High School Abroad Program: Fall Semester

Never did I think I would look forward to going to class or go seeking out new opportunities to learn. MEI gave we a desire for knowledge and the techniques to obtain it, the idea that learning doesn’t necessarily have to happen within the confines of a classroom and within the borders of a curriculum. From sitting in Tiananmen Square to biking to Siem Reap, and to scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, my Mei adventure was the experience of a lifetime. It allowed me to make many meaningful connections with both passionate teachers and like-minded students, it allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and it shaped me as an individual. I would recommend Mei to anyone looking for the adventure of a lifetime, it is truly a life-changing experience

I have previously been on two trips with MEI and I can’t emphasize enough on how amazing the experience was. I wish I could explain to others how life-changing, eye-opening, and adventurous the trip really is but one would just have to experience it for themselves to really understand how spectacular traveling with MEI really is. I’ve traveled many times before I went on MEI but its very different since you really get to learn about the country you are in and experience the culture as well. Not only was my two trips with MEI amazing but it also taught me that school does not have to be a drag because for once I was always excited to attend my next lecture. Unlike regular school, the teachers are passionate about what they teach making each lesson exciting and engaging. Confidence, leadership, happiness, and friendship are just some of the things you’ll find when traveling with MEI, its an experience like no other and I wouldn’t want to have my high school experience any other way. MEI has brought happiness into my life and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to study abroad.

MEI gave me the opportunity to study in some of the worlds coolest classrooms. From learning about communism while sitting on the Great Wall of China, to learning about the Great Barrier Reef while sitting on a boat right above the Great Barrier Reef! It is amazing being able to learn about things while being immersed in them. I will never forget the things I learned and saw while travelling throughout Asia, Australia and Fiji. It was the trip of a lifetime that I would highly recommend to everyone!

I've been on multiple trips with MEI and I haven't regretted one second of them. I've had the chance to learn about the world while travelling, to make lifelong friends and to push myself out of my comfort zone by trying new things. There is nothing quite like learning about the Vietnam War while crawling around the Chu Chi Tunnels, or reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Hyde Park, or learning about the gladiators at the Roman Colosseum. The teachers are amazing and supportive and MEI allows us to travel in a safe way and to meet new people we wouldn't normally hang out with. I avidly recommend MEI to anyone who will listen, it really is the adventure of a lifetime.

A phenomenal experience that I am truly blessed to have been apart of. Everytime I am asked to speak of it, I have no words. The friends I've made, the places I've been, and the stories I can tell have shaped me into a person I never thought possible. Through attending, I have learned to look past the small bubble society has placed me in, and instead broaden my horizon to the big picture. I have been taught to challenge viewpoints and be the change. MEI was a life changing experience.

MEI Academy, Fall Semester was a truly life changing experience. Meeting so many other students who were so passionate about learning and travelling was incredible, and everyone became like a second family almost immediately. The planning of the trips is extremely well organized, and there is no time to be bored, because you're either having fun with your new family, or sight seeing, or working, all three of which are unbelievably fun on this trip! I would 100% recommend to anyone who is looking for a new way to experience high school, instead of sitting in a dull classroom. The classrooms on this adventure have no walls, and are filled with inspiring views, making this the most beneficial, and creative learning environment that I'll ever experience. MEI is truly an indescribable experience, that is priceless, given the memories that are made, the lessons learned, and the connections formed!

This trip will always be known as the one that changed my life and shaped me into who I am. Words cannot begin to describe my MEI experience; the only way for someone to understand how beneficial and life changing this trip can be is for them to experience it for themselves. MEI International Academy is much more than just studying abroad; it is an experience that has the ability to completely transform a student. I am so thankful to have been taught by such passionate teachers, and to have been surrounded by such like-minded and positive students.

Choosing to go on my MEI trip was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The locations themselves were absolutely amazing, but I think the best part of the trip was the people I met. Even a year after my trip, I’m still in contact with my whole class and all of my teachers. I feel like on this trip I got to push myself outside of my comfort zone like I never had before, and try so many new things. Honestly this trip was a once in a lifetime experience.

I knew I wanted to travel and I knew I wanted it to make an impact on my life. I just didn’t know how to make that happen. MEI made just that happen. I learnt more than just World Issues and English, I learnt how to be independent, punctual, and most importantly, to be present in every moment. The education and teachers were so pure and intrigued me during every lesson. I loved how everything we were learning had to do with the location we were at, like our unit on the Vietnam War which we visited the Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh. One of my favourite locations was Cambodia for the history and the resilience of the country. I loved seeing Angkor Wat, spending hours taking photos and wandering through the mysterious temples. I did not have a bad day on this trip, of course I had bad moments, but I cannot say I had a bad day. The teachers got us moving by playing sports in the mornings (which was amazing in all of our locations) and games in the evenings. There was the perfect academic to fun ratio, by managing my time well with the assignments I never felt overwhelmed. Each new day was an experience, I learnt and saw new things that will stick with me for the rest of my life. This program is unique for it’s real world learning, like when we were inside the Forbidden City while we were learning about it. It’s like being inside the textbook witnessing what it’s describing for yourself. Now that I’m home I see how lucky we are here in Canada and try not to take things for granted. I made some lifelong friends on this trip, who will always be there for me even if they are in the US or on the other side of Canada. If someone where to ask me if I’d do the Fall Semester again, I’d be back on a plane tomorrow doing it again in a heartbeat.

MEI taught me many things that I will hold with me forever. The program taught me techniques and skills to improve my education, educated me on the world from many different views and mostly taught me to step out of my comfort zone. While travelling abroad with MEI I learned a very important task Time Management, as there was so much I wanted to see and do while in all these countries there was also my share of work I had to complete for school. Overtime I learned how to create a balance and work concisely and efficiently so I was able to see everything I desired to see. On MEI I learned more in 80 days then I did in a six-month semester sitting in a desk. Lectures from my teachers were interesting and very enticing always making me want to know more. The teachers I had were very passionate about their teachings however were never biases, always allowing for the students input, point of view and suggestions. Finally on MEI I learned to step out of my confront zone, sometimes it was eating exotic foods, or working with different people other time it was completing a task I never thought I’d be able to do. Studying aboard with MEI Academy taught me things I would have never learned from a high school classroom.

The hardest moment of MEI for me was saying goodbye to my new family. Never have I ever been so close to 30 people in my entire life. After 80 days of an experience of a lifetime, living with the same people you become a family. They become your best friends, your brothers your sisters and I just never wanted it to end! The people surrounding me taught me so much, their constant support, the memories we made and the exciting fun times were so hard to see end. It was weird to believe I just travelled a portion of the world with these people and now I’m saying goodbye. 80 days before I was on a plane to Beijing, China with 30 strangers and 80 days later I was saying goodbye to my new family.