So, we had to interview someone who’s not originally from Quebec. The person I chose is from British Columbia and she’s been here in 2009 for a student exchange. Her name is Emilie Mercier, she is 19 years old and she lives in Langley. I have met her during the same student exchange because her “twin”, that’s how we call the person that we were paired with, went to the same school as I did. My twin and her were also both staying into the same city, but going into different high schools.

So, when I asked her what was her first impression of the Quebeckers? She said that everyone were very accommodating and friendly. She said that, when she was in bigger cities than Mont-Joli or Price, like for example in Quebec City, people were tended to speak to her in English rather than in French, to let her practice her second language. When it comes to the education system, what’s mainly different is the Cégep. When it comes to the food, she loved the Quebec’s food. Mostly poutine, she said that “Quebec was amazing for food. Poutine had to be the one thing I ate on a regular basis while I was in Quebec. BC isn't particularly famous for any type of food. It’s very multicultural so we have a mix of everything.” So, even though there’s a lot a choice where she lives, she loved what's the most representative of us in food, our “national meal”. When she first came here, it was after Christmas and I’ve asked her what was different about the way we celebrate holidays, which was Easter in her case, and what was similar. She answered that, in her family, “a bunny comes in the middle of the night and leaves behind a trail of chocolate eggs” and that into her exchange family, they went to church and then they had a big family breakfast and diner.

Finally, Emilie Mercier is a young student of 19 years old. We have had kind of the same path, because we did the same exchange and learned a lot from it. Like she said, “Doing a cross country exchange when I was 15 definitely made me mature a lot faster. I have a whole new respect for people who come to Canada speaking a different language. It’s very brave to put yourself in that situation. I've already re-visited Quebec since my exchange and I most likely will go back again!” I hope I will have the opportunity to see her again, because she was a wonderful person and by the same way, I hope that I will have the opportunity to go back to the “Beautiful British Columbia”.

Hi, mi teachers ask me to write another blogpost about: Whether or not I supported the student strike, here it is!  

Here in Rimouski, the students strike began on February 28^th 2012 at night. All of our classes were suspended until we decided to stop it, which we did on April 3^rd 2012. WE HAVE BEEN into the movement for 5 weeks, including our mid-term week and it HAVEN’T CHANGED anything. The strike is going agains’t the increase of our tuition fees. The increase is 325$ per years for five years so it is going to cost us to go to university 3,793$ PER YEARS in 2016-2017.

Here’s now, what I think about the tuition fees: Why, here in Quebec, are we paying less than every single OTHER provinces? We ALL KNOW that the major part of our money is going to health care because the Quebec’s population is getting older and older; here I am talking about the baby boomers. That’s a society choice that we have made. We put the major part of the government’s budget into it so we are keeping the population healthy. We haven’t decided to put ALL OF THAT MONEY into the education! The government can’t create money; we have to deal with what they have! Now, I done about that part, you know what I am thinking about the fees, let’s now talk about the strike.

I know that a lot of people have spent all their time into it and they really believed in it. But I personally didn’t. Here’s why. First, some university and cegep have been into the movement for 11 weeks. (I don’t know if you are familiar with the cegep, but we have 15 weeks of school per semester.)  Don’t they think that after almost their WHOLE semester manifesting and NOT going to school, they are going to change the government’s point of view? I don’t know, but to me, it looks like their losing a year of studying and I don’t personally think that at the end, they are going to win their fight. Some people are saying that students HAVE TO make sacrifices, but why would they? Why would some students lose THEIR summer jobs or at least summer money, because THEY PAY what they have to, they work their b** off just to make sure that they’ll have enough money to pay for their year tuiton fees, books and apartment. Also, another thing, I am sorry, but to all the people that were crying (I’m exaggerating of course) because they aren’t going to have enough money to pay the increase I would like to say:

WHAT A MINUTE !!!!

You don’t have enough money to pay that, but you have it when it comes to your iPhone, your Mac, your 2012 BRAND NEW CAR, you also have it when it comes to drinking every night of the week, to have a television, internet and all stuff that aren’t, to me, obligatory.

I have read on a French blog, but I don’t remember where, that a woman what saying something like:  You keep saying that education is a RIGHT, but let me remember something: To eat is MORE IMPORTANT THAN a right, it’s a necessity but it isn’t free. So why would university if it’s not a necessity to our survival?

I know, some programs, like Comunications at University Laval requires a Mac, but remember that you are not the only poor people on heart and that students are not rich people, that it’s normal that we have to work and the more we work for something, the more we appreciate it.

I’m sorry if you don’t think the way I do, I mean, I’m not sorry! because you have the right to! I am certainly not a big fan of the student strike, but I respect what you’ve done! I takes a lot a courage to sacrifice the way you did, but I am also SUPER DUPER glad that we’ve come back to school my friends!

Peace out,

I loved that video, hope you will too!

Émilie F.

Hello EVERYBODY!

I've wanted to make a post on facebook today! Can anyone tell me how facebook helps us with relationship?

LET ME TELL YOU!

You know, how shy we can be when it comes to speak with a guy. But with facebook it's so easy! It's like msn, but you can also see his friends and ALSO if he has a girlfriend! I personally think that it's the easiest way to create a second contact with someone. DON’T add someone on facebook if you don’t know him! I can tell you, it’s kind of making me crazy when strangers are adding me. Fine, they want to get to know me, but you know … some of them AREN’T interesting! And I’m not the most direct girl and I’m shy to tell them: SORRY I’M to busy, I don’t have the time to speak to you … But yesterday, I turned crazy! A guy, who isn’t my friend, but a friend of a good friend adds me, at first he was nice… but yesterday he was just ANOYING! He wanted to know my cell phone number, but when I told him no, because I didn’t knew him he started to be aggressive! He told me that I really should give him my number because he don’t have internet at home. Finally, NO I DID NOT GAVE HIM MY NUMBER, but I blocked him on facebook! Now, I feel like I should do a facebook clean-up, so I won’t have a scary guy that sends me scary declaration!

But, I can also tell you that when you meet a cute guy at the bar, AGAIN at RHINO BAR LOUNGE it’s nice to have a friend request from him the day after!

Thanks for reading my AMAZING BLOG POST and I want to know:

IS FACEBOOK HELPING YOU are ISN’T HE with you relationships?

OCCUPY WALL STREET

As you may all know, the Occupy movement is an international protest movement which was basically directed against social and economic inequality. The first protests that were widely covered were in New York City with Occupy Wall Street and an other in San Francisco with Occupy San Francisco on September 17, 2011. By October 9^th, the Occupy movement was ongoing or had taken place in over 95 cities across 82 countries. There's approximately 2 500 cities from all over the globe that are also in actions against this movement. What they want is expose the 1% of people that are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on our future for the 99% others.

Personally, I understand that SOME PEOPLE might have difficulties to find jobs, but I think that there’s a fine line between been incapable to work and TO DECIDE that they don’t want to work. I know, here in Quebec, it’s easy to find jobs and not only for student, but also for adults and that it’s not the same in other countries. Fine!, but I also know that some people are been LAZY and that’s the reason WHY they aren’t able to find jobs.  I am not working each weekend because I like to work: I do it because I NEED MONEY. I also know that I am probably shocking you, when I say that, but I’ve started to work when I was in secondary 4, because my goal was to have a brand new car and to also be able to pay for my own stuff. That MY point of view, from where I am, here in Quebec. I know that between here and in the U-S, we don’t have the same systems and that it’s why I am not the best person to argue with their issue.

But, I agree that it’s also unfair that it’s a minority (1%) of people that’s having the control over a majority (99%). I think that the government should start to be MORE INVOLVE in the discussions and HELP THOSE who WANTS to be helped.

Are you agreeing or disagreeing? Tell me!

Dear 16-year-old Me

I know, this article isn't about relationships, but I was really important for me to share that with you. Recently, one of my FB friend have post a video talking about MELANOMA CANCER. When I first watched that video, I was touched by what those people were saying and what actually happened to them. We all know that cancer is a serious decease and that as the years are going by, there's always an higher probably of been getting it.

But, do you know what melanoma cancer is? On the site http://dcmf.ca, there's some information for you.

Melanoma is a cancer that starts in your DNA, the melanocytes one. It's the cell responsible for you skin and hair colour. Usually, this cancer is cause by too much sun that caused real bad sunburn on your skin.

DCMF means David Cornfield Melanoma Fund. That men has been diagnosed when he was 29. If you want to know more about his story, click HERE

At the end, they ask us to show that video to a 16 years old person. I've showed that video to my little brother in the hope that he's never going to have that decease. My mother, had a beginning of melanoma cancer, but because they took it early and now she's fine. The only thing that's left, is a long scar on the right leg of 10 centimeters.

Here's the ABCDE's of melanoma detection

This is the video that I encourage you to share with your friends!

Happiness is not a destination. It is a mood, it is not permanent. It comes and goes and if people thought that way then maybe people would find happiness more often. - Julian, OTH

*This quote has been taken from the American TV show : One Tree Hill. 

Can someone tell me HOW to understand boys body language!? It's so difficult to understand them so I've decided to post here 6 tips about how to interpret those signals on a FIRST MEETING!! ENJOY! 

HE HALF SMILES.

When a guy use that kind of smile, it might signify that he's not really been sincere because each side of his face is telling a different story, says the expert Patti Wood.

HE LIFTS HIS EYEBROWS.

Anthropologists call that trick "The Eyebrow Flash" because when a man find someone that physically is his type, he lift and low his eyebrows real quick.  

HE STANDS OR SITS WITH HIS TOES POINTED TOWARD EACH OTHER.

If you notice that a guy does that at a bar, that might be because he's feeling unsure and he don't know how to come and approach. If you're also into that guy, you may want him to know that the interest is mutual because if you're not giving him a sign, you could loose a great guy!

HE HAS A COY, CLOSE-MOUTH GRIN THAT SHOWS ONLY AT THE CORNERS OF HIS UPTURNED MOUTH.

You should know that the guy likes you, but that at the same time he is shy to show you his feelings. That's why he won't pull his emotions clear and tell you right away.

HE SMILES WITH HIS TOP LIP STRETCHED WIDE AND HIS FRONT TEETH JUST BARELY PEEKING THROUGH.

That sign means he likes you company, but that at the same time, the romantic spark might not be there. BUT this doesn't mean that he can't develop feelings for you!

HE HAS A DEVILISH SMIRK WHERE HE RAISES THE RIGHT OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS CLOSED MOUTH.

That is the kind of guy that you have to try real hard to catch him. He loves challenges, so WHY NOT GIVE HIM WHAT HE WANTS!? I'm guessing that he's worth the work anyway!

** I've taken my information on that web site 

What I am going to do on my mid-term week ?

For most of students, this week was expected since the beginning of the school year: THE MID-TERM WEEK! We like this period of the semester, even if we have a lot of homework, because we don't  have to wake-up early for school everyday. This is where we get to see our family, when we can party and meet new people and eat great food made by our family. But with thanksgiving weekend, there's always family meeting and aunt and oncle that's ALWAYS asks you the same question: Do you have a new boyfriend/girlfriend? and if not, WHY!? But honestly, after MANY years, can you help me to find new reasons, because they've already heard everything that Ii've though of...

So as a single 18 years old girl, I've decided to got out this Sunday at Rhino Bar Lounge and hang-out with my friends instead of wasting another night of this week at home watching Occupation Double, a french tv show. Bars and clubs are, I think, the best place to relax and spend time with yours friends. You can dance, drink, talk and meet new cute boys at the same time! What's special about this Sunday, it's because there's an Open Bar promotion: You pay 24$, there's 4 $ that goes to a college program and you don't have to pay for alcohol/liquor for the rest of the night! That's a super promotion for poor students!

I will also go to Quebec city next weekend with my friend Joanie to go shopping and to go dance in their bars, because nobody can compare our small bars to THEIR bars!

As you can see, I will try to balance my time between boring homeworks and my personal activities.

My question for you, bloggers is : What are YOU going to do this week?