This would never happen in Sweden.

I knew all the time that my drivers license was going to expire on the May 28. I knew this a long time ago. I also know—I was there last year—that to renew one or get a new one is a very unpleasant experience. But I guess all bad experiences fade over with time.

Twice, I booked an appointment via the Florida Department of Highway Internet page, but I was unable to keep the appointment twice. All this time I was procrastinating and didn’t renew my drivers license until last week, when I faced the fact that I had four days left, and I planned to spend three of those in New York. Well, I couldn’t cancel my trip to the metropolitan city of the world, could I? And I needed my license to be able to attend school, thus I there was nothing I could do but to go to FLHSMV last Wednesday.

I had already been delayed by my morning meeting with my company, thus I arrived at the highway department around eleven o’clock, which that in itself condemned me to fail. The line was so long that people were standing outside along the whole plaza.

I took my place in the line and asked about the chances of getting into the building. In response to that, I got a sarcastic answer that some people there had been in line since 7.30 and they were still outside. My chances and my hopes of renewing my drivers license were fading with each hour I spent in line.

Sometimes, I was witness to bursting patience of poor people and their brave attempt to enter the “holy” building, but they were turned back by a strict security guard or by the threat of being subject to police interference. At least we were condescendingly informed, after two hours of waiting, that the folks inside were those who had made an appointment and our issues were going to be handled after all those people.

So around three o’clock, severe personnel had a mercy on us, and after double checking all required documents, which I had the whole bunch in my hands, six people and I (from the whole line) were allowed to enter.

I could continue with three pages more about the anxiety and apprehension that I experience during my hours of waiting inside the office, but I don’t want to intimidate you in case you need to go there one day. I just want to finish my story about my bad experience with the FLHSMV service with some advice to you guys: Do not procrastinate when getting your drivers license, and get an appointment in advance; thus you can skip all troubles and hassles that I had with it.

P.S: At six o’clock, completely exhausted and tired, I prevailed upon stolid faces of FLHSMV personal and their tiresome procedures and got my license renewed.