Hochelaga

I visited Montreal this weekend. It was a well needed break from the rather hectic pace of school, and a refreshing reminder of how much I enjoyed my four years there. Suprisingly, after only two months in Ottawa, I had almost forgotten that a city as vibrant, distinctive and French, qualities that I'd taken for granted while living there, was only two hours down the road.

It also made me realize, and perhaps this can be attributed to obvious place in my heart that Montreal will always hold, that despite the fact that Ottawa is a pleasant, comfortable and generally a "nice" place to live and study, it lacks the qualities that make Montreal an exciting one. It's the certain "je ne sais quoi" stemming from a rich yet defensive Quebecois political culture; it's the joie de vivre exemplified by the city's bustling night life, and the energy provided by four universities-worth of students; and it's the pride attached to arguably being Canada's most European city.

When I left Montreal the summer after graduating, I didn't think I'd be able to live there again, or at the very least enjoy it as much as I did during my undergrad. I think I was mistaken.