[Sangetsu]

In America I had a class A license, which meant I could drive pretty much anything on wheels, from cars to tractor-trailer trucks. In Florida there are several classes of licences, from A (for big trucks) to E (regular cars). To get an A license you must take the written test for all the lesser license (5 in total), pass a physical exam, and take a rather extensive driving test. The cost is not so high, about $300 for everything, but you need access to a large tuck and trailer to take the driving test.

Now I live in Japan, and getting a license here is more difficult and expensive. Driving school cost about 300,000 yen, the written test is difficult, and the driving test is nothing to laugh at. As I already had a license from America, I was not required to go to driving school, but I did have to take a written test and a driving test. I failed the driving test the first time because at the license center I went to all foreigners are failed on their first attempt. I passed on the second attempt with a group of foreigners who were all taking their test for at least their second attempt. Only one other person passed with me, everyone else failed, and some were in tears.

Honestly, getting a basic car license in Japan was more difficult than getting a big truck license in America.