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Holiday FAQ

I know I haven't been super great about keeping this blog updated recently - you can (and probably should) blame the business of the first semester for wiping out all my energy. So this is my attempt to fill in some gaps and bring you up-to-date on my life in Montreal.

Q: How's Canada?
Good! It took a while to settle in, but Montreal is a pretty cool place to live. I still haven't been able to explore as much as I'd like, but there's plenty of time to make my way around. I have had poutine and bagels and plenty of Tim Horton's, so that's pretty much all you need.

View of downtown from Mont Royal

Q: How's school?
Busy, but good. I had three classes this semester, and I'm happy to report that I survived stats, but I am very ready to put that experience behind me. I've also started two research projects. One is looking at how often and when parents mix French and English together when talking to their kids. The other is trying to figure out if bilingual 2-and-a-half year-olds have a different systems for the sounds in French and English. If this has you scratching your head, ask me to explain it the next time you see me - it'll be much easier to do in person.

Q: So how much longer do you have?
Another good 3 and a half years. The program is designed to be 4 years (yes, that is a long time), but if things come up, you're allowed to extend. I'm aiming for 4. Stay tuned for my graduation announcement in 2022.

Q: What are you going to do when you're done?
Ask me again in 3 years. I only just figured out I wanted to do this program, and I haven't quite gotten to the next step yet. This is a future-Lena problem.

Q: Do you live alone?
Yup, and it's mostly amazing. I say mostly, because I don't love my apartment. I like that I have a separate bedroom and also a balcony, but there are just some things (like having to pull out kitchen drawers in a certain way to make sure that they don't crash to the ground) that are starting to wear on me. I'll probably be looking for another apartment in the coming months and hopefully move in the summer.

My living room!

Q: How's your French?
Pas très bien. Concordia is one of the English universities in the city, so everything there is done in English. I should be learning it to use in the lab when French-speaking parents come in. But other than that, it's very easy to get through the city without it. Most people in cafes, stores, etc. are bilingual, so I haven't run in to any problems. We'll see if I ever get the courage to try out my limited French there.

Let me know if there's anything I missed or if you're still curious about anything!

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