BIXI

If you’ve noticed lately, BIXI stations have been popping all over the city. For those of us unfamiliar with the system, it’s time to get acquainted with it and saddle up. To get you started, BIXI has a new promotion, buy a year subscription before May 15 and get $10.00 off. That’s $68.00 for 7 months!

Last year, the BIXI system was launched in Montreal. There are two options on how to use the BIXI, either become a member (pay yearly or monthly), or for the traveller buy a day pass. To become a member, it’s quite simple.

Members pay a year fee of $78.00 or a monthly fee of $28.00, and receive a BIXI key. With the BIXI key, a member can take out a BIXI bike at any station. The first 30 minutes is free, anything after that is at your own cost.

A 24 hour pass will cost you $5.00, as well as a hefty security deposit on your credit card of $250.00. The same rule applies for the usage as a member, the first 30 minutes is free and anything after is at your own cost. If you do become a member, note that there is no security deposit fee.

BIXI bikes are expected to be rolled out on May 1st, however if the warm weather persists and the city is able to get their act together by cleaning up the streets, we may soon be BIXI-ing.

Love the city you are in.

Amour de Montreal

Francisation Program: Learning French

http://www.csdm.qc.ca/EducationAdultes/Programmes/FrancaisLangueSeconde.aspxBonjour, Ca va?

Are you new to our city? Or been here a while and still have not mastered “la langue Française”.

Well I am letting you know that you can jump on the language wagon and learn French for the price of a week’s groceries, or a night of debauchery.

Long story short, in order to promote French language, the government of Quebec offers a Francisation program. The Francisation program is an intensive program lasting two months per level. There are 6 levels in total, then onwards writing classes. The program is subsidized meaning that when you enroll and take French classes, you need to pay an administration fee of $40.00 to your local centre that offers the courses and $10.00 for the course materials and photocopies. That’s it! Learning French has never been so cheap, compared to private institutions.

Classes usually run during the day Monday through Friday, from morning to mid-afternoon. If you work during the day, fear not, they offer intensive night classes Monday to Thursday. Time schedules differ from one centre to the next.

If you are coming out of a job, and have a certain amount of hours, you may be eligible for Emploi Quebec’s training program. They pay you to learn French!

For myself, it was a big change compared to university French; for once I was able to interact with other people and with the teacher. The daily interaction helped big time, and the improvement has shown. So take time learn French.

For more information, click here.

Love the province you are in.

Amour de Montreal.