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Concordia Language Villages

German Residential Language Village

Waldsee offers übercool adventures in German for beginning through advanced learners, all in a fun, motivating setting with master teachers, talented counselors and participants from across the country and around the world. Waldsee is the premier German language immersion program in North America and recognized as a national Center of Excellence by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG).

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German Residential Language Village

Language

<p>Villagers who successfully use their <i>Deutsch </i>to become a <i>Sprachmeister </i>are rewarded at <i>Café Einbeck</i> or at <i>Waldsee’s </i>own German store—<i>der Laden</i>.</p>

Villagers who successfully use their Deutsch to become a Sprachmeister are rewarded at Café Einbeck or at Waldsee’s own German store—der Laden.

Language

At Waldsee we do Deutsch. On the lake. At the beach. On the soccer field. At the Café. In the Gasthof. In the cabin. Have fun learning everyday German you can really use it with friends and in games, arts, sports, cooking, baking, environmental, historical and cultural activities. Go on one of our many two-week language adventures. Learn as much German in four weeks as you might learn in a year at school. Become an apprentice and use your German actively with our cool counselors and teachers. Pass the Wiener Schnitzel or solve the mystery of the Geheimbetreuer who is always listening for villagers speaking German. It’s all part of becoming a real Sprachmeister.

Learn more about language at Waldsee.

Resources for Educators

What's Up

<p>Join the fun with <i>Freunde </i>new and old at <i>Waldsee </i>as we keep pace with modern German youth culture.</p>

Join the fun with Freunde new and old at Waldsee as we keep pace with modern German youth culture.

What's Up

What’s Up— Was ist looooos? It just keeps getting better.We’re always adding new twists to our traditional favorites. Join our High School Credit Abroad Program. Check out our new family housing options.
Join our STEM - Deutsch high school credit program. Be a German apprentice and earn community service learning hours or join our six-week German Summer Language Adventure. Learn more.

Scholarships

Need-Based Scholarships Available

Need-based scholarships are available for German summer youth immersion sessions. Scholarships are based on a family’s adjusted gross income, number of dependents, and the length of the session. For more information on scholarships, please visit our German scholarships page.

Culture

<p>Tempt your taste buds at <i>Waldsee’s </i>own authentic German <i>Cafe</i>, with breads, pastries and <i>Kuchen </i>baked fresh daily in our own <i>Bäckerei </i>by our talented bakers.</p>

Tempt your taste buds at Waldsee’s own authentic German Cafe, with breads, pastries and Kuchen baked fresh daily in our own Bäckerei by our talented bakers.

Culture

Join in real German-speaking cultural festivals like Oktoberfest, Karnevalder Kulturen or the Zurich Street Parade. Try delicious authentic food. Learn the latest European dances and tunes. Make art, do sports, play games, discover modern Europe. It’s all part of the fun and the best way to use the German you are learning. Learn more about German culture at Waldsee.

Activities

<p>Learn why the Germans are so good at fencing (<i>Fechten</i>).</p>

Learn why the Germans are so good at fencing (Fechten).

Activities

Enhance your language skills with active learning! At the beach try Schwimmen and Kanufahren. On the field shoot a goal and hear your friends shout TOOOOR! At Worpswede, our very own artists’ colony, test your leather-making skill or create a Buntglas stained glass piece of art. Work with clay on the wheel with Töpfern, or even sew a traditional Dirndl. There is so much to do. Learn more about German activities at Waldsee.

Das Waldsee BioHaus

<p>A science day camp lab experiment in our ultra-modern energy efficient <i>Waldsee BioHaus</i>, the first certified passive house in North America.</p>

A science day camp lab experiment in our ultra-modern energy efficient Waldsee BioHaus, the first certified passive house in North America.

Das Waldsee BioHaus

Waldsee’s own BioHaus won the Minnesota Environmental Prize for its cutting-edge approach to learning while living German. It’s a low-energy house in a high-energy program! Cook with magnets, create a solar oven, conduct experiments, be part of the Green Revolution—auf deutsch, natürlich! Join our STEM skills high school credit program, Grüne Welle environmental adventure program, or our Science Day Camp. Learn more about the BioHaus.

Adventures

<p>Connect with the environment in <i>Waldsee’s Grüne Welle </i>Adventure Program! Learn the names of the plants and animals you encounter, tell campfire stories, and even go on an overnight <i>Kanureise </i>(canoe trip)—all while learning and speaking German!</p>

Connect with the environment in Waldsee’s Grüne Welle Adventure Program! Learn the names of the plants and animals you encounter, tell campfire stories, and even go on an overnight Kanureise (canoe trip)—all while learning and speaking German!

Adventures

Do you already speak some German? Challenge yourself even more with one of our adventure programs: DJ with Waldsee Digital, perform in a play in our medieval fairytale theater (Märchenwald), take a canoe trip with the Grüne Welle or score a Tor in our Fussball adventure with coaches from Germany. Learn more about German Adventure Programs at Waldsee.

Programs

Day Camps

Sleepaway Camps

Family Weeks & Weekends

Unplug from the bustle of your regular life and spend quality vacation time relaxing and laughing in another language with your family. ​

German Residential Family Fun Weekends and Family Weeks

Helvetia (Swiss) Family Week

Programs for School Groups

View our programs for school groups.

High School and College Credit Programs

Meet the Staff

The dean is the on-site director of the Language Village. Our dedicated staff is led by deans Dan Karl Hamilton and Jon Berndt Olsen, who continue to transform our successful summer youth programs, introducing new and exciting adventures each summer, while sustaining the vibrant and challenging learning adventure that is Waldsee.

Why Learn German

German is the native language of Europe’s largest economy. More than 100 million people speak German as their first language and German-Americans are the largest ethnic group in the USA. There are many more reasons to learn German.

Come Learn German at Waldsee!