We define “family” in the broadest terms, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, neighbors and friends, as long as there are adults accompanying children.

To provide family members with the optimum immersion learning experience, the program is filled with a variety of structured and informal language learning opportunities. Each program typically includes some personal, unstructured time during the day.

We typically house two to three families (or more, depending on the facility and the size of family units) together in a cabin; staff does not live with you. Our cabins house 12-14 people, depending on the site. Bathroom facilities are either directly in the housing unit or a short walk down the path. Within each cabin, families are accommodated in semi-private areas. We do our best to put similar families together, considering gender of participants and the ages of children. If you would like to share a cabin with another family, please note this on your registration form.

Our program is meant to keep you busy with language and culture learning during the whole week and our goal is to immerse you completely into the target language/culture. In order to not interfere with the sense of immersion, there is no time scheduled for leaving the program and site. We encourage you to take in the sites of the Bemidji area before or after the program.

We often have native speakers attend with their families. However, no discounts are available.

Language development sessions will be separate for children and adults; they are also divided by language ability. Activities like sports, crafts, nature hikes, swimming and cooking can be attended by both children and adults as a family or individually, depending on interest. We do not provide babysitting services. Younger children may need a parent to accompany them throughout the day and that may affect the extent to which that parent can focus on his or her own language learning process. During large group activities, our staff works to group families in numerous ways, either by family, by age or by language level.

We do not have highchairs or cribs available. Please bring a travel crib and a portable highchair, if needed. Toddlers need to be able to sleep in a twin bed on their own (otherwise please bring a travel crib), and will be allowed only in the lower-level bunk beds.