The Driver's License Saga:

One thing that is needed badly at the hospital is another driver. They had three, but one went back to school so that leaves only two and they take turns being on call to drive people around at night. So the doctors, when I arrived, told me that I should work on getting my Zambian drivers license. This way I can help at the hospital driving if someone needs to be picked up or if a patient needs to be transferred, or to go and get maintenance supplies.

I did not realize fully the process it is to get a Zambian drivers license though. It is just one of those things that cannot be described; it has to be experienced.

In Livingstone, there are 2 RSTA (Road Safety and Transportation Agency) offices, and depending where one is in the process determines which office one goes to. The first step is to get a medical form, which includes a physical. I work with Dan and Joan Jones, the two doctors at the hospital, so that part was not hard after going to the right office to get that form. Dr. Joan filled it out and signed it; no problem. Here is where the saga starts. The next step was to go to the other office across town and show them my medical form and pick up an application for the license. So we went there the same day seeing if I could get the application. We arrived at 14:30 and no one was there, but people were lined up 20 deep outside the office door. A good 45 minutes later the office opened; I finally got to to talk to the gentleman and he said that they don't give out the applications they fill them in right at the office. Today he was really busy so I should come back tomorrow.

On our next trip to Livingstone about a week later I stopped back at that office and the gentleman that fills out the application was not there but another man gave me an application. The rules change depending on who you talk to. He said that the gentleman would be back tomorrow and I could get helped. The next day we were back in Livingstone again. This time I had my application filled out and I was ready for the theory part of the exam-- sign identification and memorize the 10 basic rules of driving. But the office was closed due to the one year anniversary of the President of Zambia's death. They were all at a memorial service, but the office was open in the afternoon. I don't know why they did not tell me that the day before. So we waited and came back in the afternoon and had to wait in line only to be told come back tomorrow. That day they were doing practicals-- the actual driving test. I went back to the vehicle and told Dr. Joan what the gentleman had said and she decided to go and talk to him. She went and told him we were from Zimba Mission Hospital and drivers are needed and that the road in between Zimba and Livingstone is really bad so please help us. Come to find out the gentleman had had a little surgery done at the hospital and had a good experience so he told her if we wait he might be able to help us. After all the driver's tests were done, which was about two and a half hours later he helped us. He filled out all the paper work and gave me the theory test, which I did fine on, but then he said that he needed a copy of my passport and work permit. No one told me that before and it was getting pretty late. He said that he would wait while I rushed over across the street to get photocopies made. So I hurried and this step in the process was finally done. Now I had to go back to the first office I was at and pay a little money and get my photo taken. On our next trip to Livingstone we stopped at the office and I stood in line to pay, get my picture taken, and right thumb scanned. That part did not take too long, probably an hour, but they said I had to wait another week before I could get scheduled to take the test. Don't ask me why. So we waited another week and on our next trip to Livingstone I stopped by the office to get scheduled for a driving test and he said I was at the wrong office. I needed to go to the other one across town to get scheduled, then come back and pay. So we drove across town and I waited in line again to get scheduled. This time it did not take too long-- 30 minutes. Then went back across town to pay and the gentleman took my money and said,”Good luck on your test.” My test is scheduled for Tuesday Sept. 9, 2009. I will let you know how I do.