Photograph by Candy

You know, in China it is so difficult to get a driver's license. I know this because my husband got one, even though he is American. Now, my Chinese child, Alex, is getting his license. It is even more difficult, it would seem for a Chinese boy to get his very first driver's license.

He has prepared for quite a long time. Several times a week he leaves the house very early to go practice driving. He has had to pay a great deal of money for this chance. He has also failed the exam several times, but there is no shame in that. Almost no one ever passes it the first time. It is very difficult, I know. He is studying right now, in fact, in the hopes that tomorrow morning he will pass the exam at last. We all hope and we all believe that this time he will be successful.

However, that is not the end of it. After he passes this test, he must prepare for yet another one. The next one will be about the laws of driving. In fact, the test is quite complicated and is in four parts. It was not quite this difficult for my husband, and it did not take as long. Of course, he is an experienced driver, and Alexander is a brand new driver, so that might be in part why it seems so complicated for this, his first license.

Alexander's fiancé, Candy, says, "He will do it, he MUST do it this time! He will succeed..." They have a deal, it seems. If he passes his driver's license exam before April 10th, Candy must take him to the movies, twice. If he loses, he must give her 200 rmb! That's definitely a good reason for him to pass. So, good luck, Alexander. We know you can do it!