Driver's License Story
A daunting driver's license journey turned into a side hustle!
This is a true story in my life. I share this story with hope, encouragement, and inspiration for overcoming a personal challenge that many come to face in life!
From a very young age, I was pretty much in love with cycling. The passion led me through childhood and teenage years to win a couple of medals. However, when I was training for a big regional competition, a horrible accident ended all my dreams. I was fortunate to be alive! On the other hand, I didn’t develop much passion for driving. I also didn’t have the nerves of steel and the required skills to drive in a city with thirteen (13) million population. Thus, I left the old country without a driver’s license (driving license/permit).
My first experience abroad was living in the beautiful city of Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia. After four (4) years, I felt the need to be able to drive around. I registered and started attending driver’s education classes that were taught in Bahasa Melayu, the local language. However, the theory book and the tests were in English, so I managed to get my license. I had lots of fun traveling around. But before leaving KL in 2015, I completely forgot to renew my driver’s license. So, I arrived in Portugal with an expired license. I mailed my license to my friend back in KL for renewal, but it couldn't be renewed without my presence. I was left with three options:
Travel back to KL and staying for at least a month to renew my license.
Travel back to my old country and apply for a new license there.
Pursue a whole new license in Portugal.
I choose option three as the other options would require leaving my work and education for at least a month or two, although not the ideal choice. I began the journey of pursuing a new driver’s license in Porto. To my surprise, there were no driving codebooks in English available. Neither any classes nor tests in English!! My only option was to do it all in Portuguese. I wasn’t happy with this situation. I went on to procrastinate and put things on the back burner for thee (3) years.
I eventually came to face the reality. I needed a car and a license to drive it. Therefore, I began the process two years ago. I registered at a driving school, got myself the codebook, and attended all the classes. It was challenging to understand the rules and regulations thoroughly. I started taking sample tests, and I did horribly, my best score was 13 out of 30. As Portuguese say, the tests are full of ratoeiras (mousetraps). I dare to say that even the locals fail at least once or twice in the original theoretical test (CĂłdigo), let alone me. The results left me disappointed and frustrated.
Moving abroad comes with a new set of challenges. The things that come so natural for locals and, at times, taken for granted are not easily adaptable to for ex-pats. Things such as meeting your loved ones frequently, dining out with family and friends, submitting your tax, and, if I may say, getting your driver’s license:) I know that we choose this way of life, and we gladly embrace such difficulties. However, there are times that some people around you find these challenges strange and question your intelligence, which isn't very comforting.
Anyway, following the disappointing online exam results, I did research and found that an official translator is permitted to translate the questions into English for me on the exam day. It was a hard struggle, but I could see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. With all due respect to my lovely Portuguese friends and colleagues, I can say that the public service providers in Portugal love bureaucracy. In this case, the translator has to go to IMT (The Institute of Mobility and Transport) a few hours before the theoretical exam and translate the questions with a paperback dictionary (no digital devices). After that, they would fax (not email) the translation to the exam center so I can have the translated questions on a printed paper.
I managed to find an incredible translator, who was very kind and motivational. She sent me a booklet that included all the traffic signs, some tests, and some of the traffic rules and regulations translated into English. Nevertheless, my main problem was still there, the lack of all the necessary information about the law. First, I had to know and understand all the relevant rules and regulations well enough, and then I could answer the tests. I finished her booklet then I tried to read the main traffic codebook, but the difficulty in understanding all the terms, due to the language barrier and lack of motivation and consistency, got me nowhere. I was down again!
One day, the driving school instructor suggested me buying the Spanish traffic codebook that was in English. I happily ordered one and started reading it, but again the rules were not 100% the same, and I couldn't answer all the questions correctly.
At this point, I was really fed up with myself! I said to myself, now that you call Portugal your home, you must learn the rules and pass the tests in Portuguese, not in English. I found my inspiration again.
Then in January 2020, I came up with a crazy idea: to buy a car without having the driver’s license:) Sounds crazy? But I did it. As a good friend told me, you got yourself a beautiful piece of outdoor furniture!! I would go to my building’s parking and start the car literally every day. This created a strong motivation. The next move was a strict deadline and a rigid schedule. The validity of the driving school registration would have expired in April 2020; therefore, I had no option but to finish it before the deadline.
I gave myself three (3) months to prepare for everything. The learning process was tedious. One night when I was studying, I had an epiphany. I thought there surely must be people out there faced with the same set of challenges. Why not turn it into a side hustle? The thought motivated me to take action.
Through years of studying and teaching, I have come to realize one thing: the best way to gain knowledge is to teach. The magic is in making things intuitive and simple fit for a child.
After reading the article "A Nobel Prize Winner's 3-Step Plan to Mastering Any Subject", I was reassured of my way of learning. The article explains how physicist Richard Feynman used a process to learn everything from playing the bongos to quantum mechanics.
I started by taking the online tests, writing down all my mistakes, and learning all the related rules and regulations in a layman's term.
Sample of my notes during my learning process.
After two (2) months of extensive learning, I went for the written exam. When it started, and I saw the test, I understood the questions in Portuguese so well that I really didn't need the English translation after all. Those sleepless nights paid off, and I managed to pass the theoretical test on the first trial (spot on...27 out of 30!).
The next step was passing the driving test (prático). I took all the necessary practical learning sessions and was ready to take the test. A day before my driving test, everything went into a pause due to the COVID-19 crisis. I was so close to reaching my goal, but I had to wait for more than three (3) months because of a complete lockdown! I had to be patient.
IMT letter with my Portuguese Driver’s License
Upon the reopening, I went for the driving test and also passed it on the first run. I was given a temporary license that I could drive until the original one arrives. I was over the moon, so I ran to get my car out.
Boom...I arrived at my parking, and I realized that I had a flat tire! Come on…not again. I had to stay patient. Anyways, I had the problem fixed, and in an hour, I was on my favorite spot in Porto, Jardim do Morro!
Last week, I finally received my original Portuguese driver’s license.
The long pursuit of this goal taught me some enduring lessons that I would like to share with you. These are some of the take-aways from my driver’s license journey:
Face your problems head-on: ignoring your challenges in fear won’t resolve them.
Sometimes, we decide not to decide! Indecision and procrastination are the enemies of happiness.
Simplify: when you want to learn a difficult concept, try to write it in simple terms. Imagine you want to teach it to a child! Learn it and write it in a simple language, then try to close the book/laptop and repeat it loud that you can hear yourself.
Plan your goal: if you want to achieve a purpose, write it down clearly, create yourself an action plan, an inspiration, a strong reason/desire, and a defined deadline.
Persevere: start your project/goal with the final result in mind. Imagine yourself having it (I took a picture of my friend's driver’s license and would look at it several times a day, imagining my own picture on it). Be consistent and persistent in your actions, and do not give up until you get your desired outcome.
Remember this spellbinding quote from the Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso, known as Ovid: “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.”
Be patient: during the process, you need to give your utmost effort and do whatever it is required by a strong faith, high spirits, and positive attitudes. Then be patient to see the results and reap the benefits. Nothing worthwhile comes easy!
As Warren Buffett says: "No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can't produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant."
Set reminders: always remember to set reminders on your calendar for important dates, such as the birthday of your loved ones, anniversary, tax declaration, and driving license expiry date that could literally save your life and time!! Funnily enough, I already added a reminder to my calendar for May 2035 (yes, 15 years later) not to forget to renew my driver’s license again:)
My driver’s license project ended with exceptional lessons and a cool side hustle. Now I am happy to officially launch a small service: “Portuguese Driving License For Expats Living In Portugal.” The idea is to help foreigners in Portugal sail smoother through their driver’s license journey.
Kudos to my fantastic translator, school instructor, and all my friends, colleagues, and loved ones who supported me during this long and thrilling journey!
I hope my story inspires you to follow your goals in life mindfully. Thank you for taking the time to read my crazy journey. I would love to hear your stories and comments. Tag someone who needs to read this!