Before traveling to Texas, I knew I would have a little over a week upon return to get my Costa Rica driver's license renewed. However, little did I know that I would have surgery and have my return home delayed.
So, like it or not, on Monday I had to go get my license renewed. The consequences of letting it expire would be to fulfill a new requirement to take a driver's education course and the driver's test! That did not sound like a good option!
Still weakened from the surgery only ten days earlier, I decided I would take a taxi with Kari instead of driving myself. I also took along my cane for two reasons: it would help me walk more steadily, and it might be a passport to the fast track for renewal. Kari was not only my "right hand man," but also hoped to get her Tico license for the first time.
The taxi ride to La Uruca took quite a while, and with recent price hikes, as the taxi meter climbed quickly, I had to keep reminding myself that there was really no better option. Upon arrival at the expansive campus of the Department of Public Safety, Kari told me to wait for her as she made the three block hike to a line to get a slip of paper necessary for a required bank deposit. She got to cut to the front of the line and observe first-hand the inefficiency of the disgruntled employees.
There was nowhere to sit and my energy was quickly fading. Kari and I kept texting back and forth as she waited. I finally found a concrete base of a flagpole and perched there. Knowing we would have to wait in bank lines, I finally texted Kari to say I would walk a block to the bank and start waiting through that line.
There were actually two bank lines - one outside and one inside. I'd just gotten to the head of the outside line, when Kari arrived, panting - the needed slip in her hand. We asked the guard at the bank door if we could go to the preferential window. He was not very sympathetic, but by this time I think one look at my pitiful face convinced him to let us pass by the other 30 people in line inside.
The deposit successfully made, we worked our way back four blocks to Kari's original line (fitting in a Snicker bar and some milk, in hopes of reviving me!). Again, we skipped a two block long line to talk to a guard at the door. He looked through my papers and announced, "You need to go to Paso Ancho to get authorization to put your new residency number on your license." I begged. I cried. But, there was no way around it.
We hiked the three blocks back out to the main street and caught another expensive taxi with a wild driver. From there we hiked in to another government complex and waited through a line of just one person. But, that one person took FOREVER! There was a bench there, and I sat while Kari waited - so tempted to stretch out with my sweater as a pillow under my head!
When we finally got that slip of paper, we wound our way out of the complex back to the street. By the way, outside the door we were barraged with vendors selling everything from driver's manuals to tests with the correct answers (only $4! WAY cheaper than the taxi ride!) to fake licenses!
Arriving at the Uruca complex again, we walked the three blocks back to the original door, passing by a line at least two blocks long! Technically, I should have waited through that line, but my legs could barely hold me up by now, and I was ushered to the front of the INSIDE line, which was about another 30 people!
The employee who took down my information and took my photo was not a happy camper. In fact, Kari and I prayed for all the employees there who looked like they were as happy as prison inmates.
I forced a smile for the license photo, not wanting to live for the next six years with a license reminding me of my renewal experience.
Both of us managed to get our licenses and I made it back home after a five hour fast track and $60 in taxi fees!
No comments:
Post a Comment