April 2010
5 posts
big adventure; day 8
current location: Orlando, Polynesian Inn
it’s been 8 days since i left montreal! hadn’t had time to upload photos because i’m still doing my 15 pages AP final exam essay which is due in like 1.5 hrs but i’m only 2 pgs one. that’s why i’m stuck in the Inn’s kitchen (cause there’s no wifi in the room, haha).
but all is good, will be even better...
start of a big adventure (day 1)
school officially ended on the 21st of April after my final management skills paper. spent my last week in Montreal catching up with the few good friends we’ve met and to become a tourist once more by visiting the remaining tourist spots that we haven’t had a chance to go to.
so just like that, we bid our home for 4 months goodbye and embarked on a 1.5 months long adventure with all...
March 2010
6 posts
February 2010
5 posts
random facts about montreal
#1 you gotta push the back door of the bus to get it to open (the first time we didn’t know and we missed our stop)
#2 they don’t sell packet tissue in the supermarket (at least i haven’t found any)
#3 the monthly bus concession doesn’t expire one month after you buy it but at the end of every month
#4 poutine is definitely the most WIDELY found dish here
#5...
an email i received today
Dear students,
The lecturers of the UdeM voted a week ago for a strike. The Union charged and lecturers UdeM (SCCCUM) has announced its intention to exercise its right to strike for half a day, Monday, February 15, between 13 am and 17 pm
The strike will result in the cancellation of courses given by lecturers, responsible for the clinical (dentistry, optometry), responsible for the...
January 2010
16 posts
end of another (sch) week
phew, just ended my last lesson of the week. it was really tiring, with French till 9.30pm last night and having to do research for my meeting today plus readings for lesson on top of preparing lunch. but it’s over already and now i can nua abit until sunday at least.
going Quebec City on Sat! our first short trip out of Montreal, am really excited. =D Quebec City’s 3 hrs bus ride...
Tuesday, 26 Jan 2010 (Rainy)
it’s been almost a month since i’ve been in Montreal. Time is REALLY passing very fast. So much has happened in such a short time that i haven’t got the time to really sit down and absorb the fact that i’m really living here, 9200 miles (it’s true, i checked it out) away from dear Singapore.
Montreal:
Where people speaks mainly French instead of English; where road...
“mum: “this is interesting, i can see myself when i talk to you”
.
.
.
mum:...”
– abstracts of a skype conversation with my mum
skype
did i mention that skype is my new best friend? =D
everyone add me!
twinkdevil_88@hotmail.com
first day of school
first day at a new school is always hard, especially when all the signs and instructions are in a language that you do not understand! even the emails that they send to our HEC mail is in French. What good does that do, i really don’t know.
it took me many many rounds around the school to find the library, because it was on the 2nd floor and for some reason their lift buttons AND stairs...
December 2009
1 post
Post exams
exams have finally ended! date to canada is getting closer. unfortunately i haven’t been packing much, been too busy meeting up with friends and stuff. Anyway, things are pretty much settled except for packing. =\ the thought of having to pack up my life and move in 2 lugguage seems impossible and very taunting.
Checklist since the last post
1) ISIC card done 2) NTUC insurance...
November 2009
1 post
October 2009
6 posts
first step to social life in canada
signed up HEChange for their student activities today!
The HEChange committee is a student association of volunteers that will take care of exchange students’ welcoming to HEC Montréal as well as to the city of Montreal, Quebec and Canada. And according to the emails, the activities include
- Welcoming Week from January 2nd to 10th
- Trips to Quebec City, Ottawa and...
2 tags
learning french
In canada, even though the official language is English and French, HEC Montreal is a French university. and i heard from lynn that they speak mostly French there (about 3 out of 10 mods are taught in French), so it means that i got to learn french!
Been listening to Coffee Break French podcasts and i realised that it is really possible to learn french through that. Every podcast is about 15 mins...
2 tags
air tickets booked!
After weeks of research, we still have not decided which airline to go for. Very few airlines fly to Montreal, so we’re down to Northwest and United Airlines. Reviews from friends and the internet on these two airlines look bleak, therefore we’re hesitant.
Went to STA travel at Bugis today to check out their air ticket prices because we heard that they offer competitive prices, and...
2 tags
acommodation found =)
Lynn emailed today to say that her landlady don’t mind renting the two rooms in her apartment to us!
It’s great because accomodation is one of our greatest concern. HEC Montreal has no school hostel, what they have is a GIA station where they help to allocate students to the different apartments that they have. According to the website, you can’t choose who you want to stay with...
2 tags
Setting up a bank account
Found out from the other exchange students that if you withdraw from a citibank account overseas, there’re no extra charges.. only the exchange rates.
So today, i went to set up a bank account at Citibank, Macdonald branch.
Citibank Step-Up account:
Min amt to maintain: $2000 (if not you got to pay a fee of $10+ every mth)
Took about 30min to set up the account even thou there were...