Monday, June 29, 2009

You drive me crazy- Britney Spears

I am now an officially licensed Ugandan driver! I did have my International Drivers license, but that only lasts a year. The process for me to get my Ugandan license was mainly done by the missions offices here, but the final steps did have to include me. I had to take a morning off of school to drive across town with the man who was ‘taking care of it’ for me. While I forget the official name of our first stop, I remember what it was for and what happened there. It is where everyone who is bringing goods into the country has to go in order to declare things. Oddly enough, this is where part of the licensure process takes place…a large warehouse. I had to wait in a sectioned off room while the man I was with went behind the glass to talk to some people. He came back out and told me we would have to wait. I was anxious of course, wanting to get back to my room, so I gently reminded him that I didn’t have all day because I had to teach. A few minutes later he came back out talked to a man at a desk, then went back behind the glass, did a few mysterious things and returned. This is when he informed me that we could go. I was thoroughly confused. From here, he directed me to another warehouse a few kilometers away. Along the way I asked him some questions, which led him to inform me of the bribe which had taken place. Yes, in the government! Apparently what happens at that first warehouse is something to do with approval, which at that stage would have taken 4 days to clear. Really only a few minutes, but they like to take their time. So, a bribe is put forth to hurry it along. I didn’t bother asking how much. The next warehouse we went to is a company that the government hires for making digital licenses. I put in my information, then waited to be called. I sat and did some work until my name was called. From here, I proceeded to go to 4 different windows. The first was where they took my picture. Quite a neat experience actually. People are so friendly here. The two behind the desk talked to me, then took a few pictures. They even turned the screen around for me to pick which picture I wanted to use. Then they gave me a piece of paper and told me to go to a certain number window. I went there and waited in line and handed them the paper. They typed in info and printed out a piece of paper. I went onto the next numbered window and waited in a very long line, all to come out with the same piece of paper and head to the next window. At least at this window they gave me my temporary license and told me to come back in a week to get the real thing. The most amusing thing of all was that at each station that I went, each one told me that I had an amazing picture- ‘the picture of the day.’ I was able to come back 10 days later and pick up my license. Quite fun I must say to hold a drivers license of your own in another country. But at the same time, quite disturbing that it’s not only the cops who are corrupt, but the very system.

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