Concordia Language Villages staff may speak a Village language, creatively teach culture, work and play hard. They also develop skills and qualities that will make them excellent employees in any field.
Lesnoe Ozero
Russian Language Village
About the Village
At Lesnoe Ozero, Лесное озеро, our Russian Language Village, you’ll experience living in another language and participating in cultural activities from places where Russian is widely spoken.
Design your own Russian matryoshka (nesting doll) or Ukrainian pysanky (Easter egg) and explore music such as classic Russian rock, pop music from across the former Soviet Union, or classical composers like Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. Learn to play the three-stringed balalaika; practice your dance skills with the acrobatic Ukrainian hopak, the lyrical Central Asian kara jorga, or a simple Russian troika. Develop your culinary talents by cooking blini (Russian crepe-style pancakes) or hachapuri (Georgian cheese bread). Love sports? Play futbol (soccer), voleibol, or even (floor) khokei while learning about famous Russian-speaking players and teams! Want to dig into academics? Choose chai i literatura to read great works of Russian literature while drinking tea, or study important current and past world events in our history and international relations activities.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly you learn the language, even while canoeing or singing around the campfire. Explore new cultures at Lesnoe Ozero!
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Life at Lesnoe Ozero
Tea Service
Traditional Yurt
Friendships for a Lifetime
Pysanky Egg Art
Traditional Desserts
Central Asian Felt Crafts
Culturally Authentic Costumes
Enjoying the Great Outdoors
Culturally Appropriate Cuisine
Russian Literature
Cultural Mealtime Presentation
A New Alphabet
Experience Lesnoe Ozero | Лесное озеро
Upcoming Russian Camps & Programs
Minimum registration fee $400 The Language Apprenticeship Program is an opportunity for experienced language learners to take on a leadership role while continuing to develop their language skills through meaningful, hands-on work. Apprentices become an important part of the village community, working alongside staff and experts in a specific area while participating in daily language learning. Apprentices spend part of their day developing a community skill and part of their day continuing formal language study. They live alongside village participants in the classic programs, take part in village activities, and use their target language throughout the day. Through their work, apprentices build confidence, responsibility, leadership skills, and practical experience; all while deepening their language proficiency. The Language Apprenticeship Program is designed for returning villagers who have a strong foundation in the target language. Applicants should demonstrate the maturity, responsibility, and independence needed to serve as a role model within the village community. Participation is subject to program leadership approval. Program requirements: Ages 16–18 with approximately two years or more of study in the target language, or equivalent language experience. Specific requirements may vary by language program. Apprentices receive: Reduced tuition, continued language instruction, hands-on work experience, leadership opportunities, and a certificate documenting their apprenticeship and hours worked. This session runs concurrently with a Family Week program, so apprentices may take part in whole-Village fun and activities! Adults in family programs that overlap with youth overnight sessions are required to complete a background check.
Registration closes June 21, 2027
Minimum registration fee $200 Our one-week programs are perfect for villagers who are ready to experience an overnight camp but can't fit a longer program into busy summer schedules, or aren't quite ready for a longer time away from home. These programs provide an opportunity to explore the language through small and large group learning activities and immersive daily experiences. Plus, you'll get to do all the fun arts, crafts, games and cultural exploration of the Language Village camp experience, along with traditional summer camp activities like campfires, singing songs, and making new friends. These programs welcome language learners of all levels. This session runs concurrently with a Family Week program, so villagers may take part in whole-Village fun and activities! Adults in family programs that overlap with youth overnight sessions are required to complete a background check.
Registration closes July 05, 2027
Join us for a global learning vacation for the entire family—right here in Minnesota! Overnight family weeks and weekends are a great way to spend time together, discover new international foods, play games, make crafts, enjoy music and take part in some old-fashioned outdoor fun. And while you’re all busy having such a good time, together you’ll experience the wonder of speaking a new language through our fun and natural immersion environment. Invite friends, aunts, uncles and grandparents—or whatever family means to you! For more information on family programming, visit https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/year-round-programs/family-weeks-weekends/. Family programs are designed for family units that include at least one adult (age 19 or older) and one child (age 18 or younger). Individual adults should register for our Adult Programs instead. Adult programs provide more intensive opportunities for language learning geared specifically towards adult learners. Individual adults not attending with minor children may request an exception to this policy, please contact clvregister@cord.edu to start this process. All attendees, regardless of age, need to register individually for the Family Programs. Tuition is as follows: Adult participants: $955 each Youth participants: $775 each Participants ages 3 and under: Free. All paying participants must pay a $100 registration fee to save a spot. This session runs concurrently with a youth overnight program. In order to comply with safety standards recommended by the American Camp Association, all adult participants 18 and older registered for this Family Week will be required to complete a background check.
Registration closes July 05, 2027
Minimum registration fee $400 Want to gain a semester's worth of high school language credit in just two weeks? Our two-week High School Credit programs are for you! This high school credit course for intermediate to advanced language learners offers not only the classic Lesnoe Ozero language credit experience, but also an option to participate in special classes and add a Global Leadership Certificate to the experience. In addition to classes with formal language instruction, credit villagers can choose from a variety of elective cultural activities, as well as classic summer camp favorites like campfires, singing songs, and more - all in the language of the Village. Learn Russian through music, sports, history, literature, cooking, dance, and outdoor activities - whatever you love, you can find it at Lesnoe Ozero! No knowledge of Russian language is required, and this program welcomes language learners of all levels. Fully accredited by Cognia, credit programs include standardized curriculums, assessments, and transcripts to meet your local school system’s requirements. Please check with your school district in advance to ensure that credit from Cognia will be accepted if you wish to have the credit reflected on your villager’s high school transcript. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE OPTION (select during registration process): If you're a high school student fascinated by global affairs and eager to cultivate your leadership potential, join other motivated students in an immersive residential summer program that teaches you Russian language while focusing on the history, economics and politics of the Russian-speaking world. This program offers a unique opportunity to earn your Global Leadership Certificate and a semester of high school Russian language credit while delving into the rich cultural, political, and economic tapestry of Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Step into the shoes of world leaders as you consider solutions to local and global challenges. You'll engage in rigorous academics, cultural activities, and leadership workshops designed to deepen your understanding of international relations while honing your critical thinking, communication, and cross-cultural competencies. This session runs concurrently with a Family Week program, so villagers may take part in whole-Village fun and activities! Adults in family programs that overlap with youth overnight sessions are required to complete a background check.
Registration closes July 05, 2027
Minimum registration fee $300 Our two-week programs provide an opportunity to live the language and become truly immersed in the village community. Villagers build and enhance their language skills through small and large group learning activities, and by hearing and using the language - with the encouragement of our supportive staff - throughout their daily activities. By engaging in a variety of music, arts, sports and classic summer camp activities like campfires, singing songs, and more, villagers can increase their confidence, improve their language ability, and grow to become courageous global citizens. These programs welcome language learners of all levels. For villagers interested in exploring topics in global cultures and leadership development, this program includes an option to earn a Global Ambassadors certificate by participating in an English-language simulation of a summit of an international leadership body, similar to Model UN, in addition to regular program activities. The perfect balance of language, leadership, and fun! This session runs concurrently with a Family Week program, so villagers may take part in whole-Village fun and activities! Adults in family programs that overlap with youth overnight sessions are required to complete a background check.
Registration closes July 05, 2027
Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Need-based scholarships are available for Russian summer youth immersion sessions through the Passport Fund. Scholarships are based on a family’s adjusted gross income, number of dependents and the length of the session.
Additionally, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education offers a $1,000 stipend for Minnesota students who qualify for free or reduced lunch at school.
Our Location: Lesnoe Ozero
Turtle River Lake (North Site)
The two-story, sun-filled cabins are fully furnished, so you will have plenty of table space for lessons and games. The cabins also have kitchens for cooking activities. The charming living areas provide a place where you can sit and chat or read a book in front of a cozy, wood stove — just like in a real Russian cottage!
Living quarters, activity spaces and the health center are in several centrally located spaces on the site. The cabin area is a short walk to the main building, which includes a dining hall and Village store. Other highlights of the site include a beautiful beach and several nature trails.
Meet Our Team
Read more about our professional staff at Lesnoe Ozero, our Russian Language Village.
Dean
Lara Ravitch has been with Concordia Language Villages since 1995 and the dean of Lesnoe Ozero since 2005. She has worked in the kitchen and as program staff at both the Russian and French Language Villages since 2002. Lara lived in Moscow for three years, is fluent in Russian and French and studied Spanish and Czech. Lara graduated from Connecticut College with an international studies certificate and a B.A. in Russian and European studies and theater and has an M.A. in Language Teaching from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a M.A. in Special Education from University of Oregon. She currently works as the coordinator of the Russian language program at the University of Oregon.
Government & Corporate Programs
A global outlook is important for success in the domestic and international arena. Concordia Language Villages offers customized corporate, government and military training programs to meet the specific needs of our clients.