The debate wages on, at the moment. In one corner, we have those that believe that this little Montreal experiment has run its course. In the other, we have a small faction that believes there’s a world of opportunity waiting for me to find it. As per usual, I’m on the fence. If I had the slightest idea what to do right now, I could move forward with confidence—even if moving forward meant moving back to the city I fought so hard to escape.

So for my own sanity, I’m going to try and go through the two arguments and hopefully come up with some sort of profound decision by the end. Let’s start with the arguments for staying in Montreal:

1) My love of the French language and Quebecois culture. Though I haven’t done nearly as much exploring in recent months as I would have liked, I’m still intrigued by this place. There’s still so much to explore here.
2) The festivals. If I make the long trek home, I would be doing so JUST before the festival season starts. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that summers in Montreal are one helluva good time.
3) The cost of Education. Though I can’t presently afford to keep taking courses, I’m now a Quebec resident and, as such, get the in-province rate. For those unfamiliar with the difference between in-province and out-of-province rates in Quebec, it can come out to approximately 60% difference in tuition rates. And since I’ve already experienced firsthand my need for additional education, it makes more sense to do it where it’s cheaper.
4) The nagging sense of unfinished business. I’ve felt this before, actually… when I was in the Kinesiology department. I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve got things to do and goals to accomplish here. Mind you, the KIN adventure was a less than stellar experience by the end, so my gut feelings really shouldn’t be trusted at this point.

So now to balance things off, I should look at London and the merits of heading back to the Forest City:

1) My whole support system is there. My family and my closest friends all live in London (at least for the time being). As much as they’ve driven me crazy over the years, I definitely miss having them around. I miss talking to people. Truth be told, if I don’t have a class or something, then I don’t talk to another person after I leave work. That takes its toll on a person after a while. Part of the reason I haven’t gone out to do more in this city is I’ve gotten tired of doing everything alone.
2) Lack of a language barrier. Here, I’m an Anglophone who speaks French with a clearly anglo accent. Back home, I would be considered an asset as I’m (by Ontario standards) fully bilingual. Regardless of what people say, the truth is that Anglophones are at a disadvantage when trying to find work in Quebec. They hold us to different standards in French than we do for English. So be it.
3) Cost cutting. By moving back in with my parents for a bit (God help me), I could cut my costs in half while I try and get debts under control.

There are obviously no guarantees that either choice is the “right” one. In looking at the two arguments, I see a conflict between my head and my heart. My heart tells me to stay and fight it out, but my head tells me not to put any more obstacles in my path than necessary. The job market in London still sucks, but if I’m being screened out of the majority of jobs in Montreal anyway, then it’s probably an equal playing field in either city.

So now I’ll open the floor up for discussion. Should you wish to chime in with your opinion, I encourage you to do so. Also, if anyone has any job leads in either city (London or Montreal), I would appreciate hearing about them. Til next time…