March, 2005 - Nr. 3
German camp "Waldsee" taking applications for campers and counselors
TWIG - Calling all kids with one foot in the woods, one in the classroom and a mind that yearns for global perspective: The German-language immersion camp "Waldsee" is now accepting registrations for its two sessions in summer 2005.
Waldsee, literally "woods by the lake," is immersion in action - up to an entire month of living in an entirely German-speaking environment where English is outlawed and American foods and pop culture are equally verboten.
The German camp is the oldest of Concordia College’s
language immersion programs, which also includes French, Italian, Swedish,
Japanese, and Spanish language camps.
Set on the shores of Turtle River Lake in Bemidji, MN, the campgrounds look
like a traditional German village, with half-timbered buildings, a clock
tower, and a Marktplatz where children gather to sing songs and play games.
A typical day is as full as they come, with singing, eating, and game-playing - but most of all talking. Guided by American, Austrian, German, and Swiss counselors, campers of all skill levels sound out their first umlauts and gargle their German "R’s" in small learning communities called "families."
They learn German from native speakers and young adults who have spent years mastering the language. Waldsee camp counselors know what it is like to start at square one, and they know firsthand that learning a foreign language opens doors to new worlds.
Waldsee offers eight different two-week immersion experiences for kids ages 8-18, as well as five different four-week high school credit sessions. There’s also a four-week college credit session for advanced high school students with coursework focusing on contemporary German life. High-school participants in the credit program can earn up to an entire year’s worth of college credit for their four-week adventure.
Lebenslust wanted
For young adults with excellent German-language ability, Waldsee offers the chance to share the excitement about all things German with children. Many camp counselors return year after year, bringing with them new talents, new experiences, and new perspectives on modern Germany.
Positions range from counselors and credit teachers to food service staff members and healthcare providers.
And there’s no profile to fit - other than possession of a zest for German language and culture. It’s no surprise that many of the counselors have been to the camp themselves as campers, or that they go on to demanding professional careers where they make good use of their language ability.
Never stop learning
Concordia Language also offers weekend language study programs year round at its facilities in Bemidji, MN. These are geared to German language teachers and their students and reportedly leave students K-12 enthusiastic about language learning for months back in the classroom.
The language villages’ credit abroad program, geared toward college-age young adults, includes an organized home stay in Bad Waldsee, Germany, the camp’s sister city in Baden-Wurttemberg.
Visit the Concordia Language Villages online for more
information, or request the 2005 brochure today by calling: 1-800-222-4750.
Republished with permission from "The Week in Germany"
Links:
Waldsee
German Language Village
