Aside from settling into our apartments and daily routines of shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc., we have also been organising various aspects of paperwork. Wednesday saw me and the other new Australian couple head to the Australian Embassy, currently located in the Hilton hotel (apparently they won’t move into their own building until they can get one built to Australian standards). Our task was to have our Australian drivers licences authenticated. This involved them writing a letter that explained the main information and conditions of our licences. We managed this task in about half an hour. We then needed to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have the letter authenticated and stamped. This can take several hours of waiting in line in a courtyard, but again, I think we only needed to wait about half an hour, maybe a little longer. To have both of these steps accomplished in a single morning is apparently quite an achievement. The next task is to visit the licence bureau to actually apply for the licence!
The next day our drivers took most of the new staff to the Licence Bureau to help us get our licences. Their job was not just to get us there, but also to help us to complete all the paperwork, including a form that must be filled out in Amharic script… We would never have managed it ourselves, so these men were such a blessing to us! I now have a beautifully laminated piece of paper that states that I may drive a car in Ethiopia. Of course, SIM will not actually let me drive a car until I have had a driving test to ensure that not only can I manage Ethiopian road rules, traffic and pedestrians, but in my case, also that I can handle driving on the wrong… er… right side of the road. Time for me to retrain my brain and hands; I think my feet will be able to largely do the same that they usually do in terms of clutches, brakes and accelerators! I intend to practise in the safety of the compound before I actually take my test some time later this week!
This is now the pointy end of living in Africa – paperwork African style. And I don’t envy having to learn those different driving skills – but then, your brother coped in America so you will learn new ways too.
Hi Rose, I am surprised to read that the drivers licence is so high on your priority list. I didn’t realise you’d be wanting to drive at all over there. More information required on this, where will you be going and why? (Other than for obvious reasons of independence and safety.) I’m intrigued. Be well and happy. Love Kath.
Hi Kathy. We are encouraged to get our licences so we can be a bit independent. Its mostly for simple things like going shopping, going out for coffee, getting to church and such things! We have access to a fleet of cars, mostly minivans, just needing to pay per km. Its a bit of a challenge to drive here; having an accident or hitting someone is a bit more problematic than in Australia, but thankfully it is really hard to drive fast, between the potholes, the homeless people sleeping on the median strips and the donkeys wandering freely! I am supposed to have a test on Monday afternoon. I have driven once on the compound and only stalled twice, but that was more to do with the gutless diesel engine and the steep hill than the right-hand drive thing! I think…
Hi Rose, gracious that’s a lot of hazards on the road! The pictures in my mind are vivid. Hope the diesel engine behaved and you got your licence ok. I’m glad you get to go out and about independently over there. Be adventurous! Kathy. x