*Content warning: strong language*
The timer starts.
One.
Two.
Three.
“Ohhh s!*t! I need to slow down!” These were my thoughts during the first part of our scooter test—the straight line. Specifically, you have to balance across a ten meter strip, which is only 60 cm wide, in 7 seconds or more. If you swerve slightly out of bounds, the lights and alarm will sound, alerting you, the DMV employee, and everyone else watching you that you already made a mistake! This straight line test can be retaken once, but after that it’s deemed an automatic fail. Here’s a video of the test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8rtX9Imt8M&t=38s Initially, I thought that this part of the test was unnecessary and cruel, but now I understand its importance in real-life driving. I often weave in between cars at a slow speed to reach the designated scooter area at a stoplight.
Once I hit six seconds, I felt relieved, yet still nervous because I still had the rest of the course to go. Cracking my knuckles while waiting at the fake stop light, I looked both ways before I made the “hook turn.” Bruh, it was the best hook turn I have ever made! The scooter turned swiftly, and my foot landed gracefully in the box. It was beautiful.
But the worst was yet to come: the awful lane-change, 90 degree left turn, and then quick U turn. THE STINKIN U-TURN. I swerved out of bounds and did not stop in time. The sirens began to blare, telling me that I failed. I looked over my shoulder, and saw our Fulbright coordinator ready to embrace me with a sympathetic, warm hug.
I tried to remain positive and happy for those who did pass the test. But instead, I was then embraced again by another friend, so cue the waterworks! In front of everyone at the DMV office, I just buried my face in her shoulder. Newsflash Fergie: big girls do cry… in public! I wanted to pass the test so that I could start feel settled in and break free of the bus schedule. I would have finally gained some independence and quality alone time beyond the walls of my room. Also, I just wanted to celebrate, merrily hang out, and bond with people that night. But no matter how hard I tried to fake it, I was sincerely upset with myself.
But now that I have passed my test the second time around *cue song Try Again by Aaliyah*, there were so many positive things that came out of my failure. Let me count the ways, eight to be exact, a lucky number because it “sounds like 發 fa1, the word for wealth, fortune and prosper in Chinese.”
My mom didn’t have to worry about me being out on the road for that week.
After I got over myself that night, my roommate gave me the cutest haircut of my life.
After a couple of hours of the test, there was a group chat among us who didn’t pass called “*insert 2 diamond emojis* in the rough.” If that’s not the epitome of a great support system, I don’t know what is.
I bonded with people I didn’t get to know during the month of orientation. Sometimes bitching about something is the best way to bond. LOL
I saw the Fulbright Kinmen staff twice more!
I practiced my Mandarin with a kind taxi driver, but I mostly said 我聽不懂。wo3 ting1 bu2 dong3. I don’t understand.
I helped a friend bring her mattress pad home from the store on her little scooter. The beds here aren’t as soft as the typical beds in the States.
I got to ride in the back of my roommate’s scooter and simply enjoy the ride. With the crisp wind in my face and the green scenery along the road, I was able to take everything in…like wow, I’m officially in Kinmen. This is my new home.
