A Place to Belong
April 2022. Things were finally looking up.
I had just returned from an adventurous and successful first rotation as an exploration geologist. After everything I had gone through in Saguenay over the previous year, Chicoutimi somehow didn’t seem quite as grim anymore. Three weeks spent in an isolated camp deep in the northern wilderness will make almost any town feel like a bastion of civilization.
More importantly, though, I had finally begun building a promising new life in an exciting new career. Spring was arriving as well. Winter slowly loosened its grip, giving way to milder, sunnier days. The skies filled with the unmistakable honking of returning Canada geese, while patches of green gradually reappeared across the landscape.
Even the intense smell of manure drifting in from the farms to the south couldn’t dampen my mood. It had become one of those quirky seasonal traditions of life in Saguenay. Despite all that, I knew I wouldn’t be staying much longer.
I had been thinking more and more about moving away from the region. My ideal destination had always been Montreal. I missed the energy of a large city. I missed having countless places to explore, good restaurants to try, concerts and festivals to look forward to, and simply the feeling that there was always something happening somewhere. Montreal also offered a far more international atmosphere, where language barriers mattered much less and meeting people from all over the world came naturally. After several years in relatively quiet Saguenay, that kind of environment appealed to me more than ever.
Now, with my company in the process of establishing a Montreal office, I finally had every reason to make the move. All I needed was the right timing.
A Window of Opportunity
Fortunately, work was about to provide exactly that.
Although exploration geology is often thought of as year-round work, it is, in many ways, still a seasonal industry. Activity rises and falls with both the weather and the practical realities of working in remote northern environments.
The busiest months generally run from early summer through autumn. As winter approaches, prospecting becomes increasingly difficult. Fresh snowfall begins hiding rock outcrops, while frequent low clouds and fog reduce the number of helicopter flights that can safely operate. Since helicopters are essential for reaching many exploration targets, projects gradually wind down as conditions deteriorate. Most field programs finish by October or November before shifting toward office work, planning, and data interpretation until the next season.
The opposite transition also creates a brief pause. For the most part, May was also considered a “dead month”. Melting snow turned many access routes into muddy quagmires, but the main reason for the shutdown was wildlife. Large-scale caribou migrations passed through parts of northern Quebec during the spring, accompanied by Indigenous hunting season. To minimize disturbance, exploration activities in many areas paused until the migration had passed.
For me, the timing couldn’t have been better. I had two weeks off to research Montreal neighborhoods and apartment listings before heading back north for one more rotation. Then, during the May shutdown, I’d have plenty of time to pack up my life in Chicoutimi, make the move, and settle into my new home before the busy summer exploration season began.
Finding a Home in Montreal
As I began looking into rentals, one problem kept creeping back into my mind. How could I realistically and cost-effectively view a potential apartment before committing to it?
Montreal wasn’t exactly close to Chicoutimi. A quick day trip was possible, but not without a car… which I didn’t have. Otherwise, I would have to spend a night there, adding extra costs and complications to what was supposed to be a simple apartment viewing.
The listings themselves, at least, were plentiful. Prices varied wildly depending on the neighborhood. I was still unfamiliar with the city’s layout, but I kept dreaming of living somewhere near the center. I wanted that almost mythical Manhattan-like lifestyle. Being right in the heart of a big, noisy, vibrant city. Of course, that dream came with a price tag. Anything close to downtown was considerably more expensive.
Eventually, after several days of searching, I kept coming back to one particular listing. It was one of several apartments available in a large residential building in Shaughnessy Village, managed by a major leasing company.
A Virtual Leap of Faith
The building itself wasn’t exactly beautiful from the outside. It was a large concrete structure with a somewhat dated appearance. But according to the photos, the inside had recently been renovated and looked quite comfortable.
More importantly, the location was nearly perfect. It sat on the northwestern edge of downtown Montreal, technically still within the downtown area, ten minutes walk from the Mont Royal Park. The building offered a common roof terrace, small gym and even a rooftop swimming pool. Although the latter turned out to be under renovation indefinitely. The rent, while certainly not cheap, being roughly three times what I had paid in Chicoutimi, was still surprisingly reasonable for the location. With my new income, it was manageable.
I contacted the property management company to get more information, especially regarding how I could view the apartment without creating a logistical nightmare. One thing led to another, and soon enough I was taking part in a remote apartment tour. A company representative walked through several available units using their phone camera, showing me the apartments and common areas. They were patient, responsive, and willing to answer all my questions. Whenever I wanted to see a specific corner of the apartment or building, they took the time to show me.
Of course, it wasn’t the same as physically visiting the place. There were always things you couldn’t properly judge through a screen. But given my situation, I decided it was good enough. If it turned out not to be the right place, I could always move somewhere else later.
A New Horizon
And just like that, within a matter of days, I went from vague ideas about leaving Saguenay to signing a lease for a one-bedroom apartment in Montreal. My time in Chicoutimi was truly coming to an end.
The last challenge was figuring out the move itself. I had kept in touch with Pedro, one of my old university colleagues. He already knew about my plans to move and when the time came, I asked if he would be willing to help me with the logistics. Thankfully, he was more than happy to help. We found a small window in early May that worked for both of our schedules, while also fitting with the short overlap between my two rental contracts.
I would rent out a cargo van and he volunteered to drive it to Montreal and help me unload. Then he’d drive back to Chicoutimi the same day.
Everything was falling into place. And before I knew it, I was heading back north for my second work rotation.
The Rotation Before the Move
My second rotation came and went much faster than the first.
Unlike my adventurous first work shift, there was no uncertainty this time around. The project had transitioned to using charter flights, so there were no more airport shenanigans. We now flew directly from Montreal to Mirage, with a quick stop in Alma, in the Lac-Saint-Jean region. Since Alma was only about an hour’s drive from Chicoutimi, one of my friends was kind enough to give me a lift. Just like that, my trip to work had become surprisingly hassle-free.
Stepping onto a small private plane sounds more glamorous on paper than it actually was. The cabin ceiling was low, the seats fairly cramped, and because the aircraft were so light, they were much more susceptible to turbulence than the commercial flights I was used to. Still, it was a fascinating way to commute to work. Yet another unexpected perk of the job.
The work, on the other hand, had already begun to feel routine. Most of the people were now familiar faces, with only a few new additions to the crew. The rotation itself was also shorter this time—two weeks instead of the three-week marathon of my first shift. It was a much more comfortable rhythm, allowing everyone to maintain a better balance between work intensity and recovery.
The geological side of the work was becoming increasingly interesting as well. I was starting to better understand the rocks we were working with and the broader context of the project. There were plenty of exciting observations being made, but as is often the case in mineral exploration, those details will remain confidential.
For now, I was simply enjoying the learning process. Still, my mind was increasingly elsewhere. Between tasks, I found myself thinking less about the next day at camp and more about what was waiting for me in Montreal. A new apartment. A new city. New friends, and an entirely different chapter of my life.
The wilderness had given me a career. Now it was time to build a life around it.
The Move
Soon enough, I was back in Chicoutimi and it was finally time for the big move.
I spent a couple of days packing everything as best I could. The biggest challenge was finding enough containers and boxes. At Pedro’s suggestion, we visited a few supermarkets and large retail stores to ask if they had any spare cardboard boxes they no longer needed. In the end, I only managed to get one—but it was a large one, so it helped quite a bit.
Fortunately, I didn’t own all that much. My furniture consisted mainly of a bed, an awkwardly tiny desk, a desk chair, folding chair, the electronic piano and a lamp. Everything else ended up packed into boxes, duffel bags, backpacks, and whatever other makeshift containers I could find. Yet somehow, it was enough to fill the back of a cargo van.
And just like that, on an early May morning in 2022, I took one last look at the house I had called home for the previous two and a half years. It had been a difficult chapter overall, but one that also gave me plenty of unforgettable memories, friendships, and adventures. I handed back the key, climbed into the moving van, and quietly said goodbye to my life in Saguenay.
Pedro and I spent the drive across southern Quebec reminiscing about our years in Chicoutimi. He would remain there a while longer to finish his PhD, which fortunately hadn’t been affected by the financial turmoil that had derailed my own research. As for me, I couldn’t have been happier with how things had turned out. Leaving academia when I did had been a leap of faith, but considering how things turned out, it had been one of the best decisions I could have made.
My New Home
We reached Montreal early that afternoon. It was one of those perfect spring days. Not too warm, not too cold, with bright sunshine and clear skies.
Since I had already signed all the paperwork beforehand, all that remained was to collect my key and finally see my apartment in person. The building actually looked better than it had in the photos. The lobby was modern, bright, and welcoming, while the apartment itself felt surprisingly spacious. In fact, it was so empty that my footsteps echoed through the living room. Furnishing the place quickly moved near the top of my priority list.
One thing immediately stood out, though. The hallways carried the constant aroma of oriental spices and home cooking from the many apartments. It became one of those characteristics of the building that sticks with you whether you want it or not. Personally, I didn’t mind. It was far preferable to cigarette smoke.
However, it also had its share of maintenance issues that became more obvious throughout the coming months. Keeping the apartment clean was never a problem on my end, but occasionally the odd cockroach would wander in from elsewhere in the building. It wasn’t something that happened often, but it was probably the biggest downside of an otherwise pleasant place to live.
Settling in
About an hour later, the van had been unloaded, and my apartment was now covered in boxes, bags, and furniture waiting to find their place. Pedro still had some time before driving back to Chicoutimi, so we decided to make a quick trip to IKEA.
There was only one problem. The store was south of the Island of Montreal, and we had chosen to leave right in the middle of afternoon rush hour… precisely when everyone else was trying to get off the island after work. Fortunately, I had Pedro behind the wheel.
Having learned to drive in Rio de Janeiro, Montreal traffic hardly seemed intimidating to him. After a series of impressively bold lane changes, and one particularly memorable maneuver that briefly had our cargo van occupying far more of Sherbrooke Street than it probably should have, we escaped the worst of the congestion and eventually made it to IKEA.
A few hours, several flat-packed boxes, and a couple of IKEA hot dogs later, we returned to my apartment with the beginnings of a proper home. I still hadn’t found the right dining table or couch, but that could wait. Little by little, the apartment would come together.
Pedro soon began the long drive back to Chicoutimi, while I stayed behind and slowly started unpacking my belongings. As I stood there, surrounded by half-opened boxes, looking around at my new home, it was the first time in years that I truly felt like I was in a place where I could belong. A place where I could slowly grow roots and build something more permanent for a change.
