Monday, April 30, 2007

Al Ahli - Memorable Day for Them!

28 Apr 2007
Al Ahli Driving Center
Al Ahli - Reception Desk
Al Ahli driving Center is a driving school started 1 year back. But their growth should be appreciated. Now they have 5 braches and around more than 100 vehicles. They run 6 types of courses. Light Motor Vehicle, Heavy Motor Vehicle, Mini Bus, Heavy Bus, Heavy Truck, Light Forklift and Heavy Forklift. Total 7000 student already completed their course from this institute and currently 2000 students are studying.. Here they use to teach driving TOYOTA COROLLA!.


My Work


In My Seat
I have to automate and modify their existing Software modules for Registration and Scheduling as first phase. Currently there is only one employee in IT department (Mr. Hany from Egypt, he mainly work as a Network Administrator). I have to do my work with the remote help of the consultant Mr. Musthafa and this boy. The main responsibility is with me for completing the project on time (Requirement gathering to implementation).




The development platform: Windows, Visual Studio 2005, Dot Net 2.0, C#, SQL 2005.
The architecture: IIS Web Services-SOAP Protocol-Thin and Thick Clients

My First Day
Today I joined for the work which I committed to do within 5 months, Insha Allah.
For the being I am staying in Naif with my Sister Mrs. Sumayya which is around 25 KM away from Al Ahli Head Office- Al Qouz. Mr. Musthafa (My consultant) picked me from Naif today.


Mr. Hany
Mr Musthafa introduced me to
Mr. Adil (An Arab- the managing Partner to the Company)
Mr. Musthafa (Egyptian- the Finance and Accounting Manager)
Mr Shahul Hameed (Malayalee – The Sales and Marketing Manager)
Mr. Hany (Egyptian – The only one who works in IT department)

We had many discussions with the above people regarding the project.
Mr. Adil talk very little but repeating the same word!!!, he. he..
He was telling me “No excuse, No excuse, No Excuse for anything, and I can call him even at midnight 2 o’ clock! Bla..bla..”.

Office Time
My office time is from 8.00 AM to 5.30 PM. But I can sit overtime. J . The advantage is if I sit overtime they don’t need to pay extra but they have to pay for all other employees. As far as I work as a consultant I don’t have to report to anyone particularly.

Transportation

The Car - usually i go to office
The only extra benefit for me other than salary is Transportation. They will pick and drop if I stay in Dubai or surroundings. Mr. Sardar Hussain from Tamilnadu is the driver for me for the time being. He is an ld man hardly 50s and very nice to me. He was here for the past 25 years!. I have to decide my return journey according to his departure time. Because normally his duty will finish at 5 o’ clock. But most of the day he will get overtime till 7 o’ clock which is OK with me.

Traffic in Dubai

Sheik Zyed Road - The busiest road in Dubai
The traffic is horrible in Dubai. Depending upon the traffic the time for my journey to the office will vary from 25 minutes to 3 hours!. So I am planning to find out a bachelor accommodation near my work place, Insha Allah. The accommodation is also little expensive. A reasonable bachelor BED space may cost approximately 10 K! In Dubai. Lot of different Cars are here. Mainly the TAXI cars are TOYOTA CAMRY.

29 Apr 2007
The current IT department was a small room with servers. So they provided a new room for the development. So for the being I use Mr. Hany’s computer. Today I was doing the requirement gathering from Registration Department. Mr. Musthafa (A mallu from Kottakkal and Mrs. Sameera an Iranian Citizen are helped me by explaining the existing system and its draw backs). The existing system they use is not complete software and the contract terminated with the developers in a half way.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

In Fujaira

26 APR 2007

Fujairah - View from Uncle's balcony
Morning I called the consultant Mr. Musthafa Sir, one who I committed to work for next 5 months, Insha Allah. To execute a project within that period that he committed to Al Ahli Group - driving school chain.
I need to join only on 28th morning.

So today I went to Fujaira around 130 KM away from Dubai with my uncle Mr. Abdulla and family. My mother and grand ma also joined us.


He got a big old car manufactured by a US company 'Mercury'.
I had little pain for right eye. May be because of less sleep. So I took a full day rest. Evening it was OK, Al-lillah(Thank god).

Dubai is happy, Kochi is sad.

25 APR 2007

Chennai Airport
Hi All., Welcome to my blog.

I reached here in Dubai on 25th evening 6.56 PM (UAE time).
My flight(sorry not mine, Air India Express) from Chennai to Dubai was exactly 3 hours late. But the flight was a good flight.

My Brother-In-Law Mr. Anees was there in Airport to recieve the 'the pearl of Kochi'!.
Within 2 minutes I could clear all imigration formalities, eye test and baggage collection and come out with the help of Aneeska.

Jaleelka, Friend of my another B-In-Law Mr. Babu was also there to pick me. It is around 15 KM distance to my elder sister Mrs. Sumayya's flat. But because of the heavy trafiic it took around 45 minute to reach her place.
Naif Police Station, Family Super Market are the land marks to her place.

My Mother, Grand ma, my another sister Mrs. Shammeema was also there in her flat. Both sisters are working in a Clinic named Habeeb Clinic, which is the next door to Sumayya's flat.

I visited Shameema's flat also which is around 3 minute walkable distance from Sumayya's flat.

Night, one of my uncle Mr. Abdulla who works in Ettisalath-Fujaira also joined us.

Regards,
Naji.