I was able to get an earlier time and re-took the driver’s license theory test this afternoon instead of having to wait until October 10. I was more nervous during the test than is flattering to admit, and I so did not want to have to come home and tell the Internet that I failed again. Honestly, I think that the potential embarrassment of failing again was a bigger deal to me than the thought of moving one step closer to a Swedish’ driver’s license. It was bad enough having to report that I’d failed it once, but twice? Unthinkable.

For those of you who don’t know, the theory test here is hard. Exponentially harder than the written test I took to get my Idaho driver’s license when I was 15. If I remember correctly, that test was only twenty questions long and for a student fresh out of driver’s ed it was a breeze. The Swedish test is 70 questions and it covers a lot more ground than any American driver’s license test I’ve heard of. Not only are you expected to know the traffic rules and recognize the road signs, but you must also answer questions about effects of traffic on the environment, the requirements and restrictions concerning hauling a load–both on a trailer and otherwise–with your vehicle, basic first aid, vehicle maintenance, and various other obscure details that you’ve likely never thought of before the test and will just as likely never think of again.

You must get a score of 80%–or 52 questions–correct to pass the test (only 65 of the questions count, but you don’t know which 65, of course). After having failed last week with only 51 questions correct, I was sweating bullets before requesting my score this time. My heart was racing and I could barely bring myself to push the mouse button. After a couple of minutes, I worked up my courage, screwed my eyes shut, and clicked for my results. I opened my eyes tentatively and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw a big “54” under the correct-answers column.

The former A-student in me would like to be able to report that I passed with a much better score, but I’m happy enough never to have to take that test again that it doesn’t bother me (much) to have improved so little over last week. Practically speaking, I really didn’t do any better this time than last, but as long as I ended up on the right side of the 52-question requirement, you won’t hear me complaining.