Journey by Boat

                             A journey by boat in the river Hooghly is very pleasant. In some respects it is more pleasant than a train journey. So I had desire to make such a journey. I told some of my classmates about my plan. They also agreed to my proposal. Thus, one Sunday we resolved to go to the Botanical Gardens at Shibpur. We requested our English teacher to accompany us and be our guide. He consented very kindly. We all met at his house at noon. Then we started for the Chandpal Ghat near High Court. We reached the Ghat by tram.

                       It was the month of July. The river was full to the brim. We hired a boat. We were eight in number. We all knew how to swim. So there was no fear to go by boat. At half past one, we left the Chandpal Ghat. The current was in our favour, but the wind was against us. There were one helmsman and two oarsmen. They began to row the boat. Our boat began to go towards the south-west. When we were in the middle of the river, we saw many beautiful sights on both sides of the river. We saw many boats and steamers plying to and fro on the river. We saw many ships. They were lying at anchor. We saw the Howrah Bridge (Rabindra Setu) at some distance. A stream of people was seen moving along the bridge. We could see the rows of trees and the Fort on the eastern bank.

On the western bank we saw many mills. Ere long our boat reached the Shibpur Ghat. One of my friends thought that as we reached the Shibpur Ghat, the Botanical Gardens was not far off. But it is not so. I had an occasion to go to the Botanical Gardens once before. So I told him that it was far off from that place. The current was very strong. Our boat began to go very quickly. Soon we passed Shalimar. From here, the sight of Calcutta looked very beautiful. We could also see the beautiful buildings of the Head Office of the South-Eastern Railway at Garden Reach and many other sights. The sun was shining very brightly. So we were inside the cabin of the boat. But we could see everything through the windows. At about three the Botanical Gardens came in sight. We also saw the Engineering College at Shibpur. Within a short time we reached the Botanical Gardens.

On reaching there we were first of all to see the famous banyan tree. I have never seen such a big and old tree elsewhere. Then we saw many kinds of trees. We do not know the names of all of them. There are many beautiful groves in the Garden. Now and then we took rest there. It is a nice place for holding picnics. Many visitors come here for that purpose. When we finished seeing everything we went to visit the Engineering College. It is very close to the Gardens. We saw the college buildings, the workshop and the hostel Then we returned to the Gardens. We felt hungry and thirsty. We had sweets and drinking water with us. We made the best use of them.

            

A unforgettable time with my friends

                

                  Every day in our lives, we have to go through different events that we have to overcome through those. Some events are very good, but others give us many problems and never seem to leave.                   
                 I remember one day in my life in which I had many problems from which I did not know of any exits. It was about three years ago. I went to Comilla to my friends and spent a couple weeks with them. My friends lived in a big nice two-story house, and they had a big nice garden. Everything around their house was very nice. I really liked to spend my free time in that house with my friends. Many good days in my life related to this place and to these people, but there was also one very bad day in my life. Now, I want to describe just that day, which is an unforgettable day for me. It was about nine o’clock in the morning. Everyone was ready for breakfast except me. Suddenly, something happened. Everything started to move. It was a powerful earthquake. I felt like I forget to take breath. At this time all of us were screaming and shouting. We were searching of something to hold on.
                 Suddenly the electricity had gone and we heard the screaming was coming from the outside too. Everybody seemed like gone mad. Then Samantha's dad asked us in a hasky voice to drop down to take cover by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture. He also warned us to stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
              Althogh it was a small earthquack it made us scared for a while. It lasted for almost 15/20 seconds. But I couldn't forget one second of that horrible moment. It's like a nightmare!

Friend

                     A friend is someone who is honest and you can trust. A friend is someone who you hang out with a lot, and some one you rely on. Friendship is being there for someone when they need you, and to have a common bond to have the freedom of hanging out with each other and to be comfortable around each other. In my opinion,  the main ideas of friendship are honesty and trust, caring and having similarities.
Without honesty and trust friendship wouldn’t last very long. The definition of honesty is “quality and condition of being honest, integrity”. Friendship would be held up by honesty. Trust is another important thing that relates to honesty, your friends really need to trust you. Honesty and trust are very important but so is caring.
                      You need to care for your friends so the relationship will last. The definition for caring is to be concerned or interested for others. An example of care is being there when someone really need you like during a bad situation. You should also be supportive of your friends. The definition of support is to take sides with or to provide help. Even though caring is important so are similarities and similarities in interest.
Similarities in friendship will make the bond grow. The definition of similarities is the quality or condition of being alike, resemblance. An example of similarities is two friends liking the same kind of music. Similarities in interests are things like a couple of
friends liking the same thing like music, hobbies and many other things. It would help by making them want to do more things together.

Good friend will always use honesty and trust, caring and support, and similarities in interest if they want their friendship to last. Good friends never want say goodbye!

Calling from Atlanta

                   Last night my friend Sima called me from Atlanta at 7:30. "Hey! What's up? How are you? " she asked me. "Preety good!", I said. Then she told me to take a pen and to take a  paper of a note book. Then she told me to write some math problem and asked me to solve this. I was so surprised, becuase as far I knew she is not going to school. So why does she need to solve math problem?
                  Then I asked her. She told me that it's for her cousin. So, I told her I'll try to solve those problems for her, then I'll type and send her massage on facebook with the solutions of the problems. After half hours she called me again, but I was still stuggeling with those problems. Because I didn't take Pre-ap Algebra yet. But I did  solve those kinds of problems in my country.
                    Anyway, I solved one problem by myself  and told her that I would send the solutions in the next day. So in the next day, during the 2nd period I ask Mohammed if he could solve the other two problems, because he's taking Pre-ap Calculas and he colud be familiar with those problems. Then I got lucky there! Mohammed shows me the steps to how to solve those problems and relearn again!!!
                   It was  Friday. I took the pass from Ms. Ramirez and came to Mr. Blackwood's class and I sent a massage to her in the facebook containig the solutions of the those problems!!

My Latin Test

                         Last Tuesday, on March 3rd, during the second period,I had to join to the national latin exam. It is the worst exam I had ever attened. It had 40 questions, but I knew only 5/6 answers, I had to guess the answers for the rest of the questions.
                         That exam contained about four questions about myth, 2 questions about Greek culture, about four/ five questions related to latin grammer, three quiestions about Roman History. There was also questions about geoghaphy. I only knew two answers which were about  greek culture, and geography. It was all of my fault, because I was never serious about my latin class. Our teacher Mr. Marshal is really very nice and he tried very hard to make us well prepared for the test.
                      Anyway, The test also had a latin story and we had to translate this story and answered some about 10 questions related to it. But I was still so happy! Because I had gym for the second period and I hated to be there. Wasn't it awesome? I could skip my gym class because of that test!
                      However, I'm feeling a little worry because I could have done better than that if payed attention in the class. In that class I always chated with Masfika, made noise with my cousin Shufi, used to sleep when Mr. Marshal taught us.
                 As I knew that all is my fault for doing bad in that test, I told myself to not to worry much, because this test is nor for grade and I said, " Keep going Hazera! Better luck next time".

                             
                      
                     
                        

Suicide

                Last Tuesday was one of the miserable and funny days for me. I have a friend, Sima, lives in Atlanta. She called me after a long while in Sunday and she informed me that one of our classmate, Mithu wanted to kill himself and don't want to live for one more day in this world. He lost all the hope and faith to survive and started to hate himself.
                 As he was my classmate, I felt very sad for him. On Monday, after school, when I returned home, I collected his cell number from Sima and tried to call him to not to do that thing that he wanted to do. I called him again and again. But he didn't receive my call. I felt very frustrated. Then I called Sima again and told her to let me know if she knows the latest happening. I was very anxious, worried for him. I was really eager to know why he wanted to commit to suicide and what was going on his life?
                  However, that night I didn't sleep well. I prayed to God to change his decision. I couldn't control myself. I cried, cried and cried. When I was young like 8/9 years old, he was my neighbor, everything that I did with him like playing, fighting, gossiping all came to my mind. And I cried over and over again. I checked my e-mail again and again to see if Sima sends me any new mail.
                 Anyway, on Tuesday in the morning I called her & she told she doesn't know what happend to Mithu. I came to school but I couldn't concentrate my mind. When I came back to home, Sima called me.  "Hazera, are you really tensioned about Mithu till yet?", she asked me. Then she told me everything what actually happened and I couldn't stop smiling.
                Mithu's mom was a characterless woman. She has an unwanted relationship with his own cousin, as his father lives in Saudi Arabia. That was really embarrassing and very bad for our culture and he also liked a girl, but that girl doesn't like him. So, he decided to take some sleeping tablets which were so powerful. But in the next morning he woke at 10 o'clock and he was very surprised. So that he called his friend, from whom he collected those tablets. He said," I knew that you would do some crazy stuff, that's why I gave you those tablets, which were for headache! But they are really powerful, you have to go to the doctor to wash your stomach to avoid the reaction of those tablets!"





         

My Cousin Shufi's girlfriend

                 Yesterday, in  my Latin class, a funny thing happened to my cousin shufi. It was so funny that I can't forget ever. Masfika , Shufi and I have this class together. So after finishing Mr. Blackwoods class I went for the Latin class. As we were going, a girl, Britney was coming towrd to shufi. But Shufie was pretty afraid about her. He ran to upstaires, so that Britney woudn't see shufi.
                  After a few minutes we all went to classs. Britney was hiding behind the door, she asked me to see whether Shufi is coming or not. After a few minutes I saw Shufi is coming! I told her to be ready. So, when Shufi reached to the door of our class, he was looking to the place, where's Britney usually sit. However, a Shufi entered the class Britney pull him to her and tried to hug him. But poor Shufi was screaming at us! The whole class was loughing. Then he shouted to Britney, " what do you want from me"?
"Your love honey", Britney said. " I have my wife and a baby also. Go away from me", Shufi requested her. Then Britney said, " I'll kill them, don't worry. Just love me!" It seemed the whole was enjoying their love story. We all clap for them, we wistled too!! then Britney went back to har sit.
                   Actually Britney doesn't like Shufi. As Shufi is very noughty and he told everybody that he is married to girl who is attending to Austin High. But it was not true at all. So, I and Masfika told Britney to give Shufi a headache. That's why she was trying to irritate him and played with him.
              Anyway, We really had a nice time to Britney's acting and Shufi's crying! It was pretty interesting!

                                 
               

Dracula

               "This book is really awesome,Hazera. Love it", my sister praised. One of my friend Mitu gave me the bangle version of Dracula. It was so cool story. Then I told my sister about that book. My sister just frowned at me. Then she told me, "C'mon Hazera, you know very well that I don't like that kind of scary books , "It's scary, but pretty cool. I promise , you'll love this story", I said.
               Actually my sister doesn't like scary stories or movies. Because when she trying to sleep, she can't. She sees  all the frenetic, dangerous, wild creatures are coming to sleep with her, they  are loughing at her,  triyng to pull her hair. Even though she got sleep, she woke up at midnight, shouted and screamed like all those nightmare creatures are trying to bite her. And she makes us fell afraid too.
               Anyway, when I suggested  her to read Drucula, she refused. But my borther and I were so pleasent as we read a really wonderful book. Our over and over praising made my sister pretty curious about the book, Dracula. Then after a few days, she asked me to bring this book. As she read Dracula, she was getting pretty exiting. She asked me, "O Hazera, What happend to Luna at last? Did she got married to Arthur? Does Dracula turned Luna into a vampire?". "Oh, well, finish reading this book and you'll get your answers!" I said.

           The funny thing is after finishing reading Dracula, my sister was very pleasent. " It is really awsome. It's scary but it fulfill my heart", she said. But at night, I was sleeping, suddenly I heared a small sound. It seems somebody is criyng. I opened my eyes. Oh, God! it was my sister. She was calling me, because she really need to use the restroom, but she feels scared! " Please wait infront of the door, untill I return", my sister requested me!

Breaking Cultural Rules

            "I'll go to Bangladesh in coming July", my sister said, who is 20 years old now. "What the heck are you saying Moriom? Why do you need to go there"? my mom asked. Then my sister replied that she loves a boy, Arshad khan and she wanted to marry that boy. My mom looked like she just drank a bottle of bitter squash juice.
           Actually a few months ago, my younger sister & I started to discover that Moriom has a relationship with someone, because she take the only home phone in our house into her room and talk with someone when our parents are not at home! We were very suspicious about her. But we didn't tell anything to our parents. We didn't want to give them too much thinking to increase their headache.
           Anyway, in order to our culture, our parents always seek & select our spouse. We have to marry their selected person, whether we like it or not. It is one of the way to show respect to our parents. However, you can find  barely some kids who didn't obey their parents. It seems my sister Moriom is one of them!
           Now, my mom is pertty disappointed about her. No one have the courage in our house to tell this to my dad. He can do anything, when he is angry. We all are so afraid of him, he remains angry most of the time of a day. I think he'll be so disappointed too. Only God knows what is going to happen in next july!!

                                       

Christmas Vacation

               I got about four weeks of vacation for the Christmas Eve. It wasn't so bad. I got a lot of leisure time to play, to read storybooks. I was very happy during this vacation; because I didn't have to get up very early in the morning, get ready for school. Another thing I was very glad about was I didn't have any homework to do!
              First few days I was sleeping a lot. I woke up about 9/10 o'clock. I really enjoyed those days. I played "City Ville" in face book all day long. It made me very happy to be at home during lunch . My mom always made some delicious Indian food every day for the lunch. But gradually I thought myself that I may need to do a little job to provide myself, so that I don't have to irritate my brother or sister for money for buying my personal stuff.
           So took my younger brother with me as my company and got out from home to find out a job. We went to north Lamar and I brought application from different shops. I also applied in online. But I didn't find a job yet!
            Anyway, as my family & I are Muslim, we don't celebrate christmas. But my mom is really a very interesting woman. She gave us money to shop for Christmas! We four brother and sister went to Kohl's, Ross, Old Navy and Wal-mart for shopping, three days before Christmas. It was really interesting. We had our lunch at McDonald's. We also bought Christmas cards for our friends and some gifts for our relatives.
             As Christmas went, I got bored to be at home.  I was pretty eager to come back to school. I wanted to meet with my friends, My teachers. In that time I really understood that how much I love my school!