International Students @ Concordia

...and the moral is:

A lot can change over a few weeks.

In my last post, I was looking over my schedule and my impending graduation after five years here and it all seemed bleak and scary. I hope I didn't turn people off. I tend to over dramatize my thoughts sometimes (especially when compared to my cheerful fellow bloggers hehe!), but I AM a Creative Writing and Human Relations student after all. It's all about self-expression people! I also decided to add a 'Moral of todays post' at the end of each blog. Don't ask why. Just play along.

Being at the end of March, I was thinking back the other day that it was this time a little over five years ago that I was anxiously awaiting for my acceptance letter from Concordia to arrive. It was such a weird feeling to anticipate a letter that would dictate such a large aspect of my life. Thankfully, five years later, I can say that deciding to come here was one of the best decisions I made as a 16 year old highschool graduate (yes, I came to Concordia when I was just 16).

And here I am now. I doub't my 16 year old self would have forseen me doing this, but I decided a little while ago to postpone my graduation and run for a one year job/position at our Concordia Student Union(CSU) as VP Communications. I just finished two weeks of campaigning and it was amazing to take the time and talk to students and finding out what they need from our school. The beauty of university life is that it allows us to make decisions like these a little quicker than it would later on in our lives/careers. 

Moral of today's post: Anyone coming into Concordia for Fall 2008 or still in the first few years here, lets get one thing clear: make sure to keep in mind that the course you set our for yourselves when you initially started here is very likely to change and evolve just like you will. It would be best to just go along with the ride and see where it takes you. Its fun ;) 

Montreal Butterflies

You've got to go check it out!

http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/propos/papillon.htm

Be prepared with a good camera to get some awesome shots!

Vote for the best one and don't forget to click on the pictures to see their original sizes!

   

B1

B2

B3

B5

B8

B10

    B13

Spring = Work

Ok, after the panda action...some serious business people.....
It was around this time last year, when I finally received my off-campus work permit. So, now it has been almost a year that I have been working at the same place. A restaurant close to Concordia. I even had a second job for a while and I was literally working my @@@#@# off this summer.
However, I managed to pay my own tuition fees this year and I have become almost completely independent off of my parents money (except for plane tickets maybe).....but hey...you can't have everything.  So, my point was... off-campus work permits are great and they are not hard to get. Working off campus also allows you to meet a whole bunch of new people and I dare to claim that it gives you a better understanding of Canadian society because you will meet people who have nothing to do with university and it'll broaden your horizon.

this is the weather we are hoping for right now.....

Montreal Staircases Series 1: WINTER

When I first came to Montreal, I fell in love with the stairs.

WHAT?

Yes. I am NOT KIDDING.

Imagine...

Watering your flower pots and plants in the afternoon summer heat,

Imagine...

Climbing up those tiring 15 steps while watching the multi-colored fall leaves dancing with the wind,

Imagine...

Fearing the descent after a big snow storm, trying to forget how you almost tripped down the last time,

Imagine...

Watching the growth of the greening of the trees during spring...

Unfortunately, I don't live in a place where I can experience this...

And I envy  those that DO have stairs to sweat up, to fear down and to attach their bicycles to...

Then one day, I was asking Sustainable Architect Owen Rose about his work in the Urban Ecology Centre and by the end of the interview, I turned my recorder off and decided to ask him a personal question off the record...

 Can you tell me the story of the Montreal Staircases?

I was stupid to stop recording this, but from the notes I gathered, this is what I have yet to decipher from his answer:

factory workers
Europe
Husbands
Catholic Church
a place of safe socialization
fire department
more money
stairs outside
second floor staircases
compromise
lower flat is more expensive, middle floor is more affordable, top floor is  cheapest
in Europe it was built differntly, you coudn't see your neighbor
to avoid spying, adultery,  and to build better communities,
organized 5 areas of space
backyard
meeting neighbors
part of Montreal culture
it is a tradition
the stairs are not that safe
they make them safer if there are new buildings to be built

Horrible notes right?

I propose you help me reconstruct what he was trying to tell me if this rings a bell in any way! I also propose that if after several of you have any further questions to ask Owen Rose, I can ask to interview him again and this time with a RECORDER ON, I can publish his true complete answer! What do you say?

But more important right now, is to publish the BEST WINTER 08 MONTREAL STAIRCASE PHOTO BY YOU! If you are a Concordia Student and live in one of those beautiful apartments of my envy, please submit your photos to me! Explain what inspired you with that shot and we will publish your response as well!

Panda at Kanda's

Loyola, Concordia University --

It's 5: 30ish P.M and Panda is hungry. Class just ended.
It was a tough end... Poor Panda couldn't concentrate anymore...

Panda  runs to catch the bus... Panda can see it from the distance...

"Oh no!"

"Don't leave without me!" Panda shouts.

Panda starts running... slips over the sidewalk and almost falls;
skips a person going in the opposite direction without saying sorry...

Rush, rush, rush!
Panda's heart starts pounding m o r e M o r e M O R E

Panda sweats. But Panda made it!

Panda is happy; puts a hand over the grumpy stomach and smiles at everyone around.

"Wow... It's a long way downtown eh?" Panda tries to tell the neighbor.

But Panda doesn't realize those earphones are keeping the neighbor unable to listen to what was just said.

Great.

It's starting to get darker. It's a gloomy, grumpy, foggy-gray normal winter day.

"C'mon RESIST" Panda says to the tummy. "We'll be at Kanda's so SOON!"

The bus stops. People start to rise. Yawn, put their backpacks on, walk slowly towards the doors.

Panda can't take it anymore!!! "Go, go, gogogogogo..."

As Panda gets the first glance of fresh air to the nose, the feet just automatically want to make Panda run.

Then, at the front door, a moment of praise...

"Sushi! Sushi! At last!" Panda says kneeling down.

Panda goes in. People wave and say hi. They all know Panda.

"Would you care for some green tea?"

"Yes, thank you! but can I have the menu please?"

Yummy, yummy, yummy. With bamboo sticks, Panda picks up one sushi at a time.

Panda is satisfied. Panda smiles.

But Panda admits that food at Concordia doesn't make the tummy so happy...

Want to find out what Panda said to us after eating at Kanda's?

Take a look at the video!

March Madness

As all potential students will soon discover (and all current students fully understand), March is quite possibly the single most insane month of all of the academic year. You have year-long projects due, pages upon pages worth of essays to write, more readings than humanly possible, and big 'final events' of every single association on campus that you simply must attend.

A post concerning this topic would usually be more fitting perhaps a few weeks into the month but the sheer anticipation of all the workload is making me shudder. I have very often heard my colleages and friends claim it to be an obstacle course where the odds are rarely in your favour. And most of the time, it sure feels like one.

But one thing that we all tend to forget that the impending doom that is March is the epitome of student life in its entirety. It's always the case that in June or July, where everything has been handed in and all the events were attended, I always look back and oddly miss the chaos, the sleepless nights, and the constant testing of my patience (hehe!). It's such a unique experience, especially for people involved at school or really believe in volunteering their time for whatever cause it may be, to be able to balance both aspects of one's schedule, come out accomplishing so much and have your battle scars to prove it. In this case, the scars being the bags under your eyes or the empty cups of coffee in your sink, but to each his own ;) 

And with that, on the first Monday of the month, all I can say is...Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!*

Oh and I just wanted to second what my fellow blogger, Audrey, said about Marion Cottilard's Oscar win. Most deserving win of the night in my humble opinion.

*Quote taken from All About Eve. Quite possibly one of the best movies about Hollywood and ego's ever made.   

Enjoying the winter !

Thanks to the Concordia Ski Club  and in association with the Geography Association, I spent last week-end on the hill of a mountain skiing ans enjoying the winter. With a group of friends from Switzerland, France, Roumania and New-York, my brother and I went exploring the runs of Orford mountain along with 400 others Concordians. The rendez-vous was set at 7am  in front of the hall building. 30 minutes later, we were en route for a day of Fun !!!! The weather was perfect, sunny and not too cold. The mount Orford was beautiful and not to crowed. Just what you needed,  to  make you feel better and fall in love ones more with Québec !

Picture taken by Alix M.

Like Elie I didn't go to the Big Apple, not because I did not have a visa permit, but because I was submerged by studying my statistic class and doing research for up coming papers.  I guess I underestimated the work on a 3rd year university... Anyway its almost time to say "its almost over". Even if, I know, it is still cold and snowy and it doesn't look  like it is about to change ! So quick, go sliding at the Mont-Royal before its too late and say"I'll go next year", like I have been saying for the last 3 years...

For Montrealers don't forger this Saturday night is the " Nuit blanche ", a night of partying all night provided from the city of Montréal. The STM, will be providing free shuttle buses between major events and also to major quartier of the city. A breakfast at 4 am will also be offered. The choice of where to be is immense, between ice skating in the old port or chilling at the ice bar of the CCA, don't worry you won't be bored...

Enjoing the winter before it's gone,

Peace,

Audrey

PS: Congratulation to Marillon Cotillard, who won the Oscar of the best actress, which she definitively deserved it !( Vive les Francaises !!!). Also congrats to the best song "Once" and to the movie "Persepolis", a must see if you haven't seen it yet (you'll cry and laugh all along the movie !), for their Oscars.

PS: Merci, Clhoé pour le saucisson et le fromage !

Winter Blues

Oh winter time....
This is about the time of the year when you come back from spring break and you ask yourself why did I choose to study in Canada?
The snow doesn't seem to stop falling and the last four months of winter just seem to long. So frustration is predetermine. Monica and I just came back from Mexico a few days ago and getting back into the groove was really hard. 
However, the answer to why, I  at least, choose Montreal is quite simple. The city is great, vibrant and has so much to offer. It is not just the fact that all mt friend are from different countries but also that you can find any kind of food you wish for in this city.  The long winter might be annoying but even the highest mountain of snow can be climbed over somehow. There is no bad weather only bad clothing.
My suggestion against a snow-depression is to together in your friend's apartment (or yours) and just to have a good time. If the weather isn't warm enough, just start making your own warm thoughts.
If this doesn't work for you, you can always go skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing or to the carnaval in Quebec City.....let me see if I can come up with more ideas....