Renewing Our Japanese Driver's Licenses

Today, my father-in-law gave a ride to my husband and me to what is equivalent to DMV in the U.S. Our Japanese driver's licenses had already expired, so we needed to pay additional fee for them. We didn't expect that we needed to take a two-hour lecture, and our license status became beginner drivers although we have over 10-year driving experience in Japan. :( Which means that we must attach beginner stickers on a car in order to let other drivers know our status. It's because other drivers can be more aware that we are not familiar with driving and can be more careful to drive around us. Haha! It's kind of a shame for us, but I thought that driving in Japan is not easy for us anymore because we are not familiar with driving on the left side of the road. Thus, I think we should be glad for getting beginner status. Finally, we were able to renew our Japanese driver's license. A officer said that we can renew our driver's licenses around a year before it expires. If we do so, we won't have to prepare a lot of paper works, and we can renew for a lesser fee; in addition, one's status won't change.
After coming back home, my husband and I ate Japanese curry, which my father-in-law cooked. It was very good. We really appreciated his support and kindness today.
Tomorrow, we are going to go on a road trip to Osaka. :)





   Today's Vocabulary
・ equivalent : noun / 同等のもの、等価なもの、同等物、相当物、均等、当量、相当語句、対応する言葉
     ex) There is no English equivalent for this Japanese. : この日本語に相当する英語はない。
・ equivalent : adjective / 同等の、（～に）相当する、同価値の、等価の［な］、～相当の、対応する、等しい、同等の［な］、同じ力の、同値の、対等の［な］、同意義の、相当して◆【略】equiv.
     ex) Their contributions are equivalent. : 彼らの貢献度は同等です。
     ex) You're receiving a lump-sum payment equivalent to seven percent of your current salary. : あなたは現在の給与の7％に相当する一時金を受け取ることになります。
     ex) Mass and energy are equivalent. : 質量とエネルギーは等価である。◆アルバート・アインシュ
・ equivalent to : 《be ～》～と同等である、～と等しい、～に相当する
     ex) One dollar is equivalent to 85 yen now. : 今1ドルは85円に当たる。
     ex) These documents are equivalent to endorsement by a licensed CPA here. : 当地ではこれらの書類は公認会計士による承認に匹敵します。
・ lesser : adjective /

1. より小さい［少ない・劣った・重要でない］◆通例二つのものの比較に用いられる。
2. 〔罪などが〕軽い

      ex) have lesser impact on : ～に与える影響がより小さい［少ない］
      ex) have a lesser chance of ～の可能性はもっと低い