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 This two week credit session offers a social studies credit. 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 focusing on the history, economics and politics of the Russian-speaking world. These programs offer a unique opportunity to earn your Global Leadership Certificate and one semester of high school social studies 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. No knowledge of Russian language is required! Earn your Global Leadership Certificate this summer! This session offers four hours/day of instruction in English on the history and cultures of the Russian-speaking world, as well as topics related to the global economy and international relations, including an English-language simulation of a summit of an international leadership body, similar to Model UN. Participants will also join activities and meals with our Russian language immersion villagers. While these activities are accessible to complete novices, villagers with no Russian Language background will have one hour of Russian language instruction/day to help them navigate the immersion environment. This credit option only offers the Global Leadership social studies credit. For language credits, please select one of the other Russian credit options. High school credit sessions are designed for villagers entering grades 9 and up in Fall 2026. 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.