Moving to Montreal in the middle of a global pandemic was probably not the best idea. I got a lot of backlash from my peers, I was cancelled. I decided in early April that it was a good option for me, and I was determined to see it through. I went from the middle of June to the end of July. COVID was relatively controlled at this point on the East Coast, but in Montreal it was still a major issue. However, I had a good reason to go. The primary reason I went was because I was enrolled in a French Immersion program at McGill. Being that work was hard to come by in the summer I decided I needed to do something, so school/personal development was the logical option. My parents and I thought it would be a good idea for me to be “immersed” in the culture, but in reality, I spoke English every time I left the house.
The second reason I went is because of my best friend Claire. Claire is my former roommate at Mount A but left to finish school in Montreal. Doing long distance friendships is hard and we were both craving some time together. Her family offered to let me stay with them while I was studying so of course I had to accept.
I packed up my Civic and embarked on my solo road trip. I honestly thought the road trip was going to be terrible, but I found it quite enjoyable. To pass the time I downloaded a bunch of podcasts, an audio book and listened to music. For some reason, something that gets me stoked for road trips are the snacks and food, particularly Subway. I remember leaving Halifax thinking when I get halfway, I am going to stop at Subway. And I did. When I was an hour or so from Claire’s house my AC cut out and I spent the rest of the way suffocating in my car.
Every morning Claire and I made coffee and breakfast together like an old married couple and ate outside. Besides that, I spent most of the trip doing schoolwork because the schedule was quite demanding. When I had free time Claire and I would go visit her friends and most of them had nice pools so that was convenient. Being that COVID was still very bad, there was only a few people. We also got drunk quite often and planned a mini birthday party for Claire and her friend Jaimey. One of my fondest memories was when Claire and I accidentally got super drunk and sat on her deck until 5am. We FaceTimed everyone we know, listened to music and confessed our love for each other. It was one of those moments when you know you are exactly where you are supposed to be and that you truly love your friends.
It did become challenging about halfway through because I began to feel some homesickness. Things on the East Coast began to open up quickly and I definitely had FOMO seeing my friends out and about while I was stuck studying. To combat it, Claire and I made a point almost every day to do something fun. It was mostly going for walks or online shopping, but it was something. We went on mini excursions to her cottage and really took the time to relax when we could. Something about COVID that I have come to appreciate is the step back. I’ve always considered myself someone who needs to be busy, but COVID has pushed me to slow down and take time to myself, something that everyone needs.
I also had family friends, the Pogue’s, that lived in Montreal. I spent quite a bit of time at the Pogue’s eating and drinking. Claire and I almost never fight or get annoyed with each other, but it was good to have somewhere to get away to. It really brought me closer to them and I consider them like family.
Overall, I do not regret moving to Montreal in the middle of a global pandemic. It allowed me to become somewhat good at speaking French and brought me a lot closer to some amazing people. It has now been 6 months since I’ve seen Claire and I am counting down the days to our reunion. I was extremely cautious about COVID and respected the guidelines. I don’t think Claire and I ever went to a restaurant or bar because we were so paranoid. I definitely abused my mom’s Uber Eats account. Despite it all, I was still able to enjoy many of the things Montreal has to offer in a safe manner.
My Twenty Somethings 