I spent a week volunteering for POP Montréal, an international music & arts festival in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. I helped coordinate 3 guest lists and also worked at 3 shows. For 3 consecutive nights, I worked at the midnight shows at Espace Réunion, the POP volunteer loft space where all the volunteers gather after their shifts.

Fellow volunteers at POP

Each volunteer gets these drink tickets.

The door crew

View from where I stayed at in Mile-End.

Every morning I drink an espresso at local Cafe Cagibi.

Walk commute to "work" in the Mile-End.

STORMS. Montreal in the downpour.

POP Montreal presents: 6th Annual Puces POP DIY & Craft Fair

Farmer's market: Marche Jean-Talon

Chat Disparu: Missing cat posters

Pas de bicyclettes: No bicycles, please.

Montreal's protected bike lanes

Neighborhood flowers. Montreal is so green.

a la mangue. French-Canadian McDonald's

I eat at one of the few all-vegan restaurants: Aux Vivres

It's all good. Wall graffiti in Mile-End.

Of course I meet people who ride their bikes.

Nighttime rooftop adventures

Hanging out on the rooftop

Montreal city lights

Good night, Montreal.

Besides volunteering, I read and figured out a lot of French, found all the vegan-friendly spots (végétalien), walked entire downtown in the rain, tried 3 different kinds of Montreal beer, rode a BIXI (Montreal’s bikeshare), took many buses & metros and really familiarized myself with the neighborhood I stayed in, on the Plateau (Le Plateau-Mont-Royal).

Thanks to everyone I met along the way. Couchsurfers (for hosting me so many nights), POP staff & volunteers, the countless strangers for giving me directions. Much love to Montrealers — I hope to be back in the near future.