{"id":6221,"date":"2023-11-20T13:56:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T18:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montrealcentreville.ca\/communiques-en\/vivre-le-centre-ville-entrevue-avec-naomi-askenazi-etudiante-a-luniversite-mcgill\/"},"modified":"2024-02-22T16:07:16","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T21:07:16","slug":"vivre-le-centre-ville-entrevue-avec-naomi-askenazi-etudiante-a-luniversite-mcgill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montrealcentreville.ca\/en\/portraits-en\/vivre-le-centre-ville-entrevue-avec-naomi-askenazi-etudiante-a-luniversite-mcgill\/","title":{"rendered":"Living downtown: interview with McGill University student Naomi Askenazi"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Some decisions change the course of our lives, and some places seem to have chosen us.<\/strong> Naomi Askenazi is a student at McGill University.<\/span> This Boston native decided to study in Montr\u00e9al in 2018 and has been captivated by the city ever since.<\/span> From the comfort of Building 21 on Sherbrooke Street West, she shared with us her first impressions of Montr\u00e9al, her fondness for downtown, and the bonds she\u2019s forged here.<\/strong> With warmth and sensitivity, she told us about this life and this city that she calls her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Her first steps downtown<\/b><\/h2>\n

Right from the start, Naomi was struck by the intimate atmosphere of downtown. Having grown up in the hustle and bustle of a metropolis, this native Bostonian discovered a city she describes as both small and cute.<\/span> \u201cMy downtown is a place that welcomes everyone\u2019s needs and interests.\u201d In one sentence, she captured the essence of the city, in all its diversity and conviviality.<\/span><\/p>\n

Excited to explore all that Montr\u00e9al had to offer, the student quickly realized that she could navigate this calmer, quieter city.<\/span> And like a fish in water, she set off to discover the buildings, streets, and places where she immediately felt at ease and at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Here, it\u2019s quiet and everyone is closer to each other. [\u2026] There are some streets that I find really inviting and welcoming. I\u2019m not afraid, I\u2019m more at ease.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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The McGill campus, a key hub<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For Naomi, the McGill campus symbolizes downtown Montr\u00e9al.<\/strong> It\u2019s at once open and accessible, an oasis where the hustle and bustle of Montr\u00e9al student life meets the calm of the grounds. For her, the McGill campus is unique. It quickly became her second home. Beautiful and comforting in every season, she enjoys catching up with friends here. And\u2014she said this with a smile\u2014she often makes a detour to see if she can run into someone she knows.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s a place made for students, for learning but also for meeting people, that fosters interactions. It\u2019s a place that\u2019s accessible to everyone, and that\u2019s what I love about it.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Despite the gate at the entrance, everyone is welcome. The first summer she arrived, she was surprised to see families with their strollers, elderly people sitting on the park benches, and a line forming in front of the hot dog stand.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Summer is a special time. Naomi noticed there are always people outside, sitting on the lawn, reading, socializing, and enjoying themselves.<\/span> She too loves to sit back, chat, and have a drink with her peers. The ambiance is part beach, part festival, and it immediately appealed to her and set her at ease.<\/span> \u201cIt\u2019s not just a space for passing through. It\u2019s a living space where I love to be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And it didn\u2019t take long for her to get into a routine. From her daily coffee in the Burnside caf\u00e9, a secret little corner of campus in the basement of a building, to the nearby noodle restaurant where she takes refuge in winter with her friends over a comforting bowl of soup. Here, she feels right at home.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Montr\u00e9al, the greatest accident of her life<\/b><\/h2>\n

Thinking she\u2019d come but not stay, she surprised herself by falling in love with the city. For Naomi, Montr\u00e9al is like a daily celebration.<\/span> Used to cities designed to be more aesthetic than cozy, she found in Montr\u00e9al a cocoon in which to settle in and enjoy with her friends.<\/span> To her, the many parks that dot the city are each an invitation to interact with it and connect with the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

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I find downtown to be packed with activities for everyone, a place full of beautiful, spontaneous moments. If I\u2019ve been here for five years, it\u2019s because I love the place.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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With a smile, she can recall everything she\u2019s experienced here over the last few years. The memories she\u2019s created all around campus and downtown are now a special part of her life. Montr\u00e9al is her new home. She simply loves it here.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Studying downtown?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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Learn more about downtown Montreal and discover our suggestions for outings, activities and restaurants!<\/p>\n

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