In July a large part of my team returned home, taking with it two of the people who had been driving me around for the last year. So, I found myself being thrown into the driver's seat. Doesn't sound like something to worry about, in fact, one might be wondering why I waited almost a year to drive here. I mean, come on, haven't I been driving for a good many years now? Haha... Well, let me just explain:
First off, I have only ever driven a standard (stick shift) when I worked at camp for two summers. I think I've driven on roads with other cars maybe 3 times tops. So, I was nervous to drive our old, rag-tag van that had a lot of problems... that also was a stick! I must also explain a few things about the van. Even though we've fixed it a few times, sometimes the gear shift is pretty loose and sometimes the steering is very loose. The brakes have also been known to have problems (though sometimes the problem is the driver...). So, as you can imagine, I wasn't too thrilled to take over the driving for our team!
Secondly (and this could easily be thirdly and fourthly), driving isn't the same here. Not sure if you've ever attempted to drive in another country, but picture a place where rules don't really get followed and you have it! My time in Peru was the scariest place driving-wise, followed by Albania for a close second, and then comes Kosovo! Let me give you a few examples!
Stop signs don't mean stop, sometimes they don't even mean slow down. Driving the wrong way on a street is okay, and it might even be "more legal" if your car is facing the right way, but headed the wrong way (driving backwards!). Pedestrians always have the right away, meaning that any person can step out in front of you at any moment and you must stop! There are cows, horses, dogs, sometimes even chickens roaming the roads and even highways. There aren't any stop lights in my city, just crazy, congested intersections where everyone tries to go at the same time. Passing people is normal and even expected. A lot of the time it happens when there is no room to be doing so... And lastly (though I have dozens of other things), I live in the mountains!
Well, I've been driving since sometime in July and I've begun to feel pretty proficient. I've driven our old van up to camp and only nearly died by sliding off the mountain once (that isn't a joke!). And so, logically it only seemed right that I should brave driving to Prishtina, the super congested capital of Kosovo, right before I go home for a few months. Oh man! The ride there was alright (apart from realizing that our steering we'd just fixed had now become worse than before- pretty hard to control!). I navigated alright within the city and parked. We got out and took care of our business, and then found the car, paid the parking attendant, and began the hour and a half trek home. Getting out of the city is tricky- there isn't just one lane of cars for every one lane of road. So, you must fight to keep your place. After you reach the last round-about (you might have to research that a bit if you are an American), you normally feel home free. Well, not anymore! The construction that began a year ago when I arrived is still going on! By construction I mean a complete demolition of the road, in hopes that one day they will repave it. So, we drive on washboard, dusty roads that shouldn't be driven on...
I am not sure what brought my stress level to the max that it was at, but I was pretty much shaking on the inside the whole way home. Cars were flying past me with barely enough room to be passing, so I was slamming on my brakes to avoid them or the other car. At one point a dog darted in front of the van. I wasn't sure what the speed limit was. The sign said 30 kilometers per hour in the work zones, but I was going 6o and everyone was frustrated at me and zooming past... even the police! And keep in mind, the steering on my van was terrible- take your foot off the accelerator and control is lost as the steering wheel begins to convulse. It takes a good 5-10 seconds to regain control of things. Well, enter 3 big trucks- when I say big, I mean huge! Two belonged to the Italian troops that are working in my city, Peja. They were massive dump trucks... and they was driving soooo slowly! I edged out and passed one of them, then the other. The last large truck in the line was a semi with a trailer attached to it, carrying a very large bull dozer of sorts (if I was a boy, I would totally know the name!). So, this was a super long and wide vehicle. I waited for a while and then I got brave and began to pass. The road was clear and I made it half way around him with no problems. Well, a bit ahead some idiot in a green truck decided to pull onto the road, leaving me no room to finish passing. Normally this is okay, since there is technically enough room for 3 cars on the road if they all know what they are doing (which really isn't me...). But you must remember who I was passing- a near impassable trailer. So, logic says, slam on your brakes and go back behind him... That would work well if there weren't also 3 other big cars behind you also passing at the same time. Who really knows what happened! God saved me, but however my nerves were shot by this point. We didn't pass this truck until we were nearly to our home city. My poor roommate who was sitting behind me, and seemed to have all the advice in the world (even though she's never driven...), got the brunt of my frustrations. But don't worry- we apologized and worked things out later... when our feet were firmly on the ground again.
And there you have it- my first driving experience to Prishtina. Wish it was the last, but chances are there will be many more to follow- Ugh!
Watch out, Kosovars, for the big red van barreling down the road. Chances are it doesn't know where it is going or what it is doing... Hopefully it can steer and brake when it passes by you!
