I'm about to embark on a trip during which I will visit two states of the USA that I've never been to before, Nebraska and Iowa (where Jim Kirk is actually from -- he only *works* in outer space).
Incidentally, I will also Meet The Family. Woohoo! Wish me luck.
Nevermind hurricane Earl -- he'll soon be downgraded to tropical storm, if that.
The real hazard? There's a new driver at large.
As of today noon(-ish), I am the proud holder of a Massachusetts learner's permit, which authorizes me to drive a class D motor vehicle (otherwise known as a "car") on the roads of the Commonwealth.
Oh, FYI, Massachusetts likes to call itself a commonwealth rather
than a state -- blame it on East Coast elitism if you will, that's what
Real Americans(TM Sarah Palin, 2008) do all the time.
Not that the piece of paper means much -- after all, I've been driving around (mostly supervised by my lovely tutor, "she of the nerves of steel", but occasionally on my own) for over a month now (in perfect legality, with my Belgian license which is valid for one year from the date I enter the US -- and that gets reset every time I hop out and back into the country) but eventually I do want a US license, if only so I can go out for a drink without carrying my passport around. This is a significant step in that direction (primarily the license, not the drinking), and it proves that at least I've made an effort to learn the local rules (i.e. I passed the written test).
Speaking of local rules, "turn on red" is my favorite. Basically, you're allowed to drive through a red traffic light if you're turning right (or, under some very specific conditions, left). I'm still getting used to it, but it is incredibly convenient.
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