Age: 24

What work did you do while on the program?

My first job was at the Paris Café; I found it in three hours. Even without speaking too much French I was able to work in a coffee shop quite easily. Unfortunately, that job didn’t work out for me, so I quit that one and I quickly found another job at Cafe Depot, which was much better. The Italian managers were endearing and we all had a great time. Everyday at work was a riot and I got a kick out of them as much as they got out of me. Working there also really helped my French skills. Finding a job was really easy; I found them by walking around on the street looking for employment signs. I arrived when the school year for Canada started so I think that helped.

What was your accommodation?

At first, I lived with a Chinese couple on the outskirts of Montreal. I had a room to myself and negotiated the price down because it was just a temporary stay. My permanent accommodations were with a Colombian girl. We got along great and I met a lot of people through her – I went Latin dancing all of the time in Montréal! I found both of these listings on the McGill University website, which was an excellent place to start looking for accommodation.

Did you travel while you were there?

I met two of my dear friends in Quebec City and we went sightseeing. We took a rent car down to Montreal and stayed in a hostel until they left and I found a place to live and set up a job. I loved Quebec City and I was ready to start practicing my pathetique French and go sightseeing.

What is your top tip for future participants?

I met two of my dear friends in Quebec City and we went sightseeing. We took a rent car down to Montreal and stayed in a hostel until they left and I found a place to live and set up a job. I loved Quebec City and I was ready to start practicing my pathetique French and go sightseeing.

What's your best story from your travelling?

I had a great time and I am so glad that I went. I was really ready to leave Texas and start my adventure in Canada. Working for my dad right out of college wasn’t my idea of great fun, plus I didn’t want to get into the real work world. Leaving my boyfriend of a year was hard; leaving my father’s insurance biz in Texas was not. It helped me figure out a lot of my feelings and enabled me to step outside the way too normal life I was leading and look at what I needed to do and how to live my life. Because of my time in Canada, I was able to more easily leave to complete my Master’s in Argentina and I figured a whole lot of personal stuff out by distancing myself and then reflecting for analysis.