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.
El Lago del Bosque
Spanish Language Village
About the Village
At El Lago del Bosque, the Spanish Language Village, you’ll be immersed in the sights, sounds, tastes and culture of the Spanish-speaking world. Our enthusiastic Spanish-speaking staff will inspire you as you learn, play and eat up the experience of living in a variety of Spanish cultures, from Spain to Mexico to Argentina and beyond. Enjoy traditional foods like tamales, asado argentino (Argentine BBQ) and churros con chocolate. Take part in cultural activities like telenovela (the Village soap opera), canto (singing), stories around la fogata (bonfire) and learning about cultural attire and traditions. Language and imagination come to life at El Lago del Bosque!
12 Items
Life at El Lago del Bosque
Dance Party on the Plaza
Music Lesson
Mealtime Presentation
Traditional Desserts
Custom Birchwood Nametags
Weekends Together as a Family
Day Camp for Our Young Learners
Bank Time on Arrival Day
Culturally Appropriate Cuisine
Teaching Through the CLVway!
Friendship Bracelets
Fútbol (Soccer)
Experience El Lago del Bosque
Upcoming Spanish Camps & Programs
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 Family Programs. Tuition is as follows: Adult participants: $435 Youth participants: $235 Participants ages 3 and under: Free All paying participants must pay a $50 registration fee to save a spot.
Registration closes April 30, 2027
Minimum registration fee: $100 Our Adventure Day Camp programs are perfect for younger villagers who want to experience new languages and cultures in a fun and supportive learning environment but are not quite ready for an overnight experience yet. Day camps provide an opportunity to explore the language of the Village through games, arts & crafts, singing, sports, and more. Lunch is provided each day, and day campers will have opportunities to participate in some activities alongside overnight campers. Program runs Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm.
Registration closes May 31, 2027
Minimum registration fee: $150 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.
Registration closes May 17, 2027
Minimum registration fee: $100 Our Adventure Day Camp programs are perfect for younger villagers who want to experience new languages and cultures in a fun and supportive learning environment but are not quite ready for an overnight experience yet. Day camps provide an opportunity to explore the language of the Village through games, arts & crafts, singing, sports, and more. Lunch is provided each day, and day campers will have opportunities to participate in some activities alongside overnight campers. Program runs Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm.
Registration closes June 07, 2027
Minimum registration fee $300 Our two-week programs are our most popular, providing an opportunity to become truly immersed in Village life! 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.
Registration closes May 24, 2027
Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Need-based scholarships are available for Spanish 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: El Lago del Bosque
Turtle River Lake
Meet Our Team
Read more about our professional staff at El Lago del Bosque, our Spanish Language Village.
Kirsten Cristina Addison
Dean
Kirsten Cristina Addison is the dean of both Mar e Floresta, the Portuguese Language Village, and El Lago del Bosque, the Spanish Language Village (first half). She goes by Salome at Mar e Floresta and Cristina at El Lago del Bosque. Kirsten has been on staff at Concordia Language Villages since 1987, serving as dean in various capacities since 1996. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and French, she graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from the University of Western Ontario and studied at the University of Salamanca in Spain and the University of Lisbon in Portugal.
Rachel Raquel Schaefer
Dean
Rachel Raquel Schaefer is the dean of El Lago del Bosque (second half). Raquel has been on staff since 2013, and prior to that was an El Lago del Bosque villager for nine years. Raquel graduated from Concordia College with a degree in World Language Education and recently completed her masters degree in education from Clemson University. Outside of El Lago del Bosque, Raquel works as a middle school Spanish immersion teacher in Anchorage, Alaska.
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.