curtis trent F A L L 2 0 1 5 | W E S T W O R L D A L B E R T A 37
Who's Behind
the Wheel
Every driver has challenges, whether it be learning the ropes
in a new country, navigating country roads or simply starting
from scratch. Here, three unique drivers share their stories.
H
e may have come halfway across the world
to live in Edmonton, but Metkel Habte
got his Alberta driver's licence for many of
the same reasons any Canadian does – the
freedom of mobility. e ability to get from
point A to point B and to explore new places at his own
convenience was an integral part of improving his life.
Three years ago, Habte moved to Edmonton
from Sudan. He picked up a job working in a ware-
house on the north side of the city. ough his work-
place was only 10 km from his home, the public
transit commute was 90 minutes one-way. "I had to
make two bus connections so I spent a lot of time
waiting at bus stops. I couldn't wait to drive to work
one day," says Habte.
at all changed last winter when Habte bought
his first car in Alberta. His 90-minute one-way com-
mute was cut drastically down to 15 minutes. His
new-found freedom also took him on a road trip to
Jasper to see the mountains.
Driving in Edmonton is definitely different than
driving in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, says
Habte. In Khartoum, where the population is more
than 5.5 million, traffic is congested and there are
THE NEW CANADIAN: METKEL HABTE
by Justin Bell
If you already have some
driving experience, but
want to feel more confi-
dent on the road, take a
Brush-up lesson or a
Winter Driving Course.
AMADriverEducation.ca
