International Driving License

It's now official. I can drive anywhere I want to, thanks to AAA and their very cheap and convenient international/inter-american driving licenses. And actually, since Brazil is in the "America's" we had to get "Inter-American" licenses, not quite international ones. But still, I can drive anywhere in the America's that I want. :)

Even though I'm quite excited about this, there is part of me that is very scared. Scared because I know what the driving is like in Brazil. (Although I must say, it's much better then India. India is absolutely ridiculous.) Brazil is just full of very "over-excited" drivers. And speed bumps every 100 yards or so. (I'll probably take pictures and post some of all the ridiculous speed bumps when we get to Brazil. It's just something you have to get used to.) AND much to my chagrin, 99% of the vehicles have manual transmissions...........that means they are "stick-shift" vehicles. And that right there is enough to not make me want to drive.

YES, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING!!!!!!!!!

I admit, it is very embarrassing for a girl who grew up on a farm in ND to not know how to drive a stick. It's not so much I don't know how, I do. BUT I've never become proficient at this skill. I successfully have talked my dad into buying only automatics since I learned how to drive. I know............shameful. I've never driven a vehicle more then a few hours at a time, once every 4 years or so that is stick. SO, this means I need to learn. (Since my husband has absolutely NO intention of letting me off the hook and buying an automatic.) Maybe learning to become proficient at driving a stick will fall into the same category as learning how to speak Portuguese. I'LL LEARN WHEN I GET THERE. :)