High School Study Abroad
Program in Africa

Reading lists will be posted on your program site in early May. Online pre-departure sessions with your teachers and classmates begin one week prior to departure. These virtual sessions are designed to introduce you to your classmates, teachers, and course work. Our goal is to prepare you to hit the ground running and reduce your workload onsite.

Day 1: On the day of departure, we meet at Toronto's Pearson International Airport. Here, we unite as a group to distribute coursepacks, T-shirts and MEI Journals. After a meet and greet, we board a flight to our first location.

Days 2 — 8: After a long flight, we land in Kilimanjaro and reside on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, where we explore the region’s range of landscapes. We will quickly learn that this is an ideal location to examine the UN’s Millennium Development Goals and issues of sustainability and foreign aid. Here, we explore village life and set to work on individual service projects with an emphasis on meaningful engagement. Our ongoing group service project takes teachers and students camping in Kirua, where we work with the village’s youth centre.

Days 8 — 13: On Safari, we explore an astonishing diversity of landscapes and wildlife while camping in the open-air plains of the Serengeti. We work with the BIG LIFE Foundation to gain a firsthand view of the issues of big game poaching and tribal land disputes. Here, we delve into the readings of Ernest Hemingway’s, The Green Hills of Africa, and Chinua Ache’s, Things Fall Apart to provide literary context as we explore the culture of this dynamic region.

Days 13 — 26: After exploring the natural beauty of rural Africa, we travel to the picturesque outskirts of Moshi in northeast Tanzania. Here, we study the economic, social and political issues that challenge Tanzanians and the massive continent of Africa. We have a window into the life of the Maasai to expand our perspectives on community building and leadership. Yuval Noah Harari’s 21 Lessons for the 21st Century acts as a guide as we explore key issues of the World Issues course.

Days 26 — 35: The final leg of our journey sees us travelling east to the banks of the Pangani river, an ideal location to decompress and prepare for summative evaluations. We also have the opportunity to go on snorkelling and fishing expeditions as we reflect on our experiences. After a final banquet dinner that highlights local foods and dance, our crew prepares for the journey home with memories that will last a lifetime.

Departure from Pangani Airport on Day 35

Upon your return, you have time to complete additional research and pull your work together before your final one-on-one online assessment. This week allows you to reflect on your travel experiences and integrate them into the course material. MEI staff have found this style of evaluation enjoyable and the most authentic way for students to demonstrate their knowledge and academic skills.