The Montréal-Gaspé DEC – an adventure for students at Vanier College

Cet article de nos archives n'a pas été traduit en français.

On January 15th, 2014, twenty-two students from four Montreal Colleges (Vanier College, Dawson College, John-Abbott College and Cégep du Vieux-Montréal) left to spend the Winter semester studying at the Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Iles in Gaspé.

Started 4 years ago with a grant from Entente Canada-Québec, this initiative has grown in terms of the number of students and Cegeps involved. What began with 4 students from Vanier College has grown to 22 students from 4 Montréal Cegeps.

Help cegeps in the regions and offer a special experience to Montreal students This project was created to help stop declining enrollment in regional Cegeps and to offer city students an opportunity to experience life in one of Québec’s spectacular regions.  Most of the participants are in their 2nd or 4th semester in Social Science and register in courses that are part of their program. While in Gaspé, they live in the College’s residence which is attached to the school. This in itself is a pleasant surprise for students used to travelling over an hour morning and night to get to school! For most of these students this is also the first time they are living on their own and experiencing all the choices, challenges and opportunities that go with it.

Classes and activities In Gapsé, students get to be part of a close-knit, small community. In addition to taking courses, the students also participate in outdoor activities organized by the College, such as weekend skiing, winter camping, and backpacking.  Every year students return from Gaspé with incredible memories, increased self-confidence and new friendships.

For Carlos it was his first time living on his own Vanier student, Carlos Daniel Delgado Vazquez went to Gaspé in 2012 and he was overjoyed with the experience.  “Gaspé is really something!” he says. “Living by myself, looking after myself, being responsible for myself, cooking for myself, that’s was terrific.  It’s was the first time I’d ever been on my own.  Some evenings, students got together and we had pot luck dinners.”

 Discovering a real Canadian winter “The scenery is beautiful.  When I looked out my window I saw forest, and behind that, more forest.  I’ve never had that before.  I’ve always lived in a city.  I’m from originally Mexico, so this was also a chance for me to get to know a part of Canada.  Because Gaspé is a small community you meet the same people everywhere - everybody knows everyone else.  I also experienced winter for the first time – making snowballs, playing in the snow, sliding – these are things Canadians grow up with, but I’ve not seen much of in Montreal but they are part of life in Gaspé.”

The five participating Colleges are working to ensure this project continues and eventually expands as other schools join in. Organizers want to reinforce the idea of cooperation among colleges and underline the importance of regional Colleges in their respective areas as well as the value of offering students the widest possible range of educational experiences.