a french drivers license

thats what I need.

AHHHHH!!! Now don't go getting your panties all in a twist (words of my mother) yet.

I do have to apply soon for a French drivers license but it doesn't mean I can live here long-term (yet) so don't get all worried.

So here in France and most of Europe, they will accept a drivers license from almost anywhere. I mean, if you're on holiday and renting a car, you most likely won't have any problems. As a tourist, usually they just want the money so sometimes they'll slide on a lot of things. But anyways, I drive my host families car around my area (the suburbs, I would never want to drive in Paris, those people are CUUUUUU-rAZY!!), I rented a car in Italy and drove it for a day (most liberatingly scary experience of my life, but I have survived to tell about it). SO there! But thats not enough. All the websites I have seen suggest that you (even as a visitor/tourist) should look into getting an International license. I don't know how that helps you over another countries because to my knowledge you don't have to do anything except pay a fee (as usual) and sign some papers, but here in France and most of the EU, its required that you change your license. Well, not so much change, as get that countries license. I am so blessed that I grew up in the USofA where learning to drive is cheap. If you disagree, come live in France and find out that it can take a year and 1000's of euros to get a drivers license, even as an adult. I got my permit to drive on my 15th birthday, had my license on my 16th birthday and have been going ever since. I have driven longer than some French people who are older than me, just because they can't get a license until they are 18, and thats if they have the money to do so. So, after talking to people and reading about it, I have decided its in my best interest to apply for a French drivers license. Why? Well, according to the French authority, after you have been living in France for one year, your countries license becomes void and if you are pulled over, it no longer works in that country. How crazy! But I kind of understand, if you are going to be living somewhere, you should adhere to that countries legalities and do as their people do. Then there is a big issue, apparently there are some states (and by some I mean MOST) that are not very cooperative with France, or maybe its the other way around, and so if you live in those states then you have to go through the same process as any other French person. But because I come from the most wonderful state ever to exist in the United States of America, TEXAS (woohooo) I don't have to do that. There are a select few states that, according to the French goverment, only have to pay a minimal fee and send in a few documents and voila! your license arrives on your doorstep a few weeks later! Because it won't cost but a few euros and doesn't take much work except to go figure out where to file the paperwork (and that will be a process, i am sure of it) then why not? I don't want to get stuck here in France with no ability to drive if the need arises, right? Plus its oh so fun to drive a manual when back where I come from, no one does...well, I guess I can't say that...a lot of my guy friends have super fancy sports cars and they are of coarse manual, but everyone else drives automatic. ALSO, i learned on teh French website that here in France, you have to apply for the type of car you want to drive and learned to drive, so on your license it will say whether you are licensed to drive a manual or an automatic but for me, when i apply for a french license, because in the States we don't have that, mine won't be specified meaning I can drive whatever I so please!

Ok, well thats enough for a a french lesson for y'all today! Hope you enjoyed!! I will keep you posted, don't you doubt yourself, about my French license process...should be fun! Can't wait to have a piece of documentation (other than the visa in my passport) for France. wooo hooo!!!

Good night y'all! me