Living in the Gaspé is not very expensive either. Aside from renting their little house, Nicolas and Corinne spend considerably less than they did in Montreal.
“In the restaurants, we spend absolutely nothing and it really doesn’t bother me, says Nicolas. I’m so happy to make myself something to eat at home and eat it on my deck on the water’s edge. As for activities, most of the hikes around here are free!”
Even though they both left friends and family behind in the Montreal area, both expatriates are not to be pitied in terms of social life.
“Where we work, there are a dozen young people who have come to live here in the same environment as us,” explains Nicolas. “That’s how we made a social circle.”
“People here are more open to spontaneous encounters,” adds Corinne. “We walk with our dog and it’s not long that we can chat and make friends. It’s easy to meet people here.”
The two Montrealers still don’t know if Maria will be their home forever. At 24, they still have plenty of time to decide if they will anchor permanently somewhere. But they definitely seem happy to have swapped the city for the seaside.
“We’re ready to be convinced,” is what we tell patients who ask us if we’re going to stay after our two years of residency. The fact remains that for the moment, we have only had the summer season. At least winter remains to be tested before deciding whether we want to stay for the long term.”