MONTREAL -- While 'Home Alone' might be a timeless holiday classic, many Quebecers who hail from abroad are living through the sad and difficult reality of a Christmas spent away from family and friends.

For Christ Kevin Bazie, it's not the first time he's spent the holidays without his loved ones. He arrived in Quebec from Burkina Faso on Dec. 17 of last year to begin studying for a master's degree in economics at UQAM.

“The day after my arrival, it was -19 C, I thought I was almost losing my fingertips,” he said.

But Bazie said he's found the isolation during the pandemic more difficult than the cold. During one of the government's daily press conferences, he found himself moved by the calls to mobilize against COVID-19. That's when he decided to volunteer in one of Quebec's CHSLDs.

He said that along with helping him overcome his loneliness, working in a CHSLD helped him learn about Quebec society.

“I learned a lot. If I had stayed home, I might have been depressed, but going out has helped keep my spirits up,” he said.

Bazie said he plans to continue helping at the Emilie-Gamelin Centre in Montreal during the winter break.

“It makes me feel good to be around people and see them. I feel less alone,” he said.

Michele Jacques is the organizer of an annual Christmas sponsorship that puts international UQAM students in touch with Quebec families during the holidays. The program was cancelled this year due to the pandemic.

“It's a bit disappointing, but we hope we can bring the event back next year,” she said. Jacques said she consoles herself by remembering that with fewer foreign students in town this year, fewer people are finding themselves alone.

It's not just those new to Quebec who are finding themselves alone. Quebecers who are living abroad are also finding themselves separated from family.

Elisabeth Gagnon has lived in London for four years but usually returns to the province for this time of year.

Despite being unable to come home, she said she's “very serene,” though the virus' spread in England has worried her.

“It's my choice to be here,” she said, pointing out that staying in England will actually decrease holiday stress as she doesn't have to rush from one family gettogether to another. Instead, she plans to work her way through a pile of books and spend time with a friend.  

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship