The Shenanigans That Defined My Trip to Montreal

{mine.}

I went to Montreal this past weekend for a Model UN conference (if you don't know what Model UN is). While my assigned committee basically blew, I loved this trip and would go back in a heart beat. These aren't the photos yet (photo blog coming, hopefully on Wednesday) but here's a summary of the shenanigans that went down. Because, let's face it, did anyone really expect me to be able to go through a weekend abroad without getting into some kind of trouble?

Actually tell the airline that just canceled your flight that you're pissed. Sitting in the same godforsaken airport for 12 hours will suck, but you just might get a bunch of meal tickets and a $600 travel voucher out of it. [You can leave your suggestions for where you think I should go next in the comments.]

You are very obviously an American abroad when you're slightly excited to have your ID checked at a bar in Canada. Yes, okay, the drinking age there is 18. Congratulations, Valorie, you look ridiculous. It's fine.

Staying out until 3 am when you have an 8:30 meeting is totally a good idea. Let's face it, everyone else at the conference was too. And it's not like you went to Montreal actually for the conference.

I may be in college, but passing notes is still fun. When you don't have phone service but *do* have people whose entire job that weekend is to pass your notes in a room of ~400 people, you will be all. over. that. 

People in Canada really do say "eh" at the end of most sentences. "This chair sucks, eh?" "Call me next time you're in Canada, eh?"  IT'S AWESOME, EH?


When you spend almost 24 hours a day with the same nine people, you will start picking up all their habits. It's fine. NBD. Anxiety attacks. Shwasted. I AM A LADY.

Subzero temperatures are totally survivable, but not easily navigable. If I had a dollar for every time I slipped in the snow/ice/slush, I wouldn't need to work anymore. Not really. But really.

No, really, it's okay to ask directions sometimes. Especially when it's 4 am, -20 F out, and you and your friend are a little drunk and have been wandering around downtown Montreal for an hour looking for "a tall building" because clearly there is only one and it must be your hotel. Screw your pride; ask the creepy guys on the corner where the Sheraton is and pray they don't follow you.

Skip your meetings. Okay, yes, you *did* travel all the way there for the conference. And yes, skipping a bunch of meetings really won't reflect very well on your team. But, I mean, you're in fucking Montreal and, let's face it, even if your resolution passes nothing actually changes in the real world. So, work hard, but skip a meeting or two; see the city, live a little. The pictures and memories you have will last a lifetime.

When the same airline that canceled your first flight also screws you over for the flight back, it's okay to start using the company name as a curse word. DELTAAAAA!