Biography 308: As a renter

I am from Bangladesh, and I have never rented a house there. After I was born, I started living with my paternal grandparents. My grandfather gave that house to my father, so I have lived in it. Then moved in with my parents. My parents began their life in a rented house abroad, and later my mother built her own apartment building in Bangladesh. We moved there, and I grew up in my mother's house.

After getting married, I started living with my in-laws. It was a rented apartment.

The first time I rented an apartment was in Canada. I generally don't like to change houses frequently. I stay in a place as long as I can. I took 3 buses to get to work but didn't move my living area. Unless I have a major reason, I stay in the same apartment.

I have seen that my landlords liked me. Nobody wanted me to leave. I have never missed or delayed the rental fee. I intentionally never broke or damaged anything in the house. My credit score is always good, over 800 most of the time.

It's in my nature to try to adapt wherever I live.

Apartment heating system

 If you are living in Canada, and in winter when your apartment's heating system isn't working properly, only you will understand how it feels. Now we are living like in a studio apartment. We left and close both bedrooms as it is too cold to survive. Moved to the living area with two queen-sized mattresses. Because room temperature is better in the living area. Though at night I felt really cold. One comforter seemed not enough. But I felt too lazy to bring another quilt. I should have, now feeling fever. From next night I will put on a quilt and a comforter before sleep.

My son said, he is feeling cold too, so he went inside his comforter and worked on his homework. I told him not to fall asleep. I hope soon we will be able to get rid of this situation. May Allah help us.

Biography 60: New apartment in Bangladesh

 After a couple of years living in Saudi Arabia, our parents decided to come back to Bangladesh permanently. Now I think, that wasn't a wise decision. They could have a much better career and good life.

While we were in Saudi, my dad took help from his friend. Through his friend, he bought land in Dhaka to settle. We never heard of that place before, but it was near Matijhil Commercial Area.

First, we rented an apartment to live near our land. So, that our parents can look after the construction work of our new home. The apartment was in 4 storied building and we started living at level 3. My Bangladeshi life started from this home.

Our landlord was a lawyer. In that area, everyone uses to say, lawyer's house. Just beside our house, a very popular movie comedian lived. He was the brother of our landlord. Later the movie star's family became our family friends. They were such a nice family.

This house was near to a school. I am and my older sister studied in that school till grade 4. Still, I have friends connected on FB from this school.

I remember one day I broke the sink in the dining room. It was a small sink to wash hands. I was very scared. Because I put my leg on it to wash and then... you know. But the landlord smiled at me and said it's OK. The next day he put a new one.

In those days, in Dhaka city, we didn't have many high-storied buildings. So, we could view "Baitul Mokarram" from the roof of our apartment. And also the Kamalapur Railway station. Hearing the rail's noise was very common.

Around us, we had big trees. Most of them are from our neighbours. But it made the apartment look very beautiful. Now all trees are gone and there is no free space around that building. All space is captured by the high-rise apartments. It's a requirement of a Megacity. Can't deny it.