So, I had this idea to write a bunch of blogs about my first winter in Montreal, sharing all the snowy fun and chocolat chaud moments. But, as life often does, it got in the way, and I never got around to writing up my experience. Now, I’ve got a bunch of photos sitting around and not enough time to turn them into separate blog posts. So, I’m just going to throw all these winter pics into one place and share some stories as I go. Think of it as a quick winter recap, a “show-and-tell with lots of nostalgia.”

P.S.: Writing this blog at 2 a.m. brought a big smile to my face. Winter has been quite a ride. Lately, life felt a bit routine with all the work (not that I don’t enjoy it). But putting this post together made me realize how much more there is to it. There are so many little moments that might seem small at the time, but now, looking back, they don’t feel small at all. I’m really glad I made a habit of capturing these moments because now I can look back and see how amazing they were. There’s been so much to enjoy and remember. Plus, I feel really lucky to have met some great people along the way especially my roomates. It really does make a difference. It’s been a great winter, and I’m excited to revisit these memories whenever I need a boost.

When I decided to move to Canada, everyone I spoke to and every YouTube video I watched warned me about how tough the winter would be. They talked about -40 degree temperatures and how the sun sets at 4 p.m., making it feel like you’re stuck at home all day. It was a bit scary, to be honest. I’ve spent most of my life in coastal areas, where the cold never really bothered me, and now I was about to face a whole new level of winter. But, let’s be real, there wasn’t much choice in the matter. I’d made my decision to move, and I knew I’d have to deal with it sooner or later. So, here I was, getting ready for a winter that would be a real challenge!

I arrived in fall and trust me, it definitely helped. You ease into winter gradually instead of being thrown into it headfirst. I had a friend who arrived here during the last week of december and really struggled with the cold. Thankfully, that wasn’t my experience. The temperatures dropped slowly, and our regular late night walks built up a kind of resistance to the chill bit by bit. It was like my body was adjusting to the cold in manageable doses. It made the whole winter thing a lot more bearable!

Being from a coastal area, I had never actually seen snow before, so I was pretty excited. Time went by, and sometime during October I remember Megh telling me that there was a snow forecast. It was going to be Montreal’s first snowfall of the season, and everyone was very excited. Just look at the boys standing by the window waiting for it to happen!

Megh and Yash eagerly waiting for the snow. It would not snow for the next 5 hours!

Finally, at 4 a.m., it actually happened! We all gathered and rushed outside to see the snow. I know, after months of seeing snow, it might not seem like a big deal, but back then, it was incredibly exciting. Megh even called his girlfriend to share the moment (I am allowed to say this without getting into trouble 😉)

It does not look like a lot but at that time we were jumping and trying to catch and eat some :)

A few days later, I woke up to a pleasant surprise—tons of snow! It was absolutely beautiful. I remember standing there, watching the snow fall and getting lost in my thoughts, until the growling noise of my stomach craving breakfast brought me back to reality.

Ah! I still remember this day like it was yesterday. Just beautiful..

What was the first thing we did when we went out into the snow? Obviously, a snowball fight! You’re never too old to enjoy this.

I won the fight obviously! Megh was too adult to play with us. He wanted to moonwalk instead because that is cooool.

Fast forward a few days, and we had a Diwali party, which I’ve already covered in detail. The next few weeks weren’t as exciting though, with studies, assignments, and exams taking center stage. Exams here are quite different from what I was used to in India. For the course I was taking, we were allowed to bring a one-page cheat sheet. Naturally, I crammed an entire book onto mine! It’s hilarious to look back on now, and the funny part is, I don’t even think I needed it (yes, I’m smart 😉!).

Look at that beauty! The entire representation learning compressed into 2 pages. Things you do to pass an exam 😉. I am still not sure how I managed to write soo much though :)

After exams, everyone needs a break, so my friends and I decided to head to Quebec City. I had planned to write a separate post on how to navigate the city and had taken tons of photos. But, being a bit lazy and my memory being a little hazy (that rhymes!), I’m just going to share a few photos and add some captions.

This was the first stop we made - Montmorency Falls. It was beautiful and highly recommended.
Christmas vibes! We were here when Chirstmas was right around the corner. This was my first Christmas market and it was extremely lively. And that giant Christmas tree was the highlight of the day. Had only seen these in the movies.
Some of the food we ate along the way, notble one being the French Indian onion soup which had a ton load of cheese (it was a lot as you can see!)
The church where Paul almost converted us to Christanity! Luckily it was closed that day (phew!). On the right is the quite popular ice slide. Unfortunately there was not enough snow to ride it :(

Overall, the trip was fantastic! It was Christmas, and the city had this wonderful festive vibe, complete with a Christmas market—my first time experiencing one. I’d definitely love to visit Quebec City again and maybe then I can write a seperate blog!!

Soon, it was Paul’s birthday. For those who don’t know Paul yet, let me introduce him: he’s the guy who drove us to Quebec City. Now that we’re acquainted, let’s dive into the birthday celebrations.

We spent Paul’s birthday at a casino—my first time ever stepping into one! I need to be careful at this place! Casinos can be thrilling in unexpected ways. We tried out a bunch of games and Aayush had some luck on the Wheel of Chance, hitting a jackpot of $50. But then, your boy (that’s me) convinced everyone to put a big chunk of money on roulette and lost it all in one go. Everyone thinks I might have a problem, but it was all part of the fun and excitement (believe me).

Casino! Seeing this makes me wanna go back and win what I lost!

The rest of the time was a mix of studies and work, though I did manage some ice-skating. Most of it was dedicated to brainstorming and turning ideas into solid research. This is also one reason I couldn’t do more, but hey, I came here to study!

This was my first time ice skating. Aayush could not even stand in those shoes and struggled the whole time. I fell a couple of times but managed to walk on the ice XD. This was a good experience.

That’s all I could gather from my memory. It might seem like everything was nice and fun but that’s far from the truth. There were definitely dull and tough times, especially as I navigated some challenging emotions. I haven’t included those moments here because I want to revisit this page and remember the happy times. After all, we are in control of our happiness! So if you ever feel down during the winter, just know it will pass, and there will be plenty of fun ahead 😊 Hope you enjoyed the read!