Experience in Montreal, Canada by Fares

What is it like to live in Montreal? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

A good balance of nature and city life. Mont-Royal park brings it all together and is a beautiful huge park that extends and hovers above the city offering a gorgeous escape and view.

What is the student lifestyle like in Montreal?

Montreal is a student city, which means there's a lot of students and student activities going on, especially the party scene. CAUTION regarding the party scene and the very materialistic and shallow social values propagated in the city resulting in potential unhealthy imprints on a not-so-well-formed and principled student psyche.

How much does it cost to live in Montreal?

$2000 CAN should be enough for all expenses.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

It is advised to learn how to cook basic healthy foods for budget and health reasons. Student cafeterias are also a good idea for the same reasons, although the culture offers, as most urban and city cultures a commercial diet, with lots potentially inflammatory foods such as so-called healthy muffins, bagels, milk and cereal with loads of refined sugars, difficult-to-digest proteins like gluten and lactose, and additives.

Is the nightlife good in Montreal? Where is good to go?

St.Denis and Mont-Royal streets offers a more local and hipster scene- steer away from Cresent street which is more of a tourist street with lots of cheap bars. Also, steer away from large clubs where drinking and shallow encounters are rampant and unhealthy.

What advice would you give future students heading to Montreal?

Look for outdoors activities including trips to lakes and forest in order to balance the city life with a glimpse of nature. Also, hiking and biking are excellent especially around Mont-Royal park. Find a good positive circle of friends, and avoid trying to fit in and doing what everyone else is doing because the fashion and superficial sex scene is pretty strong in Montreal!