When I first came to the UAE, getting a driving licence was not even on my list of things to do.
I was busy working, paying bills, figuring out life abroad and trying to find my place in a country that was still new to me. Driving felt like something other people did. I was perfectly happy getting around without it. After all, there are buses and trains everywhere and public transport makes getting around fairly easy.
Then one day, my manager came to me and said, “Your boss is offering you a chance to get your driving licence. Would you like to accept?”
Honestly,I remember feeling surprised, grateful and touched.
A driving licence in the UAE is not exactly a small gift. The process takes time, it can be expensive( i mean very very expensive) and there is plenty of pressure to pass. So having my employer offer me the opportunity was something I really appreciated.
I said yes.
Little did I know that those three letters would take me on one of the hardest journeys I have experienced while living abroad in fact in my life!
Starting From Almost Zero
I started my driving journey in Abu Dhabi at Emirates Driving School in Mussafah.
And if you know Abu Dhabi, you probably know that Mussafah is not exactly around the corner.
I was working full time while taking driving lessons, so I had to squeeze everything into my already busy schedule. I was spending at least two hours a day dealing with driving lessons and travelling to and from the school.
I would take a taxi going there because the buses took too long. Then, because I was also trying to be sensible with my money, I would take the bus back home.It became part of my routine.
My manager would also take me for practice once or twice a week whenever she had time. (This was after getting the licence). Looking back, I realise how lucky I was to have people around me who genuinely wanted to see me grow.
But there was one problem.I was scared of driving.
I had driven a little in Kenya many years earlier, but I never really continued because I was anxious and didn’t trust myself behind the wheel.
So although I had some previous experience, I honestly felt like I was starting from zero.
Six Months of Driving
The whole process took about six months.
Six months of lessons, practice, travelling to Mussafah, trying to remember road rules and convincing myself that I could actually do this.
The UAE driving system can be quite intense when you are a beginner. You have theory, simulator, parking and the final road test. And if you don’t pass, you have to go through more training and pay for another attempt.
So you really don’t want to keep hearing, “You failed.”
That word is expensive.I was determined to avoid it.
Luckily, I had patient instructors who made the process much easier for me. They didn’t shout at me or make me feel stupid when I made mistakes.They corrected me, explained things again when necessary and slowly helped me build confidence.
At first, everything seemed complicated.
Lane changes. Roundabouts.Parking.Checking mirrors.Judging distances.
Knowing when to move and when to wait. And then there were the UAE roads themselves.
Cars seemed to be moving everywhere.
I remember thinking, “How does everyone make this look so easy?”
But eventually, things started clicking.
The more I practised, the less frightening everything became.
And Then Came The Exams
This is where the real pressure started.
I somehow managed to pass my theory exam on the first attempt.
Then the parking test- Passed.
Simulator- Passed.
Road test- Passed.
All on the first attempt.
Even writing this now still makes me proud because I know how nervous I was when I started.
I remember sitting and waiting for my final road test thinking about everything that had brought me there.
Six months of lessons.
All those trips to Mussafah.
The taxis.
The buses.
The practice.
The mistakes.
The fear.
Then finally, the examiner told me that I had passed.
I felt like I could breathe again.
Honestly, it was such a good feeling.
At that moment, I thought, “I have my licence. I’m done!”
Well…
Not quite ya habibty!
Passing the Test Did Not Make Me A Driver
Getting the licence and actually feeling confident on the road were two completely different things.
At work, we had a car but I was still scared to drive alone.
I could drive with someone beside me, but when I imagined being alone on those big UAE roads, my confidence disappeared.hahah
I would sit behind the steering wheel and feel my hands shaking.
What if I made a mistake?
What if I changed lanes at the wrong time?
What if I missed an exit?
What if I got lost?
What if I damaged the car?
My mind had plenty of questions.
The license was in my wallet but the confidence was still loading.
Moving To Dubai Changed Everything
Things changed when I moved to Dubai.
My company gave me a car full time.
And suddenly, I had no choice.
I had to drive.
At first, I started with short distances.
Then slightly longer distances.
Then I became comfortable going places on my own.
Every drive gave me a little more confidence.
I made mistakes. I learned from them. I became familiar with the roads.
Eventually, something changed.
I stopped thinking about every little thing.
I would simply get into the car, start the engine and go.
I had become a driver.
Alhamdulillah.
That little Arabic word became quite appropriate for the journey because there were definitely moments when I wondered whether I would ever feel comfortable driving.
Of Course, I Have Had A Few Lessons From The Roads
I would love to say that I became a perfect driver and never made a mistake.
No.
Let’s be realistic.
I’ve had two fines in three years.
My first one was for entering a bus lane.
I genuinely didn’t know.
I was just driving happily until I received the notification.
Then I realised…
Ah.
So that was a bus lane.
Lesson learned.
My second fine was for speeding.
Another lesson.
And another reminder that the UAE roads are not the place to get too comfortable.
But for the past year, I haven’t received a single fine.
I’ll take that as progress.
From Being Afraid Of Reverse Parking To Actually Enjoying It
One of the funniest things about learning to drive is how something that once seemed impossible can eventually become completely normal.
Reverse parking used to stress me out.
Now?
Easy.
Changing lanes used to make me nervous.
Now I barely think about it.
Driving longer distances used to feel like a major mission.
Now I can just get into the car and go.Most times i drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi for work and back in the evening, such a progress yea?
Sometimes I think about the woman who was travelling all the way to Mussafah for lessons, sitting behind the wheel wondering whether she would ever become confident.
And then I look at myself now.
The difference is huge.
What Driving Taught Me About Living Abroad
Getting my UAE driving licence gave me much more than the ability to drive.
It taught me patience.
It taught me discipline.
It taught me that being afraid doesn’t necessarily mean you should stop.
And most importantly, it taught me to trust myself.
Living abroad already pushes you out of your comfort zone.
You are dealing with a different environment, different rules, different cultures and sometimes a completely different way of life.
Then you add something like learning to drive in a foreign country.
It can be overwhelming.
But sometimes, you don’t realise how capable you are until you are forced to do something that scares you.
I also learned that confidence doesn’t always come first.
Sometimes you start while you’re still scared.
You practise while you’re still nervous.
You make mistakes.
You learn.
You keep going.
And eventually, the thing that scares you becomes something you can do without even thinking about it.
Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely.
Was it stressful?
Yes.
Was it tiring?
Very.
Was there a point when I wished I had never started?
Let’s just say there were definitely days when I questioned my life choices.
But today, I’m grateful I accepted that opportunity.
My driving licence has given me freedom and independence that I didn’t have before.
I can get into my car and go where I need to go without waiting for a taxi or planning my entire day around public transport.
And perhaps more importantly, it reminded me that I am capable of doing difficult things.
Sometimes, the opportunities that scare us the most turn out to be the ones that change us the most.
For me, it started with one simple question from my manager.
“Would you like to get your driving licence?”
I said yes.
Six months later, I had a UAE driving licence.
A few years later, I was confidently driving around Dubai and the whole of UAE.
And somewhere between the fear, the practice, the fines, the parking and the endless roads, I realised I had gained something much bigger than a licence.
I had gained confidence in myself.
And honestly, that might be the best part of the whole journey.
