Last day at work

Six months back I started to work in the university as a research assistant. My contract was for six months and today is the last day of that contract. It's like I am writing a paragraph on "Last day at school" in an English exam during my secondary school life :)

Like everyday, today I came to office as usual. I didn't do any work the whole day. I had meeting and then I was busy in arranging my folders and documents. If I had to return the laptop today then I need to transfer all my personal stuffs from here. Since 2 pm I have been looking for my supervisor and for the secretary but they were not available. Finally I got my supervisor in his room around 5 pm and I went to tell him that it's my last day at work. He thanked me to work with him and mentioned that he will let me know if he has some other work for me. He also said that I can keep the laptop until I finish my thesis. So I need not to return the laptop today :D

Right now I am preparing to leave the office. Since I could not meet the secretary today I have to return the key tomorrow. Before that I need to take all my personal stuffs from this room. Time just flies. Six months just passed so quickly.


Programming solution

Nice Eid-Ul-Adha

It is my 4th Eid since I left Dhaka. At first I did not notice it. Time just passes so quickly. This time the Eid is on weekday but still it was a nice one.

For me, the day started with Eid prayer. The prayer started around 10 am and the place was just 10 minutes walk from my home. After the prayer I went to university to work. In the afternoon we went to jummah prayer. From there all of us went to Badal vi's home to accompany them in lunch :D The lunch was so nice with lots of delicious dishes. It was not possible for me to stay there for long after the lunch because I had a class. I did not want to go but I had to. The class finished at 4 pm. I returned home right after the class and rested for an hour to prepare myself for another invitation. I knew that it would be full of delicious dishes too :D

Around 6 pm we went to Miraj vi's home and it was a gathering of around 30 people. They have 3 young kids, still they managed to prepare lots of food for us. We were so amazed to see the dining table with all those foods. We had a full-tummy dinner. After the dinner we started gossiping with several deserts. Saad sang five songs. He sings really well. It was a nice gathering.

It seemed that noboday wanted to leave :P Finally we left around 01:30 am. it was 2 am when I came home. I was so tired but I could not sleep soon. I was missing my family. So I called my home around 03:30 am because it was 08:30 am in Dhaka. I talked to my mom for a long time. I also called some of my relatives. Finally I went to sleep around 5 am. To sum it up, the Eid this year was good but for sure the best would be in Dhaka.


Programming solution

Parata party on Saturday night

Last weekend on Saturday night we had parata party in my apartment. We were only 3 guys. Tareq, Saad and me. It was planned earlier when we went to play badminton in the morning. I cooked beef curry with onion, tomato and cabbage in the afternoon. In the evening we played table tennis and returned around 9 pm. Then we started making parata.

None of us is expert in parata making :P Moreover we didn't have the exact tool, the rolling pin, to make good shape. Saad just used a tall glass as a replacement :D The parata was really good though. We made twelve parata for three of us and had a full-tummy dinner with 4 pieces each with beef curry :)

Here goes some pictures of that night.



Saad is making parata; I am just helping him.




These are some that we made. Not so good-looking :P




After baking. We put less butter while baking.




Prepared to start dinner.




Parata with beef curry. The curry was very oily.


Programming solution

Got poker chips as a gift

Last month Gagan and Shanila came to Tampere to visit me. Actually they went to Helsinki to apply for UK visa and on the way back to Oulu they stopped over my place and stayed for 2 nights. We spent the weekend together.

They came with a nice gift for me. That is a poker chip set. Previously I was talking with Gagan that I am thinking to buy a set of poker chips. He kept that in his mind, and when they came here they did not forget to bring one for me as a gift. Its a nice gift. I liked it very much. Thanks to both Gagan and Shanila :)





This is the chip set in the box. 4 different types.






Arranged on the table as if I am playing with Phil Ivey :D


Programming solution

Early winter this year

Winter came early this year. Since the last week of September it is cold and it started snowing in the last week of October whereas last year it was 16 November when I saw first snowfall in my life. Its only the first week of November and all the streets of Tampere are covered with white thick snow.


For last two days it has been snowing. The whole day today it was snowing. So there are thick snow in the streets. My shoes were drown in the snow while I was coming home from university this evening. Its nice to see white all around you.


I hope the temperature will not rise to positive so that the snow will remain. Its really disgusting when the temperature is +1 or +2 and snow is melting. Consequently you will experience dirty and wet street which is not so pleasant. But the fact is this snow will melt and the streets will get dirty. Moreover, dark December is ahead of me. I wish I could make a hyper jump to February.


Programming solution

Cleaning up for Eid

Its been my practice to have a haircut before eid day. This time I am having my third(last year 1 eidul fitr & 1 eidul azha) eid in Finland and as always I had a haircut. This time not in any ordinary salon, rather it is Eamon's Hair Dresser :D Yes I had the haircut of my own.


Its difficult to cut your own hair, mostly the back side of head where you cannot see. I did a blunder on the back side but its not much visible. So it is just ok. Let's have a look at myself :P

Programming solution

First exam in the new academic year

Today I have appeared in the first exam of the new academic year 2009-2010. The exam was on Introduction to Object Oriented Programming. The exam was not so well I guess. I made some silly mistakes as always. I hope I can still get some better grade. Just wish me luck.



Programming solution

Experience skype

I used skype several times before but I am not a regular user of it. I used it while I was working in BordingVista. I also used it in my home back in Dhaka to transfer some file since I knew skype is really good in file transferring. When I came to Finland, I found skype is popular in Europe. European people like skype than yahoo messenger. Yahoo messenger became so heavy these days. I don't know why it occupies hell lot of memories. Recently I heard that skype has a new feature called screen sharing in its 4.1 version. Sometimes I need to operate some remote pc and I thought to try skype for it. But skype's screen sharing is just continuous screen shot of the remote pc, you cannot have the control privilege. I was kinda disappointed but then I just tried the voice call and video conference in skype and it was really astounding. It seems I am talking landline-to-landline phone in the same city and the cam was like a movie, so smooth. I am so convinced and satisfied with the performance of skype. From now on, I will use skype regularly and I think I will try to shift to skype from yahoo messenger slowly, for sure it will take time.

Those who wants to try it, can download from here.


Programming solution

Brownout in Finland :-O

This afternoon around half past three, while using my laptop, suddenly the monitor's display dimmed and I lost the internet connection. I looked at the internet hub and found that it's out of power and then I noticed that my laptop is running on battery. I was so amazed. I put my room light on and it did not lit. Now I am really amazed. This is happening for the first time during my 1 year stay here in Tampere. The power was off. I don't know the reason but it was a long brownout in the context of Finland. It was off for almost 20 minutes. I had nothing to do but lying on my bed during that time. This was one of the few times that I was in bed not for sleeping. Yea its true; while being in my room most of the time I am just on my chair sitting before my laptop watching or doing something.


Programming solution

Convocation of Miraj vi and Farzan vi

Yesterday was the convocation of Miraj vi and Farzan vi. Miraj vi finished his Ph.D. few months back and Farzan vi just completed his masters from Communication Engineering Department. Yesterday afternoon they got the certificates. Later at night we had a nice iftar and dinner in Miraj vi's home.

Here goes some pictures from the ceremony.




A nice chorus song to start the ceremony





The rector is announcing the names and giving the certificates





Smiling Farzan vi with flowers from well wishers





Miraj vi and his family





Sharing his certificate :D





... and his flowers too :P


Programming solution

Second Ramadan in Finland

This is the second Ramadan I am passing in Finland. It started yesterday. This year it is longer than the previous year, more than 18 hours fasting. Good that you do not perspire here so you wont feel thirsty.

The first Ramadan was nice. We, the Bangladeshi community here, had the iftar together. Every family came with a dish and finally there were lots of items. The iftar ended with a full tummy dinner.

Here are some pictures of the first iftar of this year.




The plates are being arranged





The fruit salad





Everything is ready




Programming solution

1 year since I left my home

Today is 16 August, 2009. Exactly the same day I left my home in Dhaka. On 16 August, 2008 very early in the morning I started my journey. I have passed a whole year being apart from my family. Time passes so quickly. It seems that I came here only few months back but actually its a a long time.


In this one year so many things happened. I have completed most of my masters courses, I did very difficult outdoor job for 6 months, I have learned to live alone, I got job in the university, I met my very special one and so on but what I cannot do yet is fixing a date to go to my home :( It is still uncertain. I don't know when I will be able to manage everything and tell my mom over the phone that I am coming home in few weeks. So many things need to be fixed. I wish it wont take long time to visit my home :)



Programming solution

First ever fishing :)

It was long time ago when I tried fishing for the first time in my life, may be 16-17 years back. That was in my village and I was just a kid then. I tried for a long time but, so far I remember, I did not get any fish. After that very first time more than a decade passed but I never got a chance for fishing. Luckily yesterday once again the chance came for me.


Badal vi wanted to go for fishing along with his family and he asked shaikat vi's family and me to go with them. I did not want to loose the chance, so I agreed to go with them. We went to the rose garden in Hatanpa. Beside the rose garden there is a lake and Badal vi and me started fishing in that lake while others were just gossiping and roaming around. With my very less experience in fishing I was not very hopeful to get any fish but suddenly I got one after 20 minutes may be. At that time badal vi was on his four I think. I was having hard time with timing. As time passed by I was beginning to learn when to pull the hook and amazingly I started to get fishes. We were there for almost three hours. We got forty fishes in total and I got twelve, not a bad start though :) Later, at night, we processed the fishes in Badal vi's home and had dinner with khichuri and fried fish :D


Here goes some picture of the day




Looking at the water with much concentration





The first one I got. Shaikat vi came to help me





It jumped of suddenly





Finally Shaikat vi could manage to grab it





We got these within an hour I think





Lots of fried fishes. The camera was not focused well :(




Programming solution

Got diploma for volunteering

The European Youth Olympic Festival organizing committee gave us a diploma for working as volunteers during the festival. In my certificate it is written that I worked 18-25 July as a volunteer in 10th European Youth Olympic Festival in Tampere, Finland. In the recommendation letter they said I worked 8 hours per day. I don't know where will I use this certificate in future but still it gave me good feeling when I received the diploma.




Here is the diploma they gave all the volunteers





Here is the recommendation letter from the volunteer manager




Programming solution

My resident permit extended

When I came to Finland my student visa was for a year, from 5 August, 2008 to 5 August, 2009. So it was time for me to apply for an extension since I have to stay here for couple of years more. I applied last month and today i just got the extended student resident permit for one more year. Now my staying here in Finland is valid until 5 August, 2010.

Here is my extended Finnish resident permit :)






Programming solution

Trip to strawberry garden

Today we, 19 people, including kids, went to strawberry garden. There were 3 cars. We started around 1 pm. It took almost an hour to reach the garden. After entering into the garden we started to take out the strawberries. There were different kinds of strawberries. The rule of the garden is you can eat as many strawberries as you want but you have to buy the amount you want to bring home. Just beside the strawberry garden there was green pea garden as well. We ate lots of strawberries and green peas. I did not buy any, I just ate to the fullest of my tummy :D

We were there until 4 pm. It became very gloomy at the end. We had coffee, cake and coke. Then we got into the cars and it started raining. I never saw this heavy rain in Finland. It was somewhat like the rain of our country, Bangladesh.

Here are two of my pictures.




With strawberry





Just before coming back. Suddenly it became very gloomy.




Programming solution

10th EYOF is closed

Yesterday, 24 July, 2009, the 10th EYOF has come to an end. The festival was for a week. Throughout the week Tampere city was in festival mood. It was nice to see lots of people in the streets with colorful sports outfit. Yesterday was the closing ceremony. It held in Tampere stadium called Ratina. I went to the closing ceremony. I didn't have any responsibility this time as a volunteer. So I just sat in the gallery and enjoyed the program. Next year it will be held in Turkey. So the chairman of European Olympic Committee(EOC) thanked Tampere for a wonderful arrangement and declare Turkey as the organiser of the 11th in 2011. Here are some pictures from the opening ceremony.





Kids made a nice display with long cloths





Here they come





The back side of the gallery was totally empty :D





The young athletes





The official song for this festival is going on. It was raining a bit




Programming solution

EYOF 2009 and volunteering

Its been long time I am not posting in my blog. Somehow I could not manage to write here. I think now its time to start writing again :)


Tampere is arranging the European Youth Olympic Festival(EYOF) this year. This youth olympic held in every 2 years. All the athletes must be under 19 to participate. This year 49 countries are participating. I always have interest about this kinda big sporting activities. When I heard about it I was excited to see it live because my university is inside the olympic village. So as soon as I heard they need lots of volunteers to make it a nice event I went to the website at once and applied for it. They approved me and now I am a part of this EYOF 2009.


I became an eco advisor. I have to encourage all the athletes, team members and also the spectators to be environment friendly. Where to put the waste and how, means in exact position - bio waste and plastics should not be mixed up. All these wastes will be recyled later and bio fuel will be produced from these so if those are mixed up it will be difficult to recycle. Beside being an eco advisor I also got chance to be a volunteer in the opening ceremony in Tampere ice hall. I was a spectator guide there. It was really a nice experience to see the opening ceremony live. It was a short but very nice program.


I became a volunteer just to be a part of this festival. I didn't know that there are some benefits as well. I got nice volunteer outfit - Tshirt, 3/4 trousers, cap and back pack. They gave an ID card to all the volunteers and with that we get free lunch in one of the restaurent here in the olympic village from 13-30 July. This card is also working as my bus pass during the festival. I need not to pay in any bus inside Tampere. Nice benefits huh :D The best part is I get to know many people by this. Lots of people came from many countries and I have to work with them. There will be a grand party for all the volunteers when the festival is over. Hopefully it will be a nice party with lots of foods :)




Programming solution

First week of my work

Its been a week that I joined my work. I wrote about the first day before. After that my room is changed. They allocated me a new room. Another person was already in that room. So I have to share the room with him but he didn't show up yet. Since this is the beginning I am gathering idea about my work and do necessary document review. I will try to give update from time to time. Let's have a look in my room.




This is my desk





Me, reviewing some documents.




Programming solution

First day in my job

Today I joined my job in the university. In the morning I attended the weekly meeting. To my amazement everybody talks in Finnish language in this meeting. I was just sitting in one corner and having coffee. after half an hour the secretary who was sitting beside me told me to introduce myself. I greet everybody in Finnish laguage(Huomenta - goodmorning), told my name, country, my program, my project etc. The meeting was short. At the end, one of the teachers came with his new born baby and a big cake. Everybody was seeing the baby in the perambulator and then had the cake.

After the meeting, the secretary showed me my room. The laptop is not yet ready and my professor was extremely busy with a training program. So I had nothing to do and I decided to come back home. At 12 afternoon I came back. I had a scheduled meeting with my professor and other team members at 5 pm. So I went to the university again before 5. In the meeting, my professor explained the main goal of the project and his plan about it. I was hearing carefully but it sounded so difficult for me and I am kinda afraid if I will be able to help the team as they expect me to do.

The first day was nothing special. I even didn't enter into my room. Hopefully tomorrow I will get my laptop and I can spend some time in my room.




Programming solution