Toronto is the best city in Canada.

 As far as I have seen, Toronto has the best weather among all Canadian cities. It has all kinds of features, maybe in limited ways, but you won't miss them. For example, it has Lake Ontario, the Blue Mountains, the Badlands, forests, waterfalls, big cities, a green belt, small towns, rain, snow, wind, railways, subways, LRTs, streetcars, airports, jetties, ships, cruises, skyscraper buildings, cottage villages, a capital city, different cultures and living styles, malls, farmers' markets, best universities, best student grants, amusement parks, natural parks, museums, gondola, skiing, racing, different cultural programs, safari park, etc.

Now it has an official Bangla para too, where most Bangladeshi people live. You will see Bangla nameplates on the roadside shops.

That's why once people start living in Toronto, they don't want to go anywhere else. But the city is becoming increasingly expensive. Living costs are becoming unbearable, mostly in housing and groceries. For this reason alone, some people are moving out of the city. 

Now the job crisis has begun. This crisis is worsening.

Biography 48: Teena

 In my Saudi Arabia life, Teena was my best friend. We were living in the same compound in different houses. Both her parents were doctors. She was very beautiful, like her mom. She had a younger brother, named Faisal.

Both of our parents use to work full time. So, the whole day we stayed together and play together. She liked me. She told me so. Let me give you an example of her likeness.

During her aunt's marriage ceremony, they went to Bangladesh. Over there whoever says anything, she uses to reply, "Shimul apa says this thing should be done like this..... etc". Everyone became curious, who is this Shimul apa. Teena's mom replied, "Shimul apa is her Guru!"

Teena knew only one word in Arabic, "Keeda" which means, "This way". With this one word and her body language, she could explain the whole scenario. 

One day Teena's dad bought her a bicycle. I didn't know or didn't put any importance on it. But my parents thought, now I may feel bad, if they don't buy any cycle for me. So, my dad took me to the market. We were living in a small town. And in the market, my dad couldn't find any other bicycle for me but the one Teena bought. She was younger than me, so it was her size. My dad looking for something bigger but a kid's version. But none was available. So, he had to buy the same one for me. I had ridden that bicycle with the training wheel on.

Here I want to give a suggestion to all parents. If you really want your kids to learn to ride a bicycle, remove the training wheels. Otherwise, no matter how much they practice, they will never learn to ride a bicycle, like me. My mom brought that cycle to Bangladesh. It was used for kids generation after generation. My younger sisters and brother use it. My brother removed the training wheels and he is the one who learnt to ride a bicycle. Then next generation, our kids also ride that cycle, including my son Shafeen.

We returned to Bangladesh from Saudi Arabia before Teena's family did. One day Teena came to meet with us with her family. She stayed with us the whole day. In the afternoon her parents picked her up. That was the last time we met. On those days, whenever I felt upset, I wished to go to their house, but I didn't know where they live. Later I heard, they went to the USA.

Friend, for ever

I always wanted a friend, who’s brain IQ will be matched with mine. I like intelligent people. No, there won’t be any test. You can feel this, when you talk with someone. Someone makes you feel that you can talk about anything with them, you can share any good or bad news, that person can help you or at least give you suggestion. That person will be there for you always. You can call that person anytime, anywhere by asking for help or just for hangout.

But in real life, the people who were in that position, didn’t stay, didn’t tell me why they left. I assume I had irritated them too much or couldn’t full fill their expectation.

So bottom line is, I don’t have any best friend.