Montreal- Discover Your Identity

Things in life come, and things in life go, and as they go one tends to reflect. Nearing the end of my experience here in Montréal I have definitely spent some time reflecting. I reflect on the fun memories I have had, the challenges I have experienced, and most importantly what I have learned about myself. I was recently asked to create a slogan for Montréal, and for me that slogan would have to do with the theme of identification.

As I have said before, Montréal (and Canada as a whole) struggles with their identification as a country in the world. Identification can be learned by looking at the experiences you have had that makes you who you are now. 4 months ago I can say I entered Canada being much more naïve, inexperienced and quiet honestly unconfident in living somewhere other than what I was use to. I have never been someone who is comfortable with change, but by forcing myself to do something I was uncomfortable with has helped me gain confidence. I have realized that it’s important to face ourselves with little challenges in order to help us grow. The simplest thing can teach you something about yourself that you otherwise wouldn’t have known.

Something that I have struggled with my whole life is giving presentations in front of a class. I’ve always had classes with about 20-30 people in them, which can be quiet intimidating for a inexperienced presenter. At the Montréal campus, I give my presentations with ease in front of 7-10 people which has helped me build a lot of confidence in my public speaking skills. I now know that I have more confidence to give presentations in the future to larger groups of people. This is a skill I doubt I would have otherwise learned had I not come to this Montréal campus.

It is the little challenges that face us on a day to day basis that we can choose to face head on, or ignore and deny ourselves the chance to grow as a person. With that being said, I think that an appropriate slogan for this Montréal campus would be: “Montreal- Discover Your Identity”.

Walking Shoes

Living in the city has giving me the chance to experience a taste of what living the life of a celebrity might feel like. Last week I went to the trendy nightclub Tribe, where many celebrities ranging from Paris Hilton to Rihanna have made appearances. That night Sebastian Ingrosso from Sweden was the featured DJ and he put on quiet the show! The lights, fog horn, and confetti (not to mention the great house music) all made for an entertaining show.

Now that’ it’s April the school year is winding down and so is my bank account. I’ve had to be really careful about budgeting and I must say, I’m quiet proud of myself for being such a good shopper! When I first came to Montreal I was spending upwards of $50 a week on groceries. Now I’ve managed to cut back on average to about $30. After very much exploring and wandering on random streets I’ve found little ma and pop stores that specialize in certain foods which cost a fraction of what you would find in the big supermarkets.

A general rule of thumb I’ve learned about living in a city: the more you’re willing to walk, the more you’re going to find! Sounds simple but being a routine person I would normally tend to walk the same way to school and pass the same stores day after day. Especially now that it’s warmer I am more likely to go out of my way to get somewhere just so I could pass down a street I’ve never been down before. You can’t fall into a routine when you live in a city, if you do you’ll miss out on a huge part of the city.

So once you’ve applied for the Montreal campus, I suggest buying a good pair of walking shoes so you can experience the city to its fullest!

OH Canada- My Love Flourishes for Thee in the Spring!

I am slowly starting to realize that the end of the semester is near inspiring reflection as well as stimulating me to get out and do more in the short time I have left. I’ve realized that my peers as well as I have picked up many Canadian habits. Poutine is now a part of our weekly diet, we say “merci” at the end of a conversation even if we’re speaking to another American, and inevitably we all have been guilty of muttering an “eh?” here or there. But this experience has been much more to me than picking up a couple Canadian habits; this experience has opened my eyes to international relations, cultural experiences, and an educational experience that is extended beyond the books and the classroom.

I know I always talk about my Canadian Social History class, but I can’t say enough good things about it! In the curriculum back at home, usually by our junior or senior year we would be taking American Social History, but taking a history from the point of view of another country honestly helps me learn more about my own country and where it stands in the eyes of other countries. The class isn’t just about dates and names, as the course name suggests you learn about the social aspect behind why certain events happened, and what the effects it had on the future. That class paired with my Cultural Immersion class has made for a very culturally educational experience, and I feel like I now understand the origins of the culture and have a greater appreciation than I would have otherwise.

Speaking of understanding and appreciating the culture, yesterday we went to what is known as “Cabine a Sucre” or what is commonly known as a sugar shack. This is not your average cabine in the woods where a lot of machines produce delicious maple syrup, it’s an experience that submerses you into the Canadian culture. We started off by exploring the barn which housed horses, goats, cats, chickens, and ducks (anyone who knows me knows how excited I was!) Then we went on a sled ride to the Cabine where we sat down for a family style meal of mostly breakfast foods that are maple syrup inspired. Once we were finished eating a group of girls came out in costume and taught the group how to line dance. We finished the night off with maple syrup lollipops and dancing in the Cabine’s “disco”. Everyone on the trip had a great time, but to my it was a the experience hit a little closer to home. You may not know but even though I was born in the US I am Canadian since my mom was born and grew up in a Canada. Before I went on the trip I spoke with her who told me that when she was my age she use to go to Cabine a Sucre’s all the time, so it was kind of nice to experience something that my mom use to do and get a taste of what it was like for her growing up. All in all, it was a fun cultural experience, one that I had never experienced before and would be excited to do again.

In the final weeks to come I hope to experience as much as I can, the last thing I want to do is go home and feel as if I’ve missed out some how. If you know of something you think I should do that I haven’t yet, please contact me, I would love to hear some feedback!

Canadian Identity and A Great Parade

First and foremost, I would like to thank those of you who came up on Sunday to check out the school! I had a lot of fun spending time with Burlington Champlainer’s and showing them around. If you haven’t come up yet and would like to, send me a message and I would love to show you around!

A huge matter in Canada is identity. If you were to ask a Canadian what being a Canadian means, the likely response would be non-American. Relating to this theme of identification, I’ve realized that being in a different country forces me to question my own identity. Who am I? What do I want to be? Questions like these come to mind while living in another country, questions I wouldn’t have otherwise thought of much living in the comfort of my hometown. I’ve realized that traveling and exploring is a great way to self-explore. Putting yourself in foreign and unknown situations is the best way to learn about you.

On a different note, this weekend I went to the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade that ran on St. Catherine Street and I must say that I recommend that everyone comes up here next year to experience it. I’ve never been to such a parade as big as it, and I would love to come back to see it again. What’s cool about Montréal is that certain parts of town represent countries or cultures around the world. On Peel Street there are a number of Irish bars and restaurants so after the parade there were masses of people in the middle of the street all celebrating together, it was quite a sight!

Now that the warmer weather is slowly but surely coming, the snow is melting away and undiscovered part of the city is being revealed and I couldn’t be more excited!

Back in Action in Montreal

Finally back from spring break and I’ve returned to Montreal sick, but that hasn’t slowed down my exploring. This past weekend I visited Quebec City and I had a blast! Quebec City is about a 3 hour car drive north but a completely different feel from Montreal. After taking half a semester of Canadian history the city had more meaning to me and was really exciting to explore. It was cool to see the wall that protected the city from foreign invaders and to see the beautiful castles that Brooke dubbed to be her own (but they’re really mine!)

Being back in the United States for spring break was a very strange feeling. I suddenly felt that there wasn’t as much for me to do compared to what I’m use to living here. In Canada you only have to be 18 to get into clubs and bars, but being 20 there are only a limited amount of clubs that would actually let me in. As soon as I got back here I was relieved to be able to walk down the street and get into a club without being questioned.

Living in such a big city can sometimes make you feel lonely and lost in a crowd. In Vermont it’s nice to walk down the street and see someone you know, it helps you feel a sense of belonging. Before moving to Montreal I didn’t expect to ever see anyone I knew walking down the street or in a store. I’ve realized that this is not true. Montreal is like many different towns within a big one. You get to know the locals within a certain radius of where you live. When I go to the gas station down the street, I know who the tenants are and they know me. Even a little thing like that makes me feel more connected to the community, like I belong.

Going on my second week of being sick I’m hoping that I can shake whatever I have and return to walking around streets I have yet to explore and seeing new things. The International Festival of Films on Art is going on right now, so hopefully by next weekend I can review what I think of it!

Face Paced City Life

I know that many people wouldn’t consider Canada as being very different from America, but trust me it is! The fashion, language, food and history are a few of the things that set apart Canada from America. Every day I find myself facing new obstacles that I wouldn’t have expected and I am learning more and more about myself and how I react to new situations and my ability to cope. Apart from the language barrier, (which is becoming less of a problem thanks to my French classes), functioning in a city is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do.

In Vermont, I am use to the slow paced lifestyle. For example, when selecting something to eat at a sandwich shop I am use to taking my time, reviewing the menu completely and then carefully making a decision. Here I have noticed that many of my choices are made on impulsion because I feel like I am constantly being rushed. This new change of pace, while at first was difficult to get use to is now becoming a way of life.

Next weekend is our spring break and I will be returning to Vermont. Though I am excited to go home and see my family, I am a little worried that I’m going to find myself bored. I’ll be spending time with my mom who lives outside of the city, and I’ll be stranded without a car. While I don’t have a car here, it is very easy to walk out my door any time of day and find somewhere to go and something to do. When I get back to Vermont, I will walk out my door and… yes I can’t finish that sentence either. Don’t get me wrong, I love Vermont, but I am quickly adapting to the city life and I love it!

Mosaic or Melting Pot?

In our Canadian History class we are learning about the idea of Canada being referred to as a mosaic. This term implies that many different cultures are mixed in the same country while each keeps their own unique identity. In the United States we have been named the land of the melting pot, where all of these different cultures and backgrounds have merged together in one to create a universal culture. Based on what I’ve seen in Canada so far, I would be more apt to believe that the United States is very similar to Canada in which our country is more like a mosaic than a melting pot.

Like many large cities, if you were to walk around Montréal for a little while you could pass through China town, the Irish section, the Italian section, and others. While many of the people who live in these sections of town are native born Canadians, they keep their heritage roots alive by surrounding themselves with their native way of life. From the cuisine to the shopping, walking down the street you can get a taste of another culture.

There are many cities in the United States that are similar to Montréal in which they have the “mosaic” feel to them. If you were to go through New York City you would find the same sort of thing. Living in Vermont I would say that it’s inevitable that our population is more of a melting pot than a mosaic due to the lack of cultural diversity. Many Vermonters are from Vermont or surrounding states, few come from other countries. So it is refreshing to go somewhere that not only am I surrounded by an extremely diverse population, but I am also surrounded by their culture.

It’s exciting that every day I have the opportunity to have a taste of many countries such as China, Italy, Ireland, and of course Canada. I never expected to experience such a cultural difference less than 2 hours away from my home in Vermont!