OT: Moving from US to Montreal?

[BrimFullofAsham45]

Hello Habs fans

So there's a good possibility I can go to McGill for grad school. I've got some general questions regarding living in Montreal.

One, how are housing costs? Right now, I pay $525 for my apt. in Philly ($522 Canadian if my conversion is correct). What kind of apartment can you get at a similar rate? Or, what neighborhoods would be good to look for a place to live that would be easy to access both McGill and downtown Montreal?

I have a car (for the time being), so it's also something to consider. How is driving/parking around Montreal?

Another obvious concern is language. I get the idea most of you are bilingual, just wondering if I will feel any alienation if I don't speak French well. (Though, I took French for 6 years in grade school... and went to France once and was able to communicate fairly well... but it has been a while since then and my French is certainly rusty.)

Also, I don't really know what kind of reputation the student body of McGill has... can anyone familiar paint me a picture of how the culture is there?

Any other comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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[Alexdaman]

Well an apt near Mcgill university, let's say a 3 1/2 is about 800$/min. For 525$ you can get a 1 1/2 near a subway station pretty much anywhere in town.

Mcgill has a good reputation, it's the second most prestigious university in Canada after the University of Toronto. People there come from everywhere in the world and it's massively more english than french ( of course it's an anglo institution ). Montreal has a very active night life probably the most active nightlife city in Canada.

 

[Mathradio]

Or try getting a roomie...

Out of curiosity, what would you study in grad school?

 

[Luigi Habs]

Dont bring your car with you. You wont need it if you stay downown. Actually if you live downtown you're pretty much close to everything you need.

And in downtown you wont have any problem speaking exclusively in english, but I advise ou to make the effort and try to speak french just to practice.

 

[BrimFullofAsham45]

Or try getting a roomie...

Out of curiosity, what would you study in grad school?

Chemistry. As far as the school goes, my main concern is getting full funding as an international student. Knowing how international a school McGill is, I'm hoping that won't be a problem.

 

[Jee]

Make the effort of learning french.

 

[Lance]

Well an apt near Mcgill university, let's say a 3 1/2 is about 800$/min. For 525$ you can get a 1 1/2 near a subway station pretty much anywhere in town.

Mcgill has a good reputation, it's the second most prestigious university in Canada after the University of Toronto. People there come from everywhere in the world and it's massively more english than french ( of course it's an anglo institution ). Montreal has a very active night life probably the most active nightlife city in Canada.

I recently learned that the rest of the world (or maybe just the US) doesn't use our system of numbers to describe apartments.

OP:

1 1/2 : A bedroom and a kitchen + living room.
3 1/2 : An apt with a living room, separate bedroom and a separate kitchen.

Basically, every number is a bedroom/living room/kitchen
The 1/2 represents the bathroom.

 

[BrimFullofAsham45]

Make the effort of learning french.

Definitely will, in fact I think one of the more appealing aspects of living in Montreal would be to become more fluent.

 

[Lance]

Definitely will, in fact I think one of the more appealing aspects of living in Montreal would be to become more fluent.

You will also have leave behind you allegiance for you-know-who and start cheering for the mighty Canadiens.

 

[Et le But]

Definitely will, in fact I think one of the more appealing aspects of living in Montreal would be to become more fluent.

You definitely can get by without knowing French...but obviously it gets you further if you can learn a little French. Definitely worth the effort, even if downtown Montreal is perfectly bilingual.

 

[Geester76]

Or try getting a roomie...

Out of curiosity, what would you study in grad school?

I agree you should definetely go for roomates if you can stand social life and like to negociate with people , there is some very nice big appartments in downtown Montreal with you appartement budget you can contribute for renting a very nice appartment.

 

[Geester76]

Definitely will, in fact I think one of the more appealing aspects of living in Montreal would be to become more fluent.

This is the spirit, screw the losers that will laugh at your mistakes when learning French beside there will be at least ten time that number that will congatulate you and help you learn French.

 

[Timelord]

This is the spirit, screw the losers that will laugh at your mistakes when learning French beside there will be at least ten time that number that will congatulate you and help you learn French.

Of course the opposite sex often finds an accent very attractive, too. Although I grew up in Montreal, and my accent wasn't too thick, I spoke very limited french, and my Quebecois wife to be found my accent and fractured grammar both sexy and endearing.