really unfair! It's actually commonly done?
Well done!
Indy.x ♥
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 08:23 pm (UTC)Yeah - it's common knowledge that a little bit of extra money will help you get you the licence :( Then again, you get cases like that of the girl who was taking the exam after me. She had promised to pay them something - yet she was failed mere seconds after starting the car, because at deparking she almost fell on the car parked in front of hers. And cases like mine, where the same examiner is lenient even knowing I wouldn't give any extra money. So it's no guarantee.
See ya,
Anna :)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 08:45 pm (UTC)Thanks! :)
See ya,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-18 02:37 pm (UTC)And, thanks! :)
See ya,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-17 10:27 pm (UTC)I failed...TWICE...got the same freaking evil so and so but the third time is the charm i guess...and a diff instructor helps as well
lol
no subject
Date: 2006-10-18 02:37 pm (UTC)Thanks! :D
See ya,
Anna.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-18 12:43 am (UTC)God, sorry for not replying to this earlier. :\ I FAIL AT LIFE.
And of course there hasn't been a mistake, you paranoid girl. I'm sure you did excellently. :) Because ANNA IS GOOD AT EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING.
But that's pretty awesome, that you have a driver's license. =]
♥ Annie
no subject
Date: 2006-10-18 02:39 pm (UTC)LOL, you're not late, I just posted this yesterday :D Not even 24 hours have passed yet! :D
Thanks! :)
See ya,
Anna :)
no subject
Date: 2006-10-19 06:59 pm (UTC)See ya,
Anna.