1. Your drivers license MUST be changed. Get used to driving, Montreal driving is sooooo different. Much much crazier, and remember, pedestrians ALWAYS have the right of way.
2. Learn french. Most jobs in Quebec require french. I’m not even kidding on this one. If you want to apply for a job if you live there, it MUST say bilingual on your CV. Otherwise, chances are slim of you staying. Also, signs, logos and anything you could possibly imagine is in french due to Bill 101. This also ties into driving because the signs are in french.
3. Remember that if you live in a house with someone of the opposite sex for 3 years, you are legally married. I don’t know why, but that’s how it works.
4. Schools: High school and post secondary school are extremely different. We have grades 7–11 in high school, then 2 years of CEGEP, then 3 years of university. In grades 10 and 11, as well as in CEGEP, your marks are different. What really matters is an R Score or CRC. It’s how well you do, compared to the rest of your class, calculated using standard deviation and other complicated statistics stuff. The basics: Student A is in Class A and Student B is in Class B. If student A gets 90 and the class average is 85, and Student B gets 60 and the class average is 28, Student B will be more successful even though he got a 60 instead of a 90. Also, the passing grade is 60, not 50. link.
I’m not sure about any other legal things, but here are some cultural things to remember:
1. It’s a Depanneur or Dep, not a “corner store” or “convenient store”
2. Poutine is great, no matter how gross it looks
3. The Habs rule!! Les Canadiens bring the entire population together, and is the only thing that unites the anglophones and francophones. And beer is very expensive at the game.
4. Beer can be bought at any depanneur, on any corner. If you want anything over 20%, go to the SAQ (provincial liquor store).
5. Everyone J-walks. EVERYONE!! Watch out for pedestrians, especially after a hockey game downtown.
6. Know the public transport. The buses are slow and often late, but the metro is often on time. The workers are overpaid rude slobs, and will always hate you, especially if you don’t speak french. The metro is the key to public transport, and gets you to almost the entire island (the exceptions are the west island, part of the east end and the north. Also, Laval can not be accessed.).
There are MANY other things that are truly unique about Montreal. I guess the best way to learn about them is to live them.
And to end with some french swearing, which no one understands: ah tabarnac calice
Composing members:
0
Composing members:
0
