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Comments
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7/10/22 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
My teenage child and a friend recently returned from two weeks at El Lago del Bosque, one of Concordia’s Spanish language villages. This one was at a dilapidated Bible camp on Cass Lake. My child has been to other sleep-away camps, not fancy ones, and this camp’s facilites, by comparison, were poorly maintained: for example, the floor of her cabin was concrete and seemed not to have been scrubbed clean in years (the dirt, hair and grime were frankly pretty gross).
The activities were mostly arts and crafts, with limited outdoor activities: no paddling or hiking. The lifeguard got COVID, so they weren’t allowed to swim for the first 10 days (6 of 60 campers also got COVID there, and we’re quarantined together in a coed COVID cabin). The quality of language instruction was mediocre, and there wasn’t much of it. Since the campers spoke English among themselves, they really weren’t immersed in the language, and they returned without having learned much Spanish. Not what we expected.
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1/9/22 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
I have attended my camps over my life, essentially both me and my friends can agree this one is by far the worst. For the large cost, I was cabined at an abandoned lake, there was iron water, cabins had little to no maintenance. For a camp that was "All inclusive" you were payed little attention to and treated very poorly. Furthermore, the camps facility spoke very fluently which was essentially the only good side. At this camp I recall being helpless and was constantly bullied for my height and weight by the other campers (I am 13 years old and 5'1). I remember sobbing in the middle of the unmaintained soccer grounds and nobody came to my aid. I have never cried so many times in a small period of time since my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Overall this camp is a good learning experience and allowed me to learn for my-self and mature. However, me and my friends can both agree that this camp is the opposite of family friendly.
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11/16/20 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
i went to the spanish immersion camp at Lago del Bosque. The food was pretty bad and I ended up being hungry all of the time. Not to mention the food that was sold at the camp store was free in other language camps and the food was way too expensive. I think that this camp can be good for some, but for me it was not it. I could tell that the counselors were trying to make the learning fun, but the classes never really ended up fun at all. I was put in a very dysfunctional cabin and our counselors had to talk in english multiple times. There was this one girl in my cabin that went missing and the counselors couldn't find her for four hours and she ended up sleeping in our cabin. None of the campers spoke spanish, but I did learn a lot just listening to the counselors.
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12/7/19 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
This is NOT an immersion program. Campers were not required or even encouraged to speak in French. Some counselors had rudimentary knowledge of French. As a result, my child gained nothing in language ability.
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7/13/19 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
I went to Mori No Ike for three years. My second year was the only good one. Another commenter mentioned the intolerance at these camps and it is legitimate. I am a communist and even I felt ostracised for not pushing LGBT and what I would consider personal issues on everyone. Many people at camp appeared constantly tired and drained. Combining the insincere attitudes of the staff, the unenthusiastic students and the shabby facilities, I ended up leaving a week early my third year. In that same year 3 other 4 week credit campers left early. My second year I had a better credit teacher and less staff felt the need to push social issues on campers. My first year a counsellor personally took me aside and told me that I had no friends because I didn’t call someone by their correct pronouns. I kept going to camp because I am motivated to learn Japanese but after two years of SJW camp I don’t feel like giving any more of my money to this place. You shouldn’t either.
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5/20/17 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
This will be our third year. We started with a week of Italian at Lago de Bosco. Great time, but a week is not enough to really get into the language. That year she also attended International Day and wanted to learn German. So last year it was two weeks of Italian, a week of German at Waldsee. Loved it. This year, two weeks at each. It is important to note that last year at Lago de Bosco, severe storms came through in the middle of the night knocking down dozens of trees and taking down the electricity for several days. After camp, my daughter reported how the staff did everything to first make sure all of them were safe and then how the camp continued with no electricity or refrigeration for the rest of the time. From my end, constant communication from staff and just having met then the previous year meant I was never worried about her safety or experience during that week. I would highly recommend.
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1/2/17 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I've been to so many summer camps, and LDB is by far my favorite. I love everyone and everything about that place. Je l'adore :))
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"Concordia camps mark 50 summers of 'willkommen,' 'bienvenue,' welcome" - http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/... |
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"Making Language Immersion Fun for the Kids" - http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/28/tra... |
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5/24/16 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I attended the Korean village, Sup sogui Hosu, last summer for 2 weeks and am doing the 4 week credit this summer. It was so much fun and I learned a lot. I had studied on my own, but camp allowed me to become comfortable speaking. I was in a class with only two others who were also pretty advanced. Since we were more advanced speakers, our class was more intensive than most others. The Korean camp shares the Russian camp facilities, and they're really nice. The 2 weeker cabins were nice, and the 4 week cabins are even nicer (I made friends with some girls in credit and they showed me their cabin). I also got to attend International Day, which was a blast. Most villagers will speak English, but one of my classmates spoke mostly Korean (she acted as a translator for our assistant teacher) and I talked to a guy from Waldsee who only spoke German. Both of my classmates flew in, and neither had problems getting picked up, etc. Camp was a wonderful experience that I'm excited to repeat.
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8/2/15 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
I went to the Voyageurs program for two weeks, which is where you canoe and camp for the whole time instead of living in the villages. The French immersion was very helpful, and I'm much more confident speaking now. It was easy to pick up on words, and the counselors were encouraging and friendly. I made a lot of good friends in my canoe brigade. One note: most of our socializing was done in English. While activities and chores and stuff are in French, it isn't complete immersion. However, it was fun and everybody in my brigade was very easygoing. The food at Voyageurs isn't terrible, but it's camping food, so it isn't as good as in the villages. However, if you like language immersion and the outdoors, go to Les Voyageurs! It is the bomb dot com.
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9/19/14 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
My daughter went to the Mandarin camp for the first time this year at age 9. She loved it! The camp was very accommodating and the counselors were great. She got a real feel of the culture. From a language standpoint, she really got into it. When she got back to school (she goes to a language academy in Chicago's CPS) she brought it with her, for the first time using the language with her friends on a regular basis. The principal stopped me to tell me she was shocked, hearing kids actually speaking Mandarin in the lunchroom! My only criticism is the activities -- the lake swimming area was miniscule, and several activities (particularly canoeing and archery) were limited to ages much older than other camps permit/require. BTW -- to the last reviewews comments-- virtually every other country in the world is more liberal than ours. Although my daughter didn't mention it, they better get use to it if they want to be part of a world village.
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10/8/13 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Anyone whose beliefs are anywhere to the right of complete liberalism will be ostracized, belittled, and humiliated by this embarrassment of a camp. They do have cultural activities and language speaking, but a good percentage of this camp is the extremely liberal agenda the nutjobs in Moorhead push onto the campers. They encourage respect for other cultures, and at the same time believe in enforcing American views onto other cultures to achieve the communistic society they want. They claim to tolerate everyone, but in reality, it means that they only respect minorities, poor people, gays, vegetarians, and other extreme left-wingers. These people oppress even Libertarian views. I am proud to be a young Tea Party supporter, and the staff of my village tried to make me feel bad about that. Avoid this camp if you want a place that actually respects you, a paying customer. Only pluses: the food and facilities are nice.
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10/1/12 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My 12 year old daughter went to Waldsee this past summer for two weeks of youth camp followed by one week of family camp. She went knowing only a some very basic German. She had a wonderful time. They do a lot of singing, dancing and games. She learned a lot of German, made great fiends, and can't wait to go back next year. The kids are not required to speak German (unless they volunteer to be Sprachmeister for the day), but are frequently praised and rewarded for doing so. For example, one table at each meal is the "Nur Deutsch" table, and if the kids succeed in speaking only German for that meal, they announce it at the end of the meal and are applauded by the whole camp. The food is terrific. The facilities are only so-so (small showers, thin mattresses, etc), but everyone has such a great time it doesn't matter. I sent her by air unaccompanied minor to Minneapolis; the camp was great about meeting her, spending the night in the city, taking the kids to camp by bus the next day.
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9/9/12 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to the Japanese camp, Mori no Ike, for both 2 week and 4 week sessions when I was 13 and 14. I would suggest Mori to anyone. Don't expect any hiking or canoeing, it's not really that type of camp. The people are the best part of Mori; everyone is accepting. The only downside is that it's one of the poorest Concordia camps, so the facilities aren't that great. The food is great, though. I didn't think I would be able to handle being away from home for 4 weeks, but I actually much preferred it to 2 weeks. I learned a ton there. My class sensei (Kanako-sensei) is one of the best teachers I've ever had. (She was actually from Japan.) All of the sensei are super nice. At the end of the day, you have an "uchi dan ran" with your cabin mates where you talk about your high points and low points of the day. When we have to go home, many people cry. Absolutely amazing. Go there. But pack bug spray.
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SYSTEM: location changed from Moorehead, MN to Bemidji, MN |
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5/29/12 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I attended Al-Waha (the Arabic village) for credit last summer and will be going again this year. I came to camp not even knowing how to introduce myself, and I improved more than I would have in a year-long language class at my high school. I really enjoyed the smaller size of the Arabic village since it really did promote almost familial bonds and more personalized attention. I have heard that the Portugese, Chinese, and Russian villages are also rather small and share these benefits, but I've also heard of/met villagers from larger villages who really enjoyed it! In addition, some of these growing villages seem to offer more scholarships, especially Arabic thanks to the generosity of QFI. Overall though, if you are prepared to work hard and really are passionate about learning your village's language, you'll have an amazingly fun time (often with people you otherwise wouldn't have met) and learn a lot. The staff was also great, and represented several countries and universities
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8/23/11 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My son attended the Lago del Bosque in Marine on St. Croix. Staff members were excellent. Although my teenage son was reluctant to go at first, he came home ready to sign up for next year. Good balance of activities with more structured language learning. The immersion model really builds a sense of confidence.
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8/10/11 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
My 12-year-old son attended the Spanish language camp in Bemidji (El Lago del Bosque) and had a fabulous time. He had previously taken some Spanish (about a high-school quarter's worth) -- a minimal platform that he built quickly upon. His local teacher was startled at how, after two weeks, he came back *speaking* Spanish. The immersion process at ELdB did a great job at breaking down the embarrassment wall that inhibits any language learner. (Yes, his vocab was still limited and grammar rudimentary, but he had made a quantum leap towards authentic use of Spanish.) Better yet, he came back rested and happy (rather than stressed and angry at having to go to summer school), and very fit. Apparently, popular Latino dance music plays in the Plaza constantly and the kids do macarena-like dances to it. Other sports and activities are available, plus all the group activities of their cabins, 'families', and classes, which make for a lot of fun. All in all, a great experience.
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7/23/11 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
I went to French Hackensack and French Bemidji... the activities were terribly boring (naptime, singing), the meals were okay but two weeks of it was a bit excessive. The staff was nice and never spoke English. Good immersion IF you have a base in French - if not you will not learn anything from just being there because you are not taught. The facilities were a little too close to the outdoors so it felt a little unclean but not terrible (Bemidji was much better than Hackensack).
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3/2/11 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
My son has not yet attended so my ratings of facilities and activities are not valid (had to put something in to enter a rating so I entered a "3"), but I can say that the response to my phone calls and emails, in an attempt to change his registration, has been horrible. I have been calling and emailing for more than two months and cannot get any response, except for ending the invoice and requesting payment. If this is the way the camp is operated, I surely will not send my son there. The poorest "customer service" imaginable.
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8/27/10 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
my son just sent me is letter from Chinese camp and said he would learn more chinese from doing COD on Playstation. We are sooooo disappointed it was such a bad experience.
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8/21/10 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
My daughter did the outdoor french camp 11-13. Never since preschool has she been forced to take a daily nap and spent so much time singing. No outdoor skills taught, very little canoeing and no hiking. Very expensive, difficult to get to and not worth it.
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6/27/08 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
My 7 yr old daughter attended the 1 wk Chinese camp in June of '08. She liked it very well and wants to return next summer. Language instruction seems to be good, but was probably too easy for my child. She enjoyed the activities and LOVED all the Chinese food!
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4/13/08 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
El lago del bosque!! This is an incredible camp!! It's expensive, but such a wonderful experience, you learn so much and have so much fun. All the counselors are great too. Go Casa San Jose!!!
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10/14/07 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
I was very nervous before coming to Waldsee, and at first it seemed justified, since after coming off my first plane (the second is ALL Concordia people!) every single person seemed to know someone else. But that fear quickly vanished -- upon arrival, I was able to meet a lot of new people, and not just from America. I already spoke some German, which helped quite a bit, but the kids speak English to one another, which also helped me feel more at home. (Parents: the counselors all speak German, so don't worry about your child not getting language skills while here. The expense is well worth it!) I ended up having the experience of my life, even though I didn't LKT or anything. The food is FABULOUS, the facilities (except for a few rather disgusting cabins) are really quite nice, and although the counselors talk with you quite often (in German!)they leave you enough elbow room to feel comfortable. There are tons of fun activities, and the only really bothersome thing is the singing.
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9/21/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to Waldsee, the German camp. I couldn't believe how endlessly enjoyable it was or how much German I learned.
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8/12/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to Lac du bois (french) bemidji and it was probably the best experience of my life. I made some of the best friends a could ever have, learned an AHMAZING amount of french for not ever attending one class.The dances were very fun, although i do have one complaint that applies to many other aspects of the camp. The counselors often need to give campers more space.Seriously. My friends and i hung out w/ guys, and the counselors seemed to single us out for "extra observation." Some were awesome though. My last complaint, is that is very hard to get into a good activity. There are 4 good activities, and all the other ones are fairly dreadful. But overall, this is the bestest camp ever, and i cannot wait to go back next eyar.
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7/14/07 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
The camp was overall a nice camp. The staff, facilites, personal attention, and monetary value, are all very good. But as for the activities I really didn't enjoy my time there, the games and such weren't enjoyable, but I will not deny that it was a pretty good camp overall.
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4/16/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
I've done LKT at Waldsee twice and also German Credit Abroad. Seriously, this is the best camp I have ever been to. I love it, and that month is definitely something I look forward to very much! I only wish I had started going earlier. Something really important to know is that you have to be ready to try new things, and the more you push yourself to speek the language, the more you'll get out of it. I wouldn't trade Waldsee for anything in the world, and I met some very close friends at camp, but there are three things that could've been better. Firstly, however stupid this sounds, being a vegetarian at German camp is not easy! Secondly, the camp is very expensive, and it seems like it would be hard to go if you're family is not particularly loaded. Lastly, the only form of communication for a month(except credit weekend!) is letters which through the Bemidji post is fairly slow! Otherwise, Waldsee is one of the best experiences for kids, and I would strongly recommend it!
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3/13/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
seventh year this summer (07), and it could have been my eigth if it wasn't so full........i ADORE and LOVE 'camp'- french voyageurs and spanish bemidji just plain ROCKS
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2/20/07 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
¡pretty sweet! ¡el lago de bosque was sweet! goin there next year gonna have a good time my bros went there to and theyed be like ¡dido! bringing a friend this year last time i had to meet new people.
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1/15/07 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to El Lago Del Bosque??the pretty one, not the gross one?? and i absolutely loved it! it was more like a resort than a camp; the facilities were gorgeous! so many good times!
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12/28/06 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
I went to Arabic and Spanish and loved them both. The language villages are great for learning a language and the culture associated with that language.
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11/7/06 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to the Japanese Mori no Ike 2-week camp and all I can say is WOW. I learned so much Japanese while I was there, I came home and was speaking Japanese to my parents for a month! I made so many friends and had a TON of fun doing all the activities. The 2 weeks passed so quickly, yet I felt I had been there forever. I wish now I had gone to the 4-week program so I could have learned even more! I plan on doing their abroad program this year and I can't wait for summer! The Concordia language camps are a wonderful place to experience the culture and language of another country without leaving America A++
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11/1/06 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
I went to the French camp Lac du Bois and it was amazing. I learned so much French and made such great friends. And it isn't all woodsy and the staff is sooo much fun. My dean was Fred and she was awesome so I'm sorry for whoever had the bad one because my summer at Lac du Bois was the best summer ever.
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10/28/06 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
French Camp dean, Garrett Heysel, was not a good influence. I will never return as long as he is dean.
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10/22/06 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to Waldsee, the German Village, last summer and it was AMAZING. I arrived barely knowing a word of German and was actually able to understand a lot of what my counselors were saying at the end of those two weeks! I thought the camp would be full of language geeks, but everyone was totally normal and nice. The facilities at the Bemidji Waldsee are wonderful, the counselors are wonderful; everything was wonderful except the food. If you don't like sausage and meats like it, you're sort of stuck at German camp. =)
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10/21/06 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
One of the best summers of my LIFE! I went to Lesnoe Ozero, which had pretty mediocre facilities when I went there, but I heard that the new site is wonderful. Great people who all shared a passion for langguage and learning in general and a wonderful atmosphere. helped me decide that I want to live abroad for a year. The cultural activities and staff members, many of whom are native speakers were fantastic as well. overall,I highly recommend.
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10/13/06 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to Norwegian camp (Skogfjorden) for 8 years and those were the best 8 summers EVER. The facitities at Skogfjorden are better than other camps, and the staff is AMAZING. I learned so much too. I went to a 3rd semester Norwegian class at st. Olaf college (Northfield, MN) and understood every word plus had a better speaking proficiency than the students. That is saying something. I would 100% recommend this camp because it is just great. Definitely something your kids will remember FOREVER!!!
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10/10/06 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
I went to Lac du Bois & Lago del Bosco and absolutely adored both. The experience is amazing, not only as a way to learn a new language, but also as a fun summer activity and a place to make new friends. The counselors are soo nice, the activities are really fun... even the food is great, which is not always the case at summer camps! Basically, yeah. Pick a language, any language, and go to a Concordia Language Village. You won't regret it.
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Rate this summer camp
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