Home Paging allycat0303!!

[kama_s]

I didn't want to threadjack Octoberbride's post, so I figured I'd make another thread to talk! Mr. Kama is from Montreal West, which is not the same as West Island. Montreal West is more west of Westmount, so if you keep going west on Sherbrooke. It's close to Concordia, Cote St. Luc, NDG etc. It's also primarily middle to upper-middle class anglophones. His parents moved to Ottawa a few years ago with the referendum scare!

I'm not from Montreal, alas! Lived in Dubai until I was 18 and then moved to Toronto with my mum/bro. We met in Montreal (at Cafe Campus!!) through a mutual friend. We were long distance for 2 years, so I spent a LOT of time in Montreal. The city is special to us

, and that's where he proposed! We're also planning to settle down in Montreal, let's see if that materializes!

Which part of Montreal to you live in?

 

[allycat0303]

Kama_S!

Oh that is so cool! Small world indeed! I went to Concordia University for my undergrad/master''s degree. You must be talking about the new Concordia Campus which is in NDG. I know of cafe campus (although never have been there). So your guy is a true downtown boy! I''m not really from Montreal. We all say Montreal, but I live on the South Shore (in Brossard) otherwise known as the asian/indian ghetto (in a funny way) very multicultural town, very ethnic! Actually Brossard was held by the liberals for years, and years, (I believe 20 years) with something of 80% vote for liberals until the conservatives got smart and put in an asian candidate, effectively splitting the vote....so we''re held by the parti quebecois now

So trust me when I say, my family considered moving too during the referendum scare. The political climate has changed a lot since then though, and there is no danger of another referendum. I feel it''s pretty dead and done with that business, the parti Quebecois no longer has the support it used to. I live 10 minutes from downtown. Just have to get over the Champlain bridge which is annoying. So more accurate would be the south shore of Montreal.

So you might move back to Montreal? Where would you be planning on settling? I love this city. Nothing gives me the feeling that Montreal does. I think it''s the energy in this city. I don''t even know what you do for a living! Hah, I''m going to look back at your old posts. I get mixed up because I remember these cool pictures of you for the indian wedding...but I swear you were planning a wedding.

 

[allycat0303]

Hmmm....I assume you''re indian.....you should consider Brossard, you would be happy there

I say ghetto in the loosest term. It''s very upperclass. The new developements in Brossard are where the Montreal Canadians (the NHL players) live. So we have a nice mix of new mega-houses, and the older, great neighborhood places.

*ally now stops her shameless publicity*

 

[kama_s]

Oh no way! Haha, small world indeed! Yep, talking about the new campus! After his parents moved, he decided to stay downtown, so mainly around St. Laurent and Sherbrooke. St. Denis is my FAVOURITE street ever! I'm really glad the Bloc isn't doing as strong anymore, although I have to say I'd take Duceppe over Harper ANYDAY! If I loved in Montreal, I'd love to be in Justin Trudeau's riding

Mr. Kama's old neighbors in mtl west are close friends with the Trudeau's so my MIL has met Justin and his wife at a few weddings!

I dont know much about the South Shore though. I think we tend to stick to the downtown core since we take VIA down and just walk/metro it around.

If we moved down, we'd probably live around Westmount. I want to be as close to downtown as possible! I love the city so much, it always takes me a long time to settle back in Toronto after we visit Montreal. We normally come in the summer during the jazz festival, and sometimes even for the St. Laurent street sale! And then again in the winter for New Years. I love spending New Years at the old port!

I did my masters in clinical pharmacology/biomedical and neonatal toxicology, so Laval would be my hot spot for jobs! Pharma HQ's one after the other! We're having two weddings

- we had one in India (just for my dad) followed by a reception in Dubai because that's where I grew up. And our official one is in Niagara-on-the-lake in June.

I know, it's crazy! Especially I was never one to be excited about weddings, and I didnt think I' ever want to tie the knot up until I met Mr. Kama!

So you did undergrad, masters AND an MD?!!! Wow, you're a super woman! Did you do med school at McGill? Is your beau viet as well or is he french-canadian?

 

[kama_s]

Date: 4/28/2009 8:37:51 PM
Author: allycat0303
Hmmm....I assume you''re indian.....you should consider Brossard, you would be happy there

I say ghetto in the loosest term. It''s very upperclass. The new developements in Brossard are where the Montreal Canadians (the NHL players) live. So we have a nice mix of new mega-houses, and the older, great neighborhood places.

*ally now stops her shameless publicity*

OH MY GOD. I''m so totally setting up shop in Brossard!!! And stalking PRICE and Higgins and maybe even Koivu, Kostitsyns and Kovalev!!

It''s so depressing they''re out of the play-offs already, this season was really crappy for them. I couldn''t wait the games agaisnt Boston, I felt like my heart was breaking everytime Boston scored. Price wasn''t on his A-game and the defence sorely lacked

I dont know if I''d like living in a predominant Indian area...I tend to stay away from them even here in Toronto! We live downtown Toronto...away from brown drama! Haha.

 

[sunnyd]

Can I butt in?!

I lived in Pierrefonds for 8 years when I was a kid! All my dad''s family is on the West Island. Yayyy Montreal! Okay, all yours again.

 

[kama_s]

Date: 4/28/2009 9:35:02 PM
Author: sunnyd
Can I butt in?!

I lived in Pierrefonds for 8 years when I was a kid! All my dad''s family is on the West Island. Yayyy Montreal! Okay, all yours again.

Totally! This party is for all the cool Canadians

 

[anchor31]

Hey kama!

DH and I live in Côte-des-Neiges, near the Université de Montréal, right now. We''re moving to Longueuil (south shore, closer to allycat) on Friday though!

 

[allycat0303]

Kama_S,

Oh you should consider Brossard really if you are looking for even suburban. Less expensive and near everything.I agree that commute is a bit of pain, but not that bad (to montreal) buses run 1/2 hour to downtown. And we''ve had this HUGE lifestyle complex shops that have opened including the new practice arena for the Montreal Canadians (which is why they all moved there). We have ALL of the downtown shops (except for GUESS) don''t know why, even a huge theater (plays) hotel, movie theater. Really everything. In Brossard, everything you could possibly need is 3 minutes by car (or you could walk but I am lazy). I mean seriously, housing wise, what you get got 400,000 in Brossard compared to Montreal is ridiculous. Just the land alone! There''s a lot of companies on the south shore are pharmaceutical, so it all depends on where you find a job, and where your hubby finds one.

I didn''t go to Mcgill, I went to Universite de Montreal for medicine (only cause Mcgill is really, really hard to get in) As for for the degrees, well I''m sure you know I wasn''t accepted into residency that I wanted, so for today, all the degrees are USELESS. I''m volunteering at a lab right now, and I feel beyond worthless. Hard times

No my beau is french canadian. He''s the one that taught me how to speak french like a french-canadian so I could fool them in med school.

What is Mr. Kama domain? Does he speak french? Well my only beef with BLoc is that as soon as they are in any sort of power they scream for a referndum. So anyone is better then them! But I really don''t feel they have the power to do that again.

I love Saint Denis. And Crescent street too. I know it''s insane club street, but in the summer during the grand prix??? (Too bad we don''t have it this year) but there is NOTHING like grand prix weekend on crescent street. And the old port with the peformers. I love it! Where did you get engaged in Montreal?

So what''s the prospect of you moving here? What are the conditions?

Sunny_d: I didn''t know you were originally from Montreal too! Cool. And your Kitty is really cute!

 

[sunnyd]

I wish I knew all these places! Having not been there much since childhood and all...

Thanks ally, but it''s not my kitty. I found the pic on a very peculiar website selling wigs for cats. I liked the pic because she looks either like she''s trying to seduce you or plotting your demise. Hehehe!!

 

[kama_s]

Wow, nice! Maybe when we're closer to deciding we'll take a look around Brossard! I really would like to move ASAP, but Mr. Kama has a great job here in Toronto. Unfortunately, since his area of work is big internet companies, he wont get much in montreal. So I guess we'd need to find a compromise soon. He's locked in his current job for the next 3 years (because his stock options mature then - stupid company gives tons of stock options as rewards/bonus but you have to stay with the company for a certain years for them to mature) and it's a lot of money to just throw around. We can buy a house with it, so it's dumb if we dont wait. *sigh*

Mr. Kama speaks french, but not as well as a francophone...or anywhere as close to one! His grammar and spelling is really bad! I guess he didn't use it as much since all his schooling was in English. It's so cool you can whip out the french like a Quebecois! McGill is really hard to get into for med school. Even more so for out-of-province students. I know when I was applying to med school, I didnt even bother with McGill. They reserved only TWO seats for out-of-province and FIVE for international students

This one girl I knew from univ got into McGill med school after doing 3 years of english

! Also, please dont think your degrees are useless. Residency is hard to get into, especially a specialized program like cardiac surgery. My ex-bf wanted to get into cardiac surgery too (his BIL and uncle are both cardiac surgeons, one in LA and another in Edmonton), but he didnt get through. Mind you, this guy had an excellent unergrad GPA, did his masters in clinical pharmacology too (both at UofT) and got like 11+ papers published in the two years, had TONS of experience and what not. But nothing. Zilch. He settled for his second choice: internal med....and he's actually really enjoying it now. I'm not sure if he plans to still go on and do cardiac surg or even maybe gen. surg (but for him it's more of a 'status' thing). I really hope everything works out for you. It's sucky being in limbo. What lab are you working in now? Is it clinical or basic research?

Grand pris weekend is a bit toooooo crazy for me. I guess if I were a resident, it would be fun. But as a tourist too, when I come visit I kinda dont want to wait to get into restaurants and bars! Crescent street is too white-washed for me

It's like mini-Toronto!! He proposed at this ghetto restaurant on Prince Arthur called La Cabane Grecque. It was where we had our first date, so it's special to us...even though the food isn't that great! After we went to the Old Port for new year celebrations! My favourite restaurant in mtl is La Paryse. Best. Hamburgers. Ever. Also, best SUGAR PIE! It's on Ontario just off St. Denis. What are you favourite restaurants? Do you normally eat out in Brossard or do you venture downtown mtl?

Ok. Wow. I'm rambling!

 

[sunnyd]

Hey kama, where are you located in TO? My mom''s family is from Scarborough and are all still there. I was born in North York! I got ties all over the east, LOL.

 

[kama_s]

Oh cool! My mum lives in North York! I live downtown, around harbourfront

Where do you live?

 

[sunnyd]

It''s a small world aaaafter all...

Seattle now. But we did live in Burlington for a year!

 

[kama_s]

Ahhh.....we're losing all wonderful Canadians to our neighbor!! We had our e-pics done in Burlington, around the Village Square!

 

[allycat0303]

Kama_S,

Oh my gosh I thought of you all day for some reason! I got some insane news, and posted on Diamond Hangout, cause it''s unbelieveable, but I was accepted today into Cardiac Surgery at MCGILL. It''s a freaking long, crazy, wacko story but I detailed it all. I am so FREAKING happy. Yeah. Totally crazy.

So research. I was working on stem cell research (placenta not embryo) to differentiate cells into cardiac cells and look for cardiac markers and such. I say this with all reserve, because I''ve done 2 weeks, and don''t know much yet. I basically am learning from scratch, because I don''t have the in vitro background necessary yet.

Oh my gosh, la paryse!! I have ALWAYS begged my guy to bring me there for hamburgers, but he always says no! I''ll show him your post, because maybe it will convince him. I like mikado (on saint denis) it''s owned by my ex-BIL. So awkward, but as far as suishi goes, it''s the best one in Montreal. You have to go there if you have the chance.

As for Mr. Kama (so cute) speaking french but not spelling. PUH LESE! I spent 4 years at medical school in french and can barely spell 2 sentences without 10 grammer mistakes. Really no one gives a *poop* they don''t look at that. They want you to talk french and that''s it. And honestly, in most of the businesses, english is more important then french. My mom only speaks french and she said it was the biggest disadvantage of her career (not speaking english!)

Ok talk soon. I''m a little crazy now with this whole, "oh my gosh, I''m a resident. What??? After spending 2+ months thinking I had no future"

 

[kama_s]

Ally! Ally! Ally! Oh. My. God. Allllllyyyyyy!!! Such such such wonderfully fabulous news. I have tears in my eyes, I am so so happy for you! You deserve this AND MORE. And you''ll make a damn fine cardiac surgeon at that!

And if you haven''t been to La Paryse the next time in mtl, I''m totally taking you! It''s delish, so damn yummy! Okay, ya know what, I dont think I can have a normal convo with you right this moment. I''m just way too excited. I need time to bring my sympathetic nervous system down!!

I''m SO HAPPY

 

[sunnyd]

Holy cow Ally!!!!! Congrats!!!

and

for good measure!!!