Concordia Language Villages began in 1961 with a two-week class in German, at a time when the immersion method for teaching language to children was experimental.
Today there are 15 languages taught at the "villages," which are spread around an 800-acre campus in Bemidji.
"Les Voyageurs," a camping and canoeing French learning program, began in the late 1980s for kids as an offshoot to the established Lac du Bois school. Since then, more than 2,500 school-age students from across the world have taken part.
The first adult "Les Voyageurs" program launched in 2008. But finding people over 18 who both want to learn French and don't mind the rigors of tent camping has been a challenge. The 2009 program was canceled after only two adults signed up. This year, six students registered, but just four of us arrived at the Bemidji base camp.
François Fouquerel, dean of the French program, said his goal is to enroll eight to 10 adults for future trips.
Concordia Language Villages provides tents, canoes, wet sacks and gourmet-quality meals as well as experienced French teachers and outdoor guides. The cost for the six-night trip was $660. For more: concordialanguagevillages.org.
JACKIE CROSBY
