EC Montreal welcomes new hosts to the accommodation programme every year.  These new hosts must attend a workshop at the school prior to hosting.  We present to them the programme as well as EC’s customer service strategy.  It is important for us to give a complete overview of EC to our hosts so we always include a presentation from a teacher, a current homestay host and a student.  It sends a powerful message to our hosts to hear directly from one of our international students – to hear what they expect from a homestay host.  One of our young students, Regina Garcia, from Mexico, volunteered to present to our new hosts.  Here is what she had to say about her experience including her Do’s and Don’ts when hosting: My name is Regina Garcia, I am from México and I am 17 years old. My exchange programme journey started in Vancouver, I got there with the goal of being more independent, responsible, to expand myself as a person, and of course to improve my English.  I stayed there for 6 months and arrived in Montreal in February to learn French.  Both cities have offered me distinct learnings and memories. This is just a small essay in which I hope to help you to understand the dynamics on how to create an environment where homestay hosts and students can coexist as a family. Being so far from home can be overwhelming, so we just want to feel that we have someone waiting for us with open arms when we get back to school, we want to grow our understanding of the world and its peoples and the lifestyle as well, so communication is a must, it’s going to help us to improve our English/French skills We want orientation in our journey, to … Read more

This evening, EC Montreal held its homestay workshop for new hosts. A world of thanks goes out to the EC Montreal team for a very successful event! We gave our homestays an orange carpet welcome! We checked them in and gave them tours of our facilities. We had refreshments available for them as they mingled and talked to each other about their excitement to host! We had our student ambassadors helping to check in the hosts and accompany them to the lounge. The families were delighted to have their rooms already booked and it really helped us get our allocations done. We have done this in the past and it always works out beautifully. We find that the hosts pay more attention during the presentations when they know they have a student scheduled to arrive! I gave the welcome greeting and talked to them about the Orange Carpet Experience. I showed them the Homestay page and shared the Orange Carpet video. I introduced all the guest speakers. First up was our student, Regina Garcia from Mexico.  She is participating in our French programme and living with a homestay family. She spoke about her experience and what are the most important qualities in a homestay host. It is such a powerful message coming directly from one of our international students. The homestays were so impressed with her level English and how she was able express herself!  She was able to share her experience from both EC Vancouver and EC Montreal. Next, I introduced one of our homestay hosts and Homestay Recruiter, Valerie Clayton. She has been hosting students for EC Montreal since 2007! She talked about her experience hosting and how she has hosted students as young as 15 and as old as 75! She was incredible! Of all the speakers, … Read more

EC Montreal has an airport reception service.  Students who arrive can be welcomed by one of our team of EC drivers called Airport Reception Greeters.  Our Airport Reception Coordinator is Rafael Alencar.  He has a team of drivers who offer our EC Montreal students this service. We strongly encourage our students to take this transfer service as it will add to the warm welcome to Montreal.  Our drivers introduce our students to their homestay hosts, they help students with their luggage and are able to answer questions to the students about Montreal and about what they should expect from their EC experience. Our team of drivers are all trained on EC’s customer service strategy called the Orange Carpet Experience and they are all on board in giving our students exceptional service from the moment they greet them until they are safe and sound at the homestay family.  Some of our drivers have added small touches and attention to detail such as water bottles, mints or candies and Montreal guide books. Join our English courses in Montreal and let our EC Greeters welcome you to Montreal!

Felipe Eduardo Miranda Gargiulo is a student from Brazil participating in EC Montreal’s bilingual programme.  Sadly, this is his last week at EC Montreal.  Here is what he wanted to share with everyone about his EC experience. Please note that this testimonial was translated from French. I chose Montreal because it is a unique city where you can speak both English and French.  I learned French and I am very happy with my progress during my study period at EC Montreal. My favorite activities at EC were the culinary classes such as the sushi making workshop and the cupcake decorating activity.  There are too many Brazilians at the school.  All the teachers seem to be excellent.  I had a problem with Jasmine in the beginning, but now, I understand her way of teaching and I am thankful for my improvement. Regarding my accommodation, I liked my roommates and the possibility to practice English all the time.  My host mom is such a nice lady. I would recommend EC to a friend, despite the number of Brazilians, especially if you are more mature and you can speak only English or French at the school.  It is a little more difficult for younger students to respect this language policy and have it in mind.   I will always remember my progress and my routine here.  I am very happy living in Montreal.  I feel if I would have stayed a few more weeks, I would definitely speak much better French. I love the EC Montreal school because I learned a lot of French here.  I am very happy with my learning and I love this city! Join us to study and learn English in Montreal Canada!

The month of April has come and gone and it went by way too quickly!  At EC Montreal, at the end of every month, we ask our students to vote for their favorite teacher of the month.  This feedback is really important to us.  It shows us how very much our teachers are appreciated!  This month, our students voted for Yasser as the French teacher and Shayan as the English teacher of the month. We surprised Shayan first in his classroom by presenting him with a Teacher of the Month certificate and small gift.  His students were ecstatic!  They applauded and posed very proudly with the winning teacher. Next, we surprised Yasser.  Yasser has been on a little bit of a winning streak!  His students were overjoyed that their teacher won again!  We gave him the certificate and he was so happy to pose for pictures with his students. A world of thanks to all our students who took the time to vote and for writing the nicest messages about their teachers.  We are delighted to share them with you: Very patient with my French Très interessent les cours, beaucoup d’information culturelles He’s the best teacher She is very good at explaining useful things Elle est très gentile Patient and dedicate time to resolve things in class. A really Funny teacher. He explains very well. Best teacher at EC. Professional, polite Awesome knowledge of the language, history, music, politics Because his lessons are really good! Because he’s cool. He’s the best! He’s funny! She’s great.  She gives us the confidence to speak and the classes are dynamic. She is very nice et très sympathique! Il est le meilleur. She is the best! She explains the best! He’s a really good teacher. Join us to study and learn English in Montreal … Read more

For the past two weeks, EC Montreal has been hosting a group of 10 students from Merida, Mexico.  They are a group of teenagers from the same high school in the Yucatan Peninsula.  They are here with their two English teachers; Lady and Gabriela, who are also taking English lessons in our adult school. The group of teens are following EC Montreal’s Young Learners curriculum where every week there is a theme.  The students work in groups all week and at the end of each week they must present their final project. The theme during the first week was “Create a Nation”.  The students had to come up with their own made-up country or plant and as a group create all the elements that make up that country.  What is the population?  What is the architecture?  Who are the inhabitants?  What are the natural resources?  What does the flag look like?  What do they import or export?  What would a tourism promotion for this country look like?  We were all blown away by the creativity of the group?  They presented their final project to the rest of the EC Montreal adult classes.  At such a young age, they did a fabulous job expressing themselves and articulating their ideas. The second week of their programme, the theme was Art.  They had to create their own museum or art gallery by using visuals and telling a story of the museum.  They each had prepared their own exhibition and presented their work to the rest of the school.  There were ecomuseums and art galleries and so many other amazing and creative ideas. In addition to their lessons which took place between 9 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., they had afternoon activities three times per week.  The group had guided tours of Old Montreal and … Read more

Magda Olivia Sanchez Jonguitud is a lovely woman from Mexico participating in EC Montreal’s English Intensive programme.  Sadly, this is her last week at EC.  Here is what she wanted to share with everyone about her EC experience: I like the school.  I am happy.  I have learned a lot.  The teachers are all very kind and patient.  I want to return for more time to perfect my English language skills. Join our English classes in Montreal!

Montreal will be hosting a coffee festival in May to celebrate the independent coffee shops who have a tough time competing with the coffee monster corporations such as Second Cup, Tim Hortons and Starbucks.  The festival is called Café Fest.  The participating coffee shops include Anticafé, Café Osmo, Le Dépanneur Café and Avenue G.  I am sure most of our EC Montreal students have never heard of these small, independent coffee houses.  For this reason, this festival is so important.  We always try to promote small business hours and local companies. This will be Café Fest’s fourth edition of this festival.  It takes place from May 5 to May 11.  Participating coffee shops will be selling coffee for only $1 for the ristretto, espresso, americano and filter coffee and $2 for the cappuccinos and lattes. The fest is also holding an Instagram contest! Take a photo of your coffee in a participating store, Instagram it and you could win one year of coffee, a workshop for two, or a coffee basket from Barista Microtorréfacteur. Look for an outing at one of these coffee houses on EC Montreal’s May calendar of events! Join us to study and learn English in Montreal Canada!

Vivian Castro is an agent from Brazil who is studying English with us this week!  Sadly, she was only booked for one week and Friday is her last day.  Here is what she wanted to share with everyone about her EC experience: It may be short period of time but it was great to understand how EC is committed to its students.  Teachers at EC are hugely amazing as well as all the staff.  The building structure provides anything students need to study and enjoy within the institution. Montreal is a lovely city to visit and to live.  It’s safe, not so expensive and so many places to visit! We hope you will join us to study and learn English in Montreal Canada!

Ericka Canché is a lovely student from Mexico participating in EC Montreal’s closed Young Learners group.  Today was her last day at EC.  Here is what she wanted to share with everyone about her EC experience: I chose this city because I wanted to strengthen my English.  These past two weeks, I learned more than anything, how to talk and not be shy.  My favorite activity was when we went to Mount-Royal because it was a beautiful day with many landscapes and snow.  I enjoyed the lessons because the teacher was a friendly person and the lessons were not boring.  I loved my homestay!  From the very beginning she was a lovely person, easy to understand, very kind and her food was delicious.  I think it is because Bella is Italian.  I recommend this accommodation 100%! We hope you will join us to learn English in Montreal and have as much fun as Ericka did during her stay!