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...
