Spring Semester in Asia

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.