Program Reviews

My MEI was unreal! All of my teachers were very knowledgeable and put in so much effort for the student's success. The lectures and assignments were very interactive and like nothing I had ever experienced before. Throughout this trip, everyone became a family and I have gained lifelong friends and memories that I will cherish forever! The entire trip was a blast and I would 10/10 recommend this to any future students, who love to travel and want to push their education further.

So I was on the 2018 trek 1 and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I succeeded in my academics like I never would in regular school. You really become a family and enjoy the most beautifull places in the world! The teachers are amazing so helpful and so smart! No matter what your question is for school or personal they always have an answer. They also push students to always do their best and leave their influence and each and every student. The program also makes sure we visit any important sight possible. We not only see important monuments but we learn so much about them and that is priceless. So much more amazing to go and see the Eiffel Tower and learn about its significance right then and their rather than in a classroom.

I did the trek through Europe with Matt and Tyler in the summer of 2018 and it was one of the best experiences of my life ! The teachers are nothing but amazing and helpful ! The cities we go to are so beautiful ! The family that you create amongst the other kids on your trip is so amazing ! I would recommend MEI to anyone that asks ! Any type of personality is accepted on this trip and the teachers are so helpful that it doesn’t even matter where your academic level is at! I have nothing but amazing things to say about tony experiment on mei !

I came into the MEI France and Switzerland Program feeling scared and expecting it to be like regular school, but it turns out my fears were for nothing and it was very different from regular school. Where in regular school you learn about things more in theory, during this trip there were a lot of opportunities to practice your french skills with first hand experiences such as talking to merchants at the market in Annecy or ordering your meals everyday. Because of this practice talking to francophones in real life, I found myself becoming more confident in my french speaking skills and in actually speaking french to others, something I was previously embarrassed to do. Speaking to francophones also helps to improve how well you understand people when they speak french. The teachers also help with this because they always speak to you in french. As for the actual lessons, I found I learned a lot despite the short period of time. There were two lessons a day and each one was taught on site. For example, we learned about gothic architecture and the Notre Dame right in front of the Notre Dame, after having walked around inside and climbed to the top. This kind of learning really helped me internalize the information because I could make connections with what I was seeing, and it made it fun. Aside from the actual school learning, this trip teaches you a lot about yourself as well because you learn to be independent and responsible so that you can hand in assignments on time, or so that you don't get lost during free time. Finally, everyone on the trip, the students and the teachers, are very nice and extremely supportive of one another. When you spend so much time together you are bound to make close friendships and that's exactly what happens. There are so many opportunities to try new things and get out your comfort zone and the biggest suggestion I can give to anyone going on this trip is to get out of your comfort zone and try something you wouldn't normal do. It's opportunities like these where you can learn the most about yourself and about life.

I have grown so much in the past month since when I first found out about this program. I was nervous and had no clue that this voyage would be the beginning of something new for me. I climbed the Eiffel Tower, had a lesson on Lac D'Annecy, and got to swim in the Mediterranean in Nice! I will never forget this experience and I hope to one day take a program similar to this again. Had I not taken this program for he summer, I would not have grown my independence, my confidence, my sense of adventure, and my sense of daring to try new things and take new experiences in stride.

My experience on MEI France and Switzerland was one that I will never forget. Being immersed in the French language allowed me to improve on my skills as well as my confidence with the language. Learning on site was very engaging and allowed for many unique opportunities that you would not receive in a normal school. On top of this I met so many great people that made my trip even more enjoyable. From eating escargot in Paris to climbing Almendhuble in Mürren, I was forced to step out of my comfort zone and do things that I had never done before.

This program is really awesome and it was the experience of a lifetime! I went on the 2018 France and Switzerland trip and I would 100% recommend it to anyone considering doing an exchange program. I made incredible new friends and the teachers were amazing. By doing this program, I think that my spoken French has greatly improved and I hope that I’ll will feel more confident doing other exchange trips or even travelling on my own. All in all one of the best experiences of my life and I hope to be able to someday do something like this again!

I just finished the France and Switzerland trip 2018 and I loved the trip so much! All the teachers were very positive and helpful, they truly wanted to see you succeed. Our group got the chance to do so many amazing things like climbing mountains in the Swiss Alps and watching the world cup final game on the big screens. Being in a french speaking country allowed me to fully immerse myself in french culture and grow as a person. I would highly recommend this trip to anybody interested in travelling and improving their french skills!

Given it was my first time in Europe, I’d say it was a pretty great experience. We went to some great places and saw a ton of cool stuff. Not only were the things we did fun and interesting, but I feel like I’ve also taken away a greater appreciation for french culture and french language itself. The group we traveled with and the people I met is what made this trip even better. Overall am excellent trip and one that I would highly recommend.

I went on the 2017 Trek, and it was the highlight of my high school experience. MEI Academy does a phenomenal job of blending academics with experiences, and I wish I could have done the rest of my Grade 12 courses with them. The teachers were exceptionally engaging, enthusiastic and passionate about what they were teaching, and incredibly supportive of each student. They went out of their way to make sure that every student succeeded, and it’s evident how much they care about what they do. The course material was fascinating, and it came alive from the on-sight learning. Contemplating the impacts of the French Revolution while sitting on the steps of Napoleon’s tomb or watching our studied Shakespeare play acted out onstage at the Globe Theatre are the every day experiences found on an MEI trip. In addition, the lessons you learn don’t stop at the course content. MEI gave me the experience and confidence to one day travel solo, and the things you learn aren’t something you can find in a textbook. The program’s design enables students to be vastly independent while still under the guidance and supervision of experienced teachers who are also travellers. Throughout the trip, incredible opportunities are organized for the entire group, and students also have plenty of time to plan and go out on their own adventures. MEI Academy was the best decision I made for my education, and has profoundly inspired me. I would highly recommend this specific program to anyone who likes English and History, and I would absolutely recommend MEI Academy to anyone who loves getting out there and experiencing new adventures.