April 3, 2023
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Snow in April is no joke, but winter weather in Minnesota can be a beautiful and unforgettable experience. Not so sure? Learn more from an outsider perspective as Dr. Karimul Islam, research fellow in the Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, shares his experience and favorite scenes from his first Minnesota winter.
Last winter was a memorable one for Karimul Islam, M.B.B.S. Dr. Islam is a research fellow in the Department of Neurology in Rochester. He's originally from Bangladesh, where he graduated from Armed Forces Medical College before moving to New York with his wife.
When he decided to join Mayo Clinic in Rochester, his friends asked him why he would want to move to Minnesota, one of the coldest states in the U.S.
"They had reasons, though. In Bangladesh, the temperature rarely falls below 20 degrees Celsius (68 F)," Dr. Islam says, adding that he had never seen snow.
That is, until this past winter when he saw snowflakes falling from the sky for the first time.
I ran outside to feel it. I saw tiny flakes transforming the world into a magical wonderland. The sound of crunching snow beneath my feet, a layer of pristine, white powder, it all adds to the enchanted feeling of being amid a snowfall.
Karimul Islam, M.B.B.S.
Research fellow
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The experience inspired Dr. Islam to use his hobby of cinematography and preserve his first snow experience for memory lane. He collected some of his favorite scenes around Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester in the video on this page.
Dr. Islam says the experience of living through a Minnesota winter was an opportunity to learn new skills, enjoy outdoor winter activities, and appreciate the breathtaking beauty of nature. All complementing the warmer side of his experience.
"I'm grateful for my amazing mentors, colleagues and friends here in Rochester. Their warm welcome and unwavering support have made this winter experience infinitely better despite being thousands of miles away from family," he says.