The good news is ...

...the number one of my Bucket list turned to red !

This is the story of MY DRIVING LICENCE !

My great grand mother died in 2006. She had three daughters, my Grand Ma and two others.

The relationship between my GGM and my GM were terrible, since the first day to the last one. 

So when she died and left an inheritance, my Grand Ma decided to keep nothing and give it to us, my brothers, sister and I, after giving a part to my Mum.

My Grand Parents told me that it will help me to pay my driving licence.

In France, you have three solutions : 

- driving accompanied by a qualified driver : you begin at 16, you have to drive 20 hours with your driving school, and then, you have to drive 3000km in 3 years. And so, you have to be 18 years old to pass the driving test. You pay around 1300 euros.

- driving with the driving school during 20 h : after the first test (the theoretical one), you drive 20h with the driving school, but if you want to do more, you can, you just have to pay 50 euros the hour. And then, if you are 18 y.o, you can pass the driving test. You pay around 1100 euros.

- driving with the driving school during 25 h : same thing. But you pay around 1200 euros.

I choose the last one, the 25 hours. I went to my sister's driving school.

I began the first part, but not seriously, because I was in 4th year of studies and had a lot of things to do. At this time, I wanted my Master degree before the rest !

After the graduation, I went back to the driving school, pass the theoretical test and got it with just one bad answer. It was in February 2008, one year after my subscription. 

I began to drive the same day, and drove 30 hours (so, I paid 5 hours more, so, 250 euros). Never the same instructor, no teaching support, no communication between the instructors. So everytime I was driving I was hearing "you cannot try the driving test, you cannot drive alone".

I was arriving 5 or 10 minutes before the hour, the instructor was leaving me 10 or 15 before the end of the hour. Sometimes there was break of 10 minutes... The hour was never a real hour.

I choose to quit. One day, I was asking new driving hours, asking them per 2. The instructor of the day, a stupid old bitch, said "Oh no, she cannot drive two hours, it's impossible !"

Just ... WHAT ?

She doesn't know me, she was mean, and stupid, and was not listening to what I was saying, she came late and left me before the end of the hour, and I was the wrong one ? I yelled in the office and left.

30 minutes later, the stupid bitch of the office (yes she is : no hello when you come in, always unpleasant, the kindness was appearing when she was saying "are you paying by check or visa ?"), so, she called me trying to save the situation, I told her I didn't want the hours. The next Saturday, my parents went to the driving school and asked me to not come. I stood home. And it was better, because when my Dad want to make a justified scandal in public, he's the best. This is how I left my first driving school. 

I left for a new one. And everything was different. The guy, Jamel, was really nice and kept me during two hours to talk. He was feeling that was I loosing hope. I signed with them for 20 hours. 

I began late August 2008. And passed the driving test a first time few days before moving to Lyon. He said it doesn't matter because almost everybody fails the first time. The problem was that, because I failed, I had to pay 150 euros more, just to have the possibility of trying a second time.

The second time was a mistake, and we both, Jamel and I, agreed that I lost 150 euros.

Everytime I was coming back to Versailles, I was trying to drive with the driving school. I couldn't drive with my parents because it's forbidden. 

I tried a third time in February 2009, before going back to Lyon and beginning my internship.

I moved back to Versailles, went back to the driving school, tried a fourth time and failed. 

I was loosing hope. Really, and Jamel felt it too. He said to me to take a little bit of time, trying to think about something else before coming back with hope and strength ! That's what I did. 

I came back around October, drove drove, tried on December 28th and failed. 

5th time. Big failure. I knew I add to pass everything (theory and practice) a new time.

I needed around 6 months to get over it. One night, I dreamt about driving, felt that I was missing driving, and choose to go back to the driving school. 

Jamel was happy to see me, I think that he was understanding why I took so much time. He comforted me and I was feeling good. He knew that I spent a lot of money for this, that I was motivated, and so, he suggested me some special prices.

I went back to the dark room with the question, pass the theoretical test, got it, and went back to the car. 

Serge, Estelle, Sylvette, and Pierre all shooked me.

Estelle yelled and joked.

Sylvette fixed my hands on the wheel.

Pierre fixed my feet, my eyes. Well, no, he killed my feet !

Jamel suggested me December 24th. I said ok. 

I was driving everyday that week, and so, I said to my parents that on December 24th, I had two hours of driving. OK.

December 24th, snow.

Estelle was the instructor with us. She said that because it was Christmas, she bought some chocolate for the inspectors...

We arrived at the Center, closed. The parking disappeared under the snow. W.T.F ?

Estelle called Jamel, Jamel called the Préfecture, the Préfecture said "well, your inspector is gonna be late. Yes it's snowing but we cannot say if you will drive or not..."

The inspector arrived one hour later (the chocolate was almost finished...)

Both left us to see how the road was. Thank God, the attendant, Momo, was here, he couldn't open the gate (blocked because of the snow), but suggest a warm place in his car. At this moment, the 4 candidates were sure that the exam was cancelled.

They come back, and the inspector say "I have to cancel the two firsts" ... Ok.

20 minutes later, she (the inspector was a she that day) says "well, I go back with your instructor to see how the road is..."... The four of us "Are you stupid or what ? It's snowing more than earlier.... You really think that the road is gonna be clean ?"

In their car, the inspector says "I would like to see how it is in Bièvres" (a village where we can go when we're driving ...), Estelled laughed saying that no, she won't go there !

They came back, the exam was cancelled. No kidding ? You needed 3 hours to decide it ???

I was so sad ! I wanted my driving licence for Christmas !!

I called after Christmas to have news. Jamel said, we can try on January 4th if you want. Deal.

January 4th was the day after my back-to-work day... 

On Monday, I told to my boss that I had an appointment in Versailles, and that I didn't know how long it will be. She said ok.

To my parents, well, I was going to work, as an usual day.

We were four. One guy was just 18, and one of the two others was the one who was supposed to pass it on December 24th with me.

Nadia drove us to the Exam Center, we had to wait for Estelle there. Estelle had other Driving test at 8:00 that day, we were at 10:00.

We waited, talked, laughed, tried to forget where we were. 

I didn't know that inspector.

The 18 y.o boy went, he came back angry, saying that the instructor was a jerk... bla bla bla. And then he asked me "is it wrong to not have the indicator when you stop your car" ... eh... YEAH !

The unknown-but-funny one went... He came back without a smile. He didn't know what to think about his driving.

Then the Dec.24th-guy went. He came back, 35 minutes, smiling, jumping, and joking. He told me the inspector was really cool and that I will have it.

I went inside the car. Installed myself, switch on the ignition. The inspector explained me the rules, and add "The situation is serious !" I was terrified !! What's wrong ???? "It's almost 12:00 and at 12:00 I'm hungry !". He was so serious, but was joking. And then, Estelle and the inspector were talking about sport, Estelle was saying she wanted to go back to the swimming pool, she was making some jokes, I was good. He said "don't forget to breathe", and everything was good. 

We drove the 35 minutes, and I thought that it was just 10minutes. We came back to the Exam Center, he wished me a nice day. I was good. 

Estelle told us that she was pretty sure that the two first failed, but that is was good for he and I. We were really really good !!!

Only one problem, before, they were telling you if it was good or not. Some inspectors had problems, so now, you have to wait for your postman....

My postman changed before Christmas. With the ancient one, the letter could have been in my mail box around 10:30... The new one bring it to me at 12:00 !!!!

I saw it and felt "it is sooooo light !!", I opened the envelope and saw "favourable". So I called Dad, and posted on Facebook. Now I wait for Mum to come back, and I see my Grand Parents this afternoon !

3 years and 116 hours of driving later, I can say that I have my driving licence !

Everything is fine !! Thank you !!