Thoughts from Driver's License Renewal

This past weekend, I went back to Jacksonville for JSU graduation. It ended up spending most of the weekend with some of my friends at JSU. We went to see Avengers, Civil War Inactment, etc. It was so much fun.

Then, today, Monday, I went to driver's license office in Jacksonville. It turned out to be something unpleasing.

They only gave me a license effective until next August, not for four years. The explanation was that my Form I-20, school document that proves my legal presence in the States, states that I am expected to complete the program in next August.

I was confused because when I got the first license, I was going to finish undergraduate program at the end of 2011, and they still gave me the license good until May 2012. It seems that as the Alabama Immigration Law was written, they also added regulation on driver's license for foreign nationals.

This may be problem because I am considering to graduate in December 2013, instead of August. For me to get license, I must have minimum of 160 days that I'm allowed to stay. If I decide to push back the graduation date to December, there is only five months of stay when I have to renew my license again. How am I gonna live in Birmingham without being legally able to drive?

I need to talk to school's immigration officer, but at least on the record, I need to push the date even further, May 2014. This will also require some paperwork. I need my advisor's letter and proof of financial support.

Good grief!!

First of all, why in the world does there need to be a limitation on international students getting a license? Especially in a state where you drive everywhere you go? Not sure if this is constitutional, but this is a kind of discrimination.

Anyway, this leads me into deep thoughts.

I realized there was only a little bit more than a year in the school. I spent five years in undergrad, so it's especially short for me. I need to look for job. Maybe OPT then H1B visa. Hopefully I can get permanent residency.

I know there are many talented people choosing to reside in the U.S. Comparing to them, I'm just working on MPA. I've never heard of any international student who gains MPA, authorized to work for nonprofit organizations and end up earning permanent residency.

There are something not appealing, but overall I love to live here. There are so many friends here. I don't want to leave this place just because I finish the school. There should be something more than that.

Not that I hate Japan. I'm proud of my country. But I feel the U.S... Alabama is the place where I belong.

I have been long wondering whether God wants me to stay in the U.S. or go back to Japan. I never saw that I would enjoy this place. As a Christian, I see the need in Japan of more believers witnessing the Gospel to Japanese people. I pray that God show me the path he wants me to take.