…THROUGH MY EYES ✨

I went for driving lessons after graduating high school, I was 18, waiting for my KCSE results. My parents wanted to keep me busy, so they suggested it, and I agreed thinking it wouldn’t be so bad to have a license. Plus the thought of all the money and time I’d save driving to school as opposed to public transportation ultimately sealed the deal for me. I went for the lessons someplace close to home, I opted for the morning lessons, so I would have the rest of the day to practice. The first hour was for theory, and the rest of the 2 hours, practical, which entailed driving the car, in my case a lorry.

This went on for about 5 weeks. I would go back home, and practice using my dad’s pickup. It was a manual and seeing as my driving test would be with a manual car, it was good practice. I took the test along with my other classmates and I passed! I remember texting my best friend at the time with the news, because the test instructors were so intimidating I was sure they’d lead to my failure due to nervousness.

Two weeks later, I got my permit, which is the document you’re given before the license is reproduced. It gave me the right to drive, so I took my mum’s car and together with my brother went for a drive around the estate. Up until that day, I had not driven an automatic car, so it was difficult getting the hang of it, plus my lessons at school had me driving for short distances. It was scary, and I hit our gate on the way out and everyone flipped, and on our way to my friend’s house, I almost hit someone else’s car while reversing. Needless to say that was it, I ended up too freaked out to drive so I parked, got out of the car and had my brother drive us the rest of the way.

I never got the courage to drive again, just the thought of being at the driver’s seat gave me so much anxiety, so I became the girl who was driven everywhere. I never thought much of it especially because at the time I wasn’t going places I couldn’t get to using public transportation. Later on, my license came out and I went to pick it up. I didn’t use it for 4 years, It gathered dust in my room. After graduating college, I didn’t get a job immediately so I joined USIU to do my Master’s. The classes I had, took place in the evening, so I didn’t get home till 10pm using public transport. I hated commuting to school, so at the time I wished  more than anything that I could drive myself to school. Anyway, cut to June 2018, I completed my coursework in grad school, my contract at work expired, and I suddenly had all these free time. The day I decided to pick up driving again was on a Saturday. I wanted to buy some items at the TWO Rivers mall, going by matatu seemed like such a tedious job at the time. My brother, who had moved out months ago, couldn’t drive me. That is when I realized I needed to get over my fear. Luckily, a driving school had just opened up in our estate, and they were offering remedial classes, I signed up immediately. I figured 5 lessons, with an automatic car would help. By lesson 3 I was driving both my parent’s car on my own around the estate. By lesson 5 I could drive myself without needing instructions from the instructor. It’s been 3 months since my remedial lessons and I LOVE driving! I take myself to school, the mall, and just last week I drove to my friends place in Gatundu to visit her. I have the confidence and the skill and I couldn’t be happier. Driving has become like reading to me, in that it’s such a great escape. I don’t regret the time it took to gain the courage I needed to get behind the wheel of a car. I had to do it for me, not because my parents wanted me to. I am a big believer of timing, so if you’re scared of driving, don’t be swayed by outside forces, take your time.