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immigrant

If typical food delivery app dishes are getting stale, there's a new way for Montrealers to break the cycle of ordering from the same chain restaurants. And it'll make you feel good too!

Food'elles is a social enterprise that will soon offer eco-responsible takeout and delivery prepared by immigrant, refugee and First Nations women — allowing you to experience the world of food from the comfort of your home.

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It's been almost 15 years since I've moved to Montreal with my family. Falling for this city felt easy and natural. It was love at first sight. That overwhelming and intense emotion when you find something that truly represents you as a person, a place where you belong and feel proud to call your home - that's how I felt when I first walked the streets of Montreal.

I still remember that feeling in my stomach after I got my citizenship and rushed to Tim Hortons to buy coffee for the very first time as a Canadian... I kept thinking, "This is my home." That pleasant sense of familiarity with local faces, shops and smells... you can't put it into words, you can only feel it with your soul. It's similar to when you overhear a set of familiar sounds and think to yourself, "I know this song!" That's how I feel when I find myself walking through cozy Montreal neighbourhoods. I know this city!

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If you follow me on social media(@irina_tee), you probably know that I visited my birth country in the end of October. It was an emotional trip that filled my soul with memories and melancholy. I haven't been to my hometown in over ten years and it made me realize something. Did I feel at home? I felt comfortable, yes, but I didn't really feel at home.

Immigrants are stuck between two worlds - we no longer belong in our birth countries, yet we're not considered fully "local" in Montreal either. Let me explain why you should let go of this mentality right now.

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As an immigrant, I can think of so many bizarre things people tell me on a daily basis. One thing you need to remember about us - we're Montrealers and human beings, just like you. Who would've though I'd ever have to remind this to anyone. Immigration is a very hard and emotional process. People give up their lives and habits to start brand new ones. Certain things people ask me are hilarious, other things are offensive, but we don't let these comments get to us. We realize that unless you actually move to another country yourself, you can't really grasp what it is to be an immigrant. So here are 10 things every Montreal immigrant is tired of hearing.

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If you're a Montrealer, chances are you have a few Russian friends. While they might have been really cold and unfriendly at first, they're probably your best party buddies by now. Russians are awesome once you get to really know them.

Russians have a somewhat questionable reputation in Montreal. It's time to reveal what we're really about. You might know a thing or two about us, but you will never really understand the struggle of growing up Russian in Montreal.

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