Program Reviews

My MEI experience through the Backpackers Central America program was one worth sharing. So many items checked off on my bucket list, while simultaneously learning and excelling in two complex subjects, made effortlessly enjoyable throughout this trip. Going into the adventure, not knowing a single person, and coming home after a month or so having made 30+ new best friends was gratifying beyond comparison. It was important for me to see the person in myself that was able to make friends easily, and have fun while doing it. This will impact my life in new ways to come as I will be willingly open to new experiences and meeting new people. If you decide to go on this amazing adventure, take time for your work, your success, and yourself!!

It is unlike any other experience offered to high school students. The Big Year takes you out of the classroom you’ve grown so accustomed to and throws you full-fledged into the world. The Big Year taught me a whole side of eastern history that would never have been a part of my curriculum otherwise. There’s nothing quite like sitting down in the middle of the Forbidden City with tourists swarming around you and learning about the history of the towering red walls and the Great Leader that built them. There’s nothing like sprinting through Venice on a scavenger hunt, cursing the tourist-filled alleyways, trying to find some lost relic or statue from another time. There’s nothing quite like the group dynamic you develop; there’s nothing like the family you become. The Big Year throws you into such a diverse group of people that are all so unique with such strong characters. I never thought I would ever meet people like the one’s I did. Meeting such unique people allowed me to uncover a side of myself I never knew existed. The program changes you in the best way possible and really helps you come into your own. Our teachers curated student-teacher relationships, unlike anything I had ever been able to develop in a normal high school setting. Your teachers become your mentors as well as your friends. They’re the ones you sit down with when you’re working on an essay; they’re the ones you exchange toe rings with or take you to the doctors when you need one. They care. They care so much about students. Everyone does, if ever you’re feeling upset or alone it is such a wonderful and comforting thing to know you can turn to absolutely anyone on the trip. The Big Year is exactly that; it’s a BIG year. Students can expect to meet people, unlike anyone they’ve ever known and see places so incredible they couldn’t even fathom it before seeing it with their own eyes. It is everything I’ve said, and so much more, it is truly the experience of a lifetime, and I feel so privileged to have experienced it.

I never thought that a beach in Vietnam, a tree in the Daintree Forest, an ancient park in Beijing used for sacrifice thousands of years ago, or simply the grass beneath the Eiffel Tower could be a lecture spot. MEI showed me that it doesn't take a desk and chair to have the ability to learn something new. Being exposed first hand to the way and places others live makes you appreciate not only how lucky you are, but how much of a difference your life can make in the world. Never in my life did I think I would enjoy going to school or voicing my opinions, but within a week of my trip I was infatuated with learning. MEI Academy made me who I am now and I am eternally grateful for every experience, memory and ounce of happiness this trip gave me and made me into. Not a single minute of the day passes me now where I don’t think back on the days I spent with people I loved traveling and seeing the world. I cannot day enough amazing things about MEI Academy.

The MEI Big Year was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. There truly are no words that can fully capture the thrilling and adventure-filled year I got to experience while backpacking through 11 different countries, cultures, and climates. From running along the Great Wall to lectures inside the Colosseum, MEI is an education like no other. On my Big Year, I got to gain worldly knowledge from teachers who were passionate about what they were sharing. Every morning I woke up excited to explore and discover the history of the country I was in. Learning about the Vietnam war (while crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels), trading stocks in the heart of Sydney, and re-enacting Greek plays overlooking crystal blue Grecian waters, were things I had never experienced in other schools. Looking back now, I am grateful that my Big Year brought me lifelong friendships and showed me a reason to say that I enjoy learning. MEI gave me the experience to know that true education is never ending.

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.

"I went into my MEI adventure without knowing anyone else, and very felt nervous about making friends. However, the minute I met the group at the airport my worries left me - everyone had such a welcoming attitude, making it easier for me to feel at home! Once abroad, it did not take long for our group to become one big family, and I was able to share many wonderful relationships with many wonderful people as we explored Europe together. I am forever thankful to MEI for drawing me out of my shell and offering me the best summer of my life."

This trip is perfectly paced between academic learning and having fun where you are. The teachers used new and exciting locations to enhance the schooling experience. That, mixed with tons of time for fun, either organized by the teachers or with your friends, assures that this trip is one of a lifetime! The trip is action packed with activities everywhere you go. Being able to get two high school courses done like this is the best way to do it!

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!