To ease into the program, students have access to the course website where reading lists are posted. Course preparation is spread out over three weeks: our first two-week preparation session begins in early May, focusing on novel studies; the second one-week session starts in late June, focusing on completing research and small assignments. These online sessions are designed to connect students with their teachers and classmates, to help complete short tasks, and to alleviate the workload during the summer. Students are required to complete all foundation work before leaving to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running while overseas.

Before we travel abroad, our departure hub is Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Five hours prior to departure, a short meeting is held at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, Terminal 3, to distribute course packs, maps, and to clarify travel procedures. All students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel. Students making alternate arrangements must contact MEI before March 31.

Our first stop down under is Sydney, the capital of Australia. Upon arrival, students do a walkabout of Circular Quay along Sydney Harbour in order to get a lay of the land, visiting the famed Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. During their stay, students compete in rugby games, explore the grounds of the University of Sydney, and play Ultimate Frisbee on the white sands of Bondi and Manley beaches. While in the city, our academic focus is on the refinement of theses in academic writing and the development of persuasive arguments.

From Sydney, students commence their four-day excursion into the Wolgan Valley, west of the Blue Mountains. Our daily walks, hikes, and mountain biking adventures set the stage for students to develop long-lasting personal fitness plans. While living in an ecolodge, students also try their hand at cricket and other group sports. As students explore the beautiful Bells Grotto and tree fern forests, their study of regional literature connects their adventure to the founding mythology of Australia. Additionally, students learn the stories passed down by the island’s First Nations peoples, that tell of the mythic creatures whose epic battles shaped the landscape into what it is today.

Upon returning to Sydney, we have two days to rest, study, focus on academic work, and further explore off the beaten path of the city.

After our two-day reprieve in Sydney, students fly to north to Cairns, located on the coast next to the famous Great Barrier Reef. As it is the nation’s waterfall capital, we begin our adventure with a trek into the Atherton tableland region to reach some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. Our time here is structure around daily excursions that range from canoeing to mountain biking. There, we are afforded the opportunity to delve into essay writing workshops and poetry inspired by the beauty of the region.

Making our way back to Cairns, students take to the seas of the Outer Great Barrier Reef to enjoy a three-day Liveaboard Sailing tour, where we have the chance to snorkel and scuba dive in one of the world’s premier diving sites.

We then fly to the tropical paradise of Bali, Indonesia. Flying into Denpasar, students decompress from their journey along the beach-lined coast. Residing in Canguu, an adventurers paradise, students workout on the beach and even take a surfboard out for the occasional ride. Our days are spent exploring the island teeming with kingfishers, wild orchids, and monkeys, while our evenings are spent engaging in BookChats over bowls of fresh curry and grilled seafood. From Canguu, we travel northeast to the nearby city of Ubud, where our exploration of Balinese culture continues and takes us to the Tegallalang rice terraces, in the Monkey Forest, and at the Goa Gajah ‘Elephant Cave.’ Here, students write their final exams and afterwards, they celebrate their journey as they conclude their adventure through Oceania. On their last evening together, students reminisce over dinner and prepare for their flight home.

Departure from Denpasar, Bali Airport (Day 35)