2 Neurones & 1 Camera

Olivier Thereaux

Farewell Montreal (Hello London)

In exactly one month, I will be hopping on a plane to London (UK, not Ontario) to join a new job, a new city, a new life.

Graffiti in a street of the mile end, Montreal

On ne sait vraiment aimer que ce que l'on a perdu

I can’t quite reconcile my memories of several Quebec winters with the nagging impression that I landed in Canada as a “permanent resident” only a few months ago. All I can say for sure is that Montreal gave me a chance to be with the one I love, to work with wonderful people and learn a ton from them, make new friends, feed from the peculiar energy and multicultural creative tension of this place.

A friend once lamented that Montreal is a place of transit, where too many creative and intellectual minds come, rest, regroup, find new inspiration and leave. I never thought this might apply to me, too.

Now is time to go through the almost familiar dance of packing, paperwork, home-hunting and cash-gutting expenses. I can’t say I love this part of the process, but given the stakes, I don’t mind.

On the other side await (yes, amongst more bureaucratic anguish) a new period of discovery, new friends and a new, exciting job full of fantastic challenges.

So here’s to one last month in Montreal amongst great friends and colleagues, and to what comes next.

11 Responses to “Farewell Montreal (Hello London)”

  1. i’m gonna miss you lots! Good luck! Keep inspiring and being inspired! Inchallah we see each other soon! :*

  2. karl says:

    This one makes me happy on so many levels… for so many reasons.

    Have a good ride my friend. BBC (Internet) technologies are in good hands.

  3. [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by karl dubost and Yves Raimond, olivier Thereaux. olivier Thereaux said: Not quite an announcement, but… Farewell Montreal. (Hello London): http://bit.ly/eg19Cb [...]

  4. f8full says:

    I don’t know you well at all (we met only once), but still you’ll be missed around to call out Stationnement de Montreal and the STM on what they do wrong.
    Anyway, good for you to have a new page to this Life’s book.

    Bonne chance !

    F.

  5. Martine says:

    Unlike Karl, I think it sucks for many reasons. Except for the part about you getting a very cool job, of course.

    I say meh to friends leaving. Meh to the lucky BBC. Meh. :P

    • I agree Martine. Departures suck, whichever side of the equation you are in.

      But I know this life ahead will be full of surprises and travels, and I do remember a (snide) comment from a family member, who’d remark that they saw me much more often since I left for Japan than when I was living in France… We should see one another a few times before I go, though!

  6. gen says:

    Omedeto! Sounds like an amazing gig and a great city. I’ll be sure to be in touch should I pass through.

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