High School Study Abroad
Media Program in Europe

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 — 7: Our media program hits the ground running in Barcelona as we capture the inspirational sites along Las Ramblas, Gaudi’s Park Güell and La Sagrada Familia. Each day students get more comfortable with their cameras as they explore and capture the stories hidden in the streets of this Gothic city. Foodies can craft pictures of the Catalan cuisine, while students interested in architecture will find an endless supply of unusual buildings to capture on film. Our video blogs focus on interviewing locals and delving into the issues that are top of mind. Additionally, the nearby beach will fill our screens with a kaleidoscope of activities from sand soccer to beach volleyball.

Days 7 — 11: The deep blue of the Mediterranean affords us a rmimite from the energy of Barcelona as we settle into our hotel along Spain’s rugged coast. During ‘golden hour’, sunrises on the beach and sunsets in the mountains, we capture the tranquil mood of the Mediterranean coastline. In the afternoon, we climb through coves and hills that dot the shoreline making for an excellent location to rejuvenate the creative mind and plan out our film creations. Masterclasses focus on developing photos using Adobe Creative Cloud programs such as Lightroom and Premiere Pro. These sessions will allow for tailored feedback that help students hone their skills.

Days 11 — 15: We continue our travels with a stay in Spain's beautiful capital—Madrid. Cervantes' Don Quixote is our literary backdrop as we discuss the development of the modern novel. Whether wandering its elegant boulevards, exploring the Prado museum, or admiring the city's golden glow as the sun sets, this Spanish metropolis captures the imagination. A dynamic combination of Christian and Moorish architecture, students use this as a creative backdrop to develop their media skills. Here, students participate in small group presentations and show their work thus far.

Days 15 — 21: Next, we depart for Portugal and arrive in its illustrious capital—Lisbon. Here, students refine the branding of their blog sites and continue to post advanced social media content. Performing artists fill the streets, and Portugal’s famed Fado music can be heard each night in this ancient port city. Our classes vary between finding and capturing hidden gems with various lenses and developing students’ ‘Carpe Deim’ projects.

Days 21 — 26: The Algarve provides us with a beachside village where students balance their time between completing final academic work and exploring the footpaths and caves along the coast. Students present their final photo portfolios and video projects in an art festival style extravaganza! Such fun to see the creative spirit of young students alive and well as we conclude our summer’s journey.

Departure from Lisbon Airport on Day 26

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.