PREDEPARTURE

KIT

INDEX

Welcome to A.L.I.! First Day at A.L.I! Arriving at the Airport Finding A.L.I. Student Life at A.L.I. Student I.D. card FREE Survival French and English Classes & Homework Help Medical Insurance Montreal Climate Where to buy Winter clothes Festivals Nightlife / Music Museums Banks and Canadian Currency Food Other Types of Accommodation Newspapers Gyms Transportation Customs and Etiquette in Canada Mail Service – Canada Post Voltage, Frequency and Plug/Outlet Type in Canada Holidays in Canada and in Quebec Time Zones Population Consulates Emergencies Phone Numbers

Welcome to A.L.I.!

We are very happy that you have chosen our school to be a part of your academic and personal life! You are about to live a new challenge, a life changing experience and all that in another country, with different people and habits. There is a lot that you still don’t know but just getting here is already a very big step. We congratulate you for your courage and hope we can assist your every need.

To start this assistance, here in this kit you will find information about the Academie Linguistique Internationale, about the city of Montreal, and about the second largest country in the world, Canada. This basic kit will help you in your first weeks and it contains tips and facts that you might not know yet. Our only intention is to help you adapting to your new lifestyle and giving you information that might be relevant for you and your life in general.

We hope that you enjoy your stay, that you make a lot of new friends from all over the world, that you participate in a lot of activities, that you get used and adapted to your new lifestyle, and that your language skills improve more that you have ever wanted. Welcome to Canada, welcome to Montreal, welcome to ALI!

First Day at A.L.I!

Your first day at A.L.I. will be an orientation day. You will meet the administration, and receive information about the school and the city. There are no classes this day; your classes will begin on Tuesday. During this day you will receive a welcome kit with everything you need to know about your courses, school policies, and the staff at A.L.I.

You should arrive in Montreal at least 3 days before your start date at A.L.I. This will give you the chance to recover from jet-lag, and to orient yourself in the city.

Please be sure to complete your online grammar test before your first day at school (we recommend one week in advance). The grammar tests are important to place you in the right level.

Arriving at the Airport

If you have paid for A.L.I.’s pick-up service* If you do not have our pick-up serviceOur airport pick-up coordinator will be waiting for you with a sign that says “A.L.I.” and has our logo. She will take you to your homestay family, residence, or an address you give her.There are two options for those who can’t find our coordinator:

Calling her cell phone number using the number given to you by your agent.

Going to the Information desk at the Arrivals level of the airport, and asking

To take the bus downtown metro station: Exit the airport and look for the Bus stop # 747. The 747 bus line service runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, between the Montréal-Trudeau airport and Berri-UQAM station.Travel time may vary between 45 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. The

them to intercom the A.L.I driver fare is $9 for unlimited travel throughout STM bus and métro networks during 24 consecutive hours. You must have the change in your pockets, the bus driver is not provided with change

To take a taxi: Exit the airport and look for the Taxi line-up. Provide the address to the driver. The cost from the airport to downtown Montreal is approximately $50 CAD. It is recommended to tip the driver 10%.

* Please note that airport pick-up fee is non-refundable.If you do not arrive within 2 hours of your scheduled arrival time and did not inform any changes to Karen, the pick-up will automatically be cancelled and the fee will not be refunded.* Please call Karen as soon as possible if there is any change in your arrival time. You may not be picked up if your flight is changed or delayed. *Be sure to have your emergency numbers easily accessible in your hand luggage or wallet.

Finding A.L.I.

There are two very easy ways to find our school:

Take the metro (orange line) to Lucien-L’Allier station and walk up the hill when you exit. The street at the light is Rene Lévesque. The school is located at 1425 Rene Lévesque (one block to the left).

Take the metro (green line) to Guy-Concordia station and walk down Mackay Street to Rene-Lévesque.

Here is a map of Downtown, where our school is located:

For those who haven’t tried to find it, here is a map of the metro lines in Montreal:

For more information about bus schedules or routes, go to www.stm.info or download the application STM (Société de transport de Montréal) in your smart phone.

Student Life at A.L.I.

The student body at A.L.I. is multicultural. We have students from many different countries around the world, and you will be able to make friends from various backgrounds. We also have many Canadian students who attend our school to improve their English or French skills.

Our teachers come from different places in the world such as France, England, United States or even from different provinces inside Canada like Toronto, Alberta or Manitoba.

The only two languages allowed on the eight floor are English and French. We have a language policy in place to enforce an English/French only environment. You will be asked to sign the contract on your first day here. It is your responsibility to speak only your study language!

There are many activities happening at A.L.I. all year round. Our Activities Coordinator works to make your visit as fun and interesting as possible. Here are some examples of activities we offer:

Ski/Tubing trips Visits to sugar shacks Cultural visits (e.g museums/parades/jazz fest) Visits to water parks Comedy shows Skating Trips to Quebec/Toronto & Niagara/New York/Boston Tips for the best restaurants in Montreal Apple picking Bowling Movie night Welcome/Leaving parties Club night Hockey games

You can join some activities for free, but others might have an additional cost. All our activities are made after your study period, that way you will never have to miss class to be able to hang out with your friends. Some of our trips, however, might require a day off and it is usually a Friday. In that case your absence will be justified and you can attend Homework Help to review the content you missed.

Student I.D. card

You can make a student card when you are registered at ALI. This card will give you discounts around the city at cinemas, restaurants, attractions, some means of transportation for tourism, gyms, etc. You can make your student card every Tuesdays or Thursdays between 2:30 pm and 4:00 pm.

Here is an example of a student ID card and its contents:

FREE Survival French and English Classes & Homework Help

We offer free “Survival English” for French students and “Survival French” for English students. These classes will help you learn the basics of the language and that way you will be able to speak both languages that are spoken in Canada! You can sign up weekly at the school with no additional cost. The survivals are always after your normal schedule so you don’t have to miss any classes from your core plan.

We also offer Homework Help every day after your class and they are taught by the head-teachers of the English and French departments. They are very useful for those who feel behind in the content or had to miss a day of class.

Medical Insurance

It is mandatory to have medical insurance while studying at our school. Please learn about the details of your insurance plan before you arrive.

If you purchase insurance with A.L.I., the insurance company is called Guard Me. You can obtain more information about this insurance plan upon your arrival. Don’t forget to pick up your Student Guard Card at reception in your first week at school.

There is a medical clinic that is within a 12 minute walking distance from our school if you have an emergency; here is the map to guide you:

If you are having any emergency at home or far away from downtown there are clinics all over Montreal and its surroundings, they are easily reachable through the internet.

Montreal

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec, and the second largest in Canada. It has a metropolitan population of 3,824,221. Its highest point, Mount Royal, is 761 ft high. Montreal is a cosmopolitan and bilingual city. The official language is French, but services are available in English as well, especially downtown. The city is made up of 19 neighborhoods:

The main centre for tourist information, Infotouriste, is located at 1255 Peel Street, near the corner of Peel and Ste-Catherine and close to Metro Station Peel. Phone for contact is: 514-873-2015 or 1-877-266-5687.

Visit: http://ville.montreal.qc.ca to get to know more about Montreal and its surroundings. You can also use this map of the city to your orientation:

Climate

Montreal's climate varies a lot over the year. The city is known for its cold winters, but its summers are hot and generally sunny, with occasional humid days. May and October are the most pleasant months for outdoor activities and walking. It begins to snow in November and continues until March. The four distinct seasons allow for a wide range of outdoor activities year round.

Here is a fun list of activities that you can do during the winter, during the summer, or during both seasons:

Activities for The Winter Activities for the Summer Activities for Summer & Winter

Participating in Nuit Blanche, where activities are organized all night long

F1 Canadian Grand Prix exploring the wonders of Mont-Royal , that is close to downtown;

attending Igloofest: a gigantic electronic music event under a big-top tent

Jazz Festival in Montreal

shopping in the underground city downtown

taking a Horse & Buggy ride bundled under a blanket in the Old Port

Doing barbecues, picnics and cycling – every activity that can be done outside is fun!

taking a bus to Mont Tremblant village for the day

A lot of people are very surprised with how hot Montreal and Canada could be and it comes from the stereotype that it is cold here all the time. It is very important to know that Canada could be as hot as your home country, and here is the average of temperature for all year long:

Where to buy winter clothes

Winners – www.winners.caThe Bay – www.hbc.comSimons – www.simons.caWalmart – www.walmart.caSports Experts – www.sportsexperts.ca L’Aubainerie – http://aubainerieconceptmode.com/#/accueilMountain Equipment Co-op – www.mec.ca

Festivals

One thing that people miss when they leave Montreal is the never ending line-up of festivals. There is something to do, somewhere to go, every month of the year. Most of the events are free, but some will ask an entrance fee. Examples of these events are: Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, Montreal Fashion Week, Grand-Prix de Montreal, Loto-Quebec Fireworks Competition, Jazz Festival, Canada Day, Osheaga Music Festival, etc.. We cannot name all the festivals, so please check out www.montrealfestivals.com for more information.

As there are also a lot of seasonal events in Montreal, it is recommended to check the upcoming festivals in advance, in your country of residence. You can check upcoming events in these websites:

http://www.centrebell.ca/en/page/calendar

http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/What-To-Do/Events

http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=4517,7008705&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

http://www.pda.qc.ca/index.en.html

Nightlife / Music

Montreal is known for its nightlife because it is a very active city, even in the winter. Here are links with a few spots to be checked out.

www.montreal-clubs.comwww.go-montreal.com/night.htm

Here are links to a few websites that will help you know better the musical culture here in Montreal and in Canada in general. It is important to remember that music is quite appreciated here, but you always have to keep your headphones and try to listen to low music when you are in public.

www.popmontreal.comwww.admission.comwww.metropolismontreal.cawww.casadelpopolo.comwww.latulipe.cahttp://montreal.virginradio.ca/http://www.999thebuzz.com/http://www.ckoi.com/http://www.mtv.ca/music/artist/o/502148/of-montrealhttp://www.chom.com/

Museums

For those who enjoy cultural activities here is a list of a few of the many museums we have in the city:

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts The Canadian Centre of Architecture The Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art Chateau Ramezay Museum Just for Laughs Museum Pointe-à-Callière Museum McCord Museum of Canadian History

The Montreal Biodome The Montreal Botanical Gardens The Montreal Insectarium The Montreal Planetarium Montreal Science Centre

Visit www.museesmontreal.org for more information!

Banks and Canadian Currency

There are quite a few banks* around the city where you could open an account or make transactions. The ones that are most used for international purposes are, Western Union and HSBC. Other local banks could be: Scotia Bank, TD – Canada Trust, Desjardins, RBS, BMO – Bank of Montreal, Laurentian, CIBC, etc.

Canadian Currency is measured in cents (¢) and dollars ($). There are 100 cents in every dollar.

When you arrive at the airport, you can exchange money into Canadian currency. There are also exchange offices downtown, close to the school, and some banks also offer that type of service.

You can pay with cash, major credit cards, or direct debit cards (Interac) at most venues, shops, and restaurants. With a Canadian bank account, you can withdraw cash at any automated teller machine (ATM) located around the city. Some machines will allow you to withdraw cash from an international account.

Food

Montreal is known for its diverse population - a mix of residents from many different, in combination with the French Canadian and English Canadian cultural heritage which makes the food scenario extraordinary!

Examples are:

Maple Syrup: used in a lot of recipes such as cakes, pancakes, doughnuts, etc. Also used for the famous Sugar Shacks:

Pâté Chinois: Poutine:

Bagels : Smoked Meat:

Queue de castor:

Montreal also has a tradition of adopting and making popular the culinary traditions of its immigrant population. At the moment, Thai food is popular, as well as Greek Souvlaki, Indian curries, and Japanese sushi. Almost any nationality has its representation on the food scene in Montreal, and not to forget the vegetarian, raw food, and organic scenarios. With all that said… Bon appétit!

Other Types of Accommodation

If you are not with one of A.L.I.’s accommodation services, you can search for an apartment in the city by visiting www.craigslist.ca or www.kijiji.ca or any of the weekly newspapers. You can also walk around in the areas where you want to live and call the phone numbers on the FOR RENT/A LOUER signs close to the apartment doors.

Many families choose to live outside Montreal in one of the suburban residential areas surrounding the downtown neighborhoods. If you are placed in a home in a suburban area, you will have the chance to experience a different side of Montreal. Duplex and Triplex style apartment buildings are common on the island of Montreal, which means neighbours live in close proximity to each other. It is often possible to hear our neighbours, and it is expected that everyone keeps the noise at respectful levels, especially between 11pm and 8am.

Newspapers

It is very common in Montreal to have access to newspapers inside bars or restaurants for breakfast, you can also buy them, or have some for free at public places. Here is a list of the newspapers you may find:

La Presse Le Journal de Montréal Le Devoir The Gazette Les Affaires L'Actualité Voir - FREE Ici Montréal - FREE Montreal Mirror – FREE and in English Hour – FREE and in English 24H Montréal - FREE Journal Métro FREE

Gyms

If you like exercising Montreal has a whole bunch of gyms* that give you the option to stay fit! Check it out:

www.clublacite.netwww.energiecardio.comwww.nautilusplus.comhttp://athletics.concordia.ca/campus/legym_rules.shtml

Transportation

Public transport:

The public transportation system in Montreal is efficient and extensive. To access the network of busses, metro, and suburban trains, you must purchase an OPUS card from any metro station. There are many types of cards to purchase, you could buy monthly or weekly passes in the beginning of each month or week. After that, you can continually recharge the card as you use it. The monthly unlimited is the cheapest option for someone using the public transport at least twice a day.

To travel to the south shore of Montreal or to use the trains to get by in the city certain conditions apply. Check the website www.stm.info for more information about prices and dates.

It is important to remember that students from the Academie Linguistique Internationale do not have acess to student rates for the buses. That condition is applied for students from Montreal only.

Map of main lines for public transportation

Bixi bicycles:

Another option for getting around Montreal is the BIXI bicycle system. You must subscribe online (you can buy a yearly pass, a monthly pass, or a 24-hour pass) and then it is unlimited for short trips under 30 minutes. There is a small fee for longer trips. BIXI parking stations are scattered all over the city. You take the bike at one station and leave it at another station!

See http://montreal.bixi.com/home for details, and www.velo.qc.ca/documents/reseau_mtl_mai08.pdf or www.pistescyclables.ca (French only) for cycling routes and bike paths.

Long distance bus and train:

For travel outside of Montreal, visit www.greyhound.ca for long distance bus trips, and www.viarail.ca for train travel.

Main airlines: www.westjet.com www.aircanada.com www.americanairlines.com

Driving:

In Canada, drivers drive on the right side of the road. In the island of Montreal only, there are no right turns on red lights. Also, stop signs read ‘arret’ which is French for ‘stop’. Distances

and speed limits are posted in kilometers throughout Canada. Gasoline prices are in litres. You may not turn right on red lights in Montreal, although this is permitted in Quebec (outside of

Montreal’s island).You are allowed to drive with your license for 3 months after your arrival, if you want to drive for a longer time than 3 months you should contact SAAQ (http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/) for more information

International driver licenses are recognized in Canada. If you are in Quebec with an international student visa and you have a valid driving permit from your country, you are allowed to drive in Quebec. If you are visiting on a tourist visa, you must communicate with your consulate in order to obtain an international drivers permit.

To rent a car, most companies require you to be 21 years of age (for some it is 20). Try the following companies:

www.budget.ca www.avis.ca www.enterpriserentacar.ca www.nationalcar.ca

Customs and Etiquette in Canada

Legal Age

The legal age to buy cigarettes and alcohol as well as go to bars and clubs in Quebec is 18 years and older. Note that most of other Canadian provinces have a legal age of 19 years and older. For example, if you go to an Ottawa or Toronto trip and that you are 18 or younger, you will not be considered a minor.

Drugs are not legal at any age in Canada. Please see the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act from the Canadian government for more information on the legal implications.

Customs

Depending on which culture you are coming from, Canadians might seem rather friendly or rather indifferent. But the general reputation of the people of Montreal is polite, helpful, and relaxed. A few things to remember while living in Canada:

- Spitting on the street is considered rude and you can get a fine from doing it;- Drinking in public places is not allowed;- Noise levels in your home must be lower after 11:00pm;- When you visit as a guest in someone’s home, a small gift is appropriate (such as a bottle of

wine or box of chocolates);

- You have to wait for the people who are inside the metro do get out before you get in it, the rule applies to buses and elevators as well;

- Line-ups to pay at stores and kiosks are generally respected, as well as at bus stops and information counters;

- It is not acceptable to bribe police or officials;- It is usually not acceptable to bargain for the price of goods in shops;- It is polite to remove your shoes when entering someone’s home, but it is not necessary to

remove them when entering a restaurant or public space;- Being late is generally considered rude;- It is acceptable to refuse food if you do not want it;- Toilet paper goes in the toilet, not the garbage bin;- It is not polite to ask personal questions of strangers, such as salary level, marital status,

religion, political inclination, etc.;- In Canada there is a tipping system in place. It is necessary to tip from 15% to 25% at

restaurants or taxis when you receive service at the table. If you received an awful service you could tip less than 11%.;

- If you cross the street on a red light for pedestrians you can get a fine, you could also get a fine if you don’t cross the street on the crosswalk.;

Mail Service – Canada Post

Canada Post is the federal postal service of Canada. Post offices are located all over the city, sometimes inside pharmacies, dépanneurs (corner stores), and office buildings. You can mail letters at a post office, or if you are sure of the postage required, you can mail letters directly in a mail box. If you are sending a package, you must go to a post office and they will weigh it for the correct postage. They also sell boxes and padded envelopes that you can buy to package your parcel.

Please note we do not receive mail at the school for our students. Please give your friends and family your home address here in Canada.

These are addresses of Canada Post that are close to school, please check online for their opening hours. You can also download Canada Post’s app on your phone to track objects, know different addresses or learn more about rates.

Visit www.canadapost.ca for more information.

Voltage, Frequency and Plug/Outlet Type in Canada

Electricity in Canada is 120 Volts at 60 Hertz.

There are two main types of voltage converters:

1) Resistor-network converters usually support 50-1600 Watts. They are light-weight and support high-wattage electrical appliances like hair dryers and irons. However, they can only be used for short periods of time and are not ideal for digital devices.

2) Transformers have a much lower maximum Watt rating, usually 50 or 100. Transformers can often be used continuously and provide better electricity for low wattage appliances like battery chargers, radios, laptop computers, cameras, mp3 players and camcorders. However, they are heavy because they contain large iron rods and lots of copper wire.

Some companies sell combination converters that include both a resistor network and a transformer in the same package.

Canada Plug Adapters and Outlet Shapes

If your appliances plug has a different shape, you may need a plug adapter.

Holidays in Canada and in Quebec

Apart from national holidays each province of Canada has its own festive dates. Here is a list of holidays celebrated in Quebec:

Date English Name French Name

January 1 New Year's Day Nouvel an (Jour de l'an)

Friday before Easter Sunday Good Friday vendredi saint

Monday on or before May 24 Victoria Day fête de la Reine

July 1 Canada Day fête du Canada

First Monday in September Labour Day fête du travail

Second Monday in October Thanksgiving action de grâce

November 11 Remembrance Day jour du souvenir

December 25 Christmas Noël

Time Zones

Montreal, Canada lies in the Eastern Standard Time (EST) zone. We experience “daylight savings time” in fall/winter, when we turn our clocks back one hour. This happens every year on the second Sunday in March. During this period, we are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). We put our clocks forward one hour (as they were before) at the end of EDT on the first Sunday in November.

Population

The population in Canada is 31,612,897 (data from May, 2006). The 2006 Census also enumerated 6,186,950 individuals who were born outside of Canada. They represented one in five of the total population. Here is a chart of where the Canadian immigrants usually come from:

Also in 2006, 98% of the population can speak one or both official languages. In addition, English or French is spoken at least regularly at home by 94% of Canadians and most often at home for 89% of the population, sometimes in combination with a non-official language.

Consulates

If you need to reach the consulate of your country, here are the addresses, phone and fax numbers of some:

General Consulate of Brazil1 Westmount Square, Suite 1700Montreal, QC, H3Z 2P9Phone: (+1) 514 499 0968Fax: (+1) 514 499 3963Website: http://montreal.itamaraty.gov.br/pt-br/

General Consulate of Colombia1010 Sherbrooke West, Office 420Montreal, QC, H3A 2R7Phone: (+1) 514 849 4852Fax: (+1) 514 849 4324Website: www.consuladoenmontreal-ca.gov.co

General Consulate of France1501 Av McGill College Montreal, QC, H3B 2E7Phone: 514 878 4385Fax :514 878 3981Website: http://www.consulfrance-montreal.org/

General Consulate of Germany1250, boul. René-Lévesque West, suite 4315Montréal, QCH3B 4W8Phone: (001) 514 931 2277Fax: (001) 514 931 7239Website: http://www.canada.diplo.de/Vertretung/kanada/fr/01/GK__Montreal/0-montreal.html

General Consulate of Italy3489 Drummond, Montreal, QC, H3G 1X6Phone: +1 514-849-8351Fax: +1 514-499-9471Website: http://www.consmontreal.esteri.it/Consolato_Montreal

General Consulate of Japan600 de la Gauchetière West, Suite 2120Montreal, Quebec

H3B 4L8Phone: (+1) (514) 866-3429Fax: (+1)(514) 395-6000Website : http://www.montreal.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/en/index_e.htm

Consulate of Mexico2055 rue Peel, Suite 1000Montreal, QC, H3A 1V4Phone: (+1) 514 288 2502Fax: (+1) 514 288 8287Website: http://sre.gob.mx/montreal

General Consulate of Portugal2020 University Montreal, QCPhone: 514 499 0359Fax:514 499 0366Website: http://www.secomunidades.pt/web/montreal

General Consulate of Russia3655, Avenue du Musée, Montréal, QuébecH3G 2E1Phone: 514-843-5901Fax: 514-842-2012Website: http://www.montreal.mid.ru/

General Consulate of South Korea1, Place Ville-Marie, Suite 2015Montreal, QC, H3B 2C4Phone: (+1) 514 845 2555Fax: (+1) 514 845 1119Website: http://can-montreal.mofat.go.kr/korean/am/can-montreal/main/index.jsp

General Consulate of SpainWestmount Square. Suite 1456Montreal, Quebec H3Z 2P9Phone: +1.514.935.5235Fax: +1.514.935.4655Website: http://www.consulate-montreal.com/spain.html

General Consulate of Switzerland1572 Doctor Penfield Avenue,Montréal, Quebec H3G 1C4

Phone: 514 932 7181Fax: 514 932 9028Website: http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps/nameri/vcan/canmon.html

General Consulate of Venezuela2055 rue Peel, bureau 400Montreal, QC, H3A 1V4Phone: (+1) 514 842 3417Fax: (+1) 514 287 7101Website: http://www.consulvenemontreal.org/

1.

Emergencies Phone Numbers

911 – General Urgences

311 – Reseau Accès Montreal811 – Info-Santé

*It is important to remember that ALI has no partnership with any gyms, banks, clothing stores or any website shown in this kit. The information provided is not merchandising.*