A Montreal Winter Past Review
By kdilucido (Economics., Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/01/2014 to 05/30/2014 with
McGill University: Montreal - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I met many people from outside Canada--mostly Australians--but also students from Europe. More than academics, my study abroad was about new people and experiences. It's such a cliche, but very true.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I did not think that McGill provided an encouraging learning environment, although the quality of the instruction was satisfactory. The large class sizes and impersonal nature of professor-student relationships made the academic experience a bit lacking. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Killam Foundation and its staff are wonderful. Highly recommended. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Rent was cheap and my roommates were wonderful. I lived with three other students in an apartment half an hour from campus. Without them, the experience would have been very different. I would recommend that people going abroad pay attention to their living situation. |
| * Food: |
Food in Montreal is cheap, plentiful, and delicious. Not much more to say. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
As someone with non-native proficiency in French, I felt a little out-of-place in the Quebecois culture, although they're usually very friendly and willing to speak slower/in English. It wasn't difficult at all to integrate into McGill and my local neighborhood. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a few injuries during my time in Montreal, and I found it hard to see a doctor. The university medical clinic was almost never open, or if it was, was always filled by 8am. Other public clinics had the same problem. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe in Montreal, even walking home in the early morning. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Rent was very cheap, but miscellaneous items were more expensive than in the U.S. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Pack your lunch and learn what you need to cook meals--the first few weeks, I spent way too much money at the grocery store. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Tenant rights. |
