I met my partner in Mexico City and for many years we discussed the fact that we wanted to move abroad, at least for a few years, perhaps for longer. Being from  the UK we considered Spain as a decent entry point, but once Brexit happened I was slightly frozen out of the rest of the continent, not by my own vote I may add. I was chatting about this with a colleague from work and for Pietro Triassi Montreal was a place where he kept saying would be ideal for us both. I never really thought much of this, and then Pietro actually left the business and went on to become a manger elsewhere. Around 6 months later I saw low cost flights to Montreal and so decided it would be worth checking out, and I loved it. 

Equadistance-ish

Much of what we were looking for in a new place was that it was a little more equally distanced between the UK and Mexico, and that is was well served with airlines. Montreal may not have the biggest airport but they offer flights to both the UK and Mexico, and they are around 5 hours each. This is the first thing that ticked the box. 

Variety Is The Spice of Life

What struck me most about Montreal was the blend and diversification of it. Not only is there the fact that half, if not more, of the city speak French, many of whom actually don’t speak English, but the culture is printed onto the city. Not only this, the biggest variety that we see in the country is between the seasons, and winter and summer tell very different stories indeed. During the winter months the temperature plummets down to minus 30 celsius, the ice skates come out and everyone gets wrapped up. When summer rolls around however, the temperature can get up to 30 celsius and everyone is out playing basketball in their summer clothes. This variety and diversity is certainly something which attracts us. 

Way of Life 

The way of life in Montreal is very calm and very relaxed, there is plenty to do and the food scene is absolutely incredible. Beyond this there is great healthcare, good schools and the cost of living is very reasonable indeed, especially when you compare this to other cities in Canada. Beyond this there are some beautiful little neighborhoods in Montreal, all offering something slightly different be it art, Jewish delis, classic French-stye architecture or markets, there really is something for everyone here. 

Looking To Move 

I totally get what Pietro was talking about now, he clearly understood exactly what we were looking for and his recommendation was right on the money. We are currently looking at ways in which we may be able to make that move from Mexico City up to Canada. 

Have you been to Montreal before? What did you make of it?