Wir sind Matthias, Nikolaus, Wolf, und Justus und wir sind die 2012 Lehrlinge. Wir haben viele Aufgaben. Wie die LKTs haben wir Unterricht und AGs, aber wir haben auch viele ähnliche Aufgaben wie die Betreuer. Zum Beispiel, arbeiten wir in der Bäckerei und in der Pause bieten wir Veranstaltungen an. Wir machen auch mit bei dem Abendprogramm. Wir leiten Gruppen im Abendprogramm. Zum Beispiel haben wir gestern Abend Kinder begleitet und ihnen geholfen, die Zombies zu besiegen. Außerdem hatten wir einen Monat lang ein Projekt, bei dem wir verschiedene Stationen für einen Trimm-dich-Pfad gebaut haben. Weil das Essen in Waldsee so gut ist, muss man trainieren. In vielen Deutschen Städten gibt es auch Trimm-dich-Pfade, und deswegen haben wir über Deutsche Kultur gelernt. Wir reden immer viel Deutsch um gute Vorbilder für die Kinder zu sein.

Grüzi! 

This evening, a few of the credit Villagers and I tried to come up with a list of new and fun things that we have done in the past few days. The list would take up more than several computer screens of a blog. Here are some of our Lieblingsveranstaltungen. Make sure that you look through all of the photos on our flickr website (at the top of this page)!

This marked the seventh year that Waldsee represented Concordia Languages Villages in Lake Bemidji’s Annual Dragon Boat Festival. How often do you get the chance to be in a Drachenboot with a couple dozen of your favorite Freunde?

One of the great things about CLV is that when we say global, we really mean global. Our Spanish Village, El Lago del Bosque, sent over their famous Argentinian chef for our Argentinian Restaurant-Abend. We all called in to get good seats at the “Gaucho Grill”.

And how better to spend the Abendpause after dinner than some Schach, or a Brettspiel?

And how many different ways can you think of to learn Deutsch? Study time? Or maybe a Kochen activity, or else making a Film, or even Biologie?

And those moments represent only a few of the times in any day that we can all agree -

Waldsee ist toll!

Bis später!

Irmgard (Credit Facilitator) and the Credit Villagers

Hallo!

Part of learning about German language and culture is learning about history – especially the history of Germans who settled in America. At the Immigrantenhaus, some Villagers got to travel back in time, if only for a short while.

The house is an authentic German-American house, built in the nineteenth century (and later donated to Waldsee as a place of learning). At Waldsee, we don’t put artifacts behind glass; we make them available for Villagers to touch, play with, and really get a sense of what it feels like to hold a book brought over by a German family long ago. As one Villager put it, we could almost feel history come to life while exploring the Immigrantenhaus and its treasures.

Other Villagers enjoyed the Wellness Activity – and who wouldn’t? Using natural ingredients for facials, foot baths, and lotions that the Villagers prepared themselves made the “Waldsee spa” even more enjoyable.

And, of course, after you have come back to the twenty-first century and have cleaned up, a stop at Café Einbeck is a must!

There is something for everyone at Waldsee – including new adventures.

Auf bald! 

Irmgard (Credit Facilitator)

Guten Abend! 

At Waldsee, we live in and with Natur. After days of clear, sunny, skies, we had our first downpour yesterday. (Even a bit of Donner and Blitz visited our site after we were tucked away in bed – most of the Villagers and Betreuer and Betreuerinnen slept through it, though.) A change in the weather didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for learning Deutsch, and our Morgenkreis, which we normally hold around the Marktplatz, didn’t keep us from singing just because we moved it inside the Gasthof.

And, as LKT reporter, Franzi, writes, we thoroughly enjoyed Müsli for breakfast, along with Nutella for our bread. All of our meals reflect some aspect of Essenskultur of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, including a special treat of getting to order pizza for dinner with our houses (by calling in to our Waldsee special pizza delivery service, with their famous Ninja pizza delivery staff).

Houses did different activities while waiting for the pizza – here are just a couple of them.

Two other programs showed some other sides of life in Waldsee. The Grüne Welle environmental program practiced safe fire-building, while our Waldsee Adventure Daycamp practiced the fine art of face painting.

It sounds like our music team is almost set up for our disco this evening, so time for some tanzen!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Irmgard (credit facilitator)

Servus!

Our credit reporters and I continue blogging on life in Waldsee. As you will see, it has been a busy week. Some of our Villagers are in the last two weeks of the four-week credit program, while a new group of four-week credit Villagers and two-week Villagers arrived on Monday.

And don’t forget our Science Day Camp!

The highlight of the week was certainly our version of the Kölner Karneval, which we celebrated a bit early (or late, depending on your point of view!). All the houses wore theme-based costumes. One group represented the colors of the Regenbogen:

…while others drew on ideas from Snow White to Flower Power, Historical Themes, and even some fashionistas.

Our Lehrling (apprentice) program continues as well. A recent project has been the construction of a Trimm-Dich-Pfad (called a Forstmeile in Austria, and Vitaparcour in Switzerland) – a beautiful path throughout Waldsee that includes stations for a few fitness exercises, or even a rest.

And it’s always busy at the Laden or Café Einbeck, where you can go for some authentic German, Swiss, and Austrian culture, whether it be t-shirts or flags, or some relaxing with friends.

Our LKT reporter, Gretchen, wished that we would have Käse (cheese) more often at mealtimes. The LKT, Cora, noted that she has learned a lot about geography – “Ich liebe Geographie!”.

Bis später!

Irmgard (credit facilitator), Gretchen (LKT) and Cora (LKT)

Report #6

Guten Tag!

Unglaublich! Looking back on what we have accomplished so far in just over a week, it is hard to believe that we have had so many opportunities to learn Deutsch and about Kultur in German-speaking lands. Whether while singing, making pottery, playing soccer, or eating, it is clear - Waldsee ist wunderbar.

We even made reservations for the “Indian restaurant” this weekend that magically appeared in place of our Gasthof. Villagers got dressed up and the Betreuer and Betreuerinnen worked as waiters, taking orders and serving the food.

Our credit villager reporters continue to reflect on what it means to be a Villager at Waldsee, as well.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Irmgard (Credit Facilitator)

Lernen macht Spass! by LKT Nadja

Most of the LKT schedule is based on our credit hours. Our learning time is structured so that we participate in more than 180 hours of contact time in the target language (Deutsch!) over 4 weeks.

But that number is not only about getting in enough credit time. We learn about language in lots of ways, including the Kultur game (where we did a simulation about how cultures perceive each other), and in a sort of “Family Feud” game where we learn facts and trivia about Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and other parts of the German-speaking world – including Waldsee!

At Frühstück we talk about “Woher kommt das Essen?” so that we can learn about where the recipes originate for our meal. And there is also Musik zum Frühstück, when we get to hear music during breakfast and then learn about the composers.

Everything we do boils down to learning, even if it seems like it is “just a game”!

Report #5

Samstag und Sonntag by LKT Jan

Wasser! Wasser! Wasser! It’s what this weekend was all about. On Sunday, after sleeping in and having brunch, the entire Village had the Water Olympics – even though some of the sports weren’t official Olympic events. Some of the events including having a water balloon on a spoon and running 2 meters and back. Another one was rolling a water balloon along a table and back again. One event that wasn’t a competition was going down the slip and slide.

Other events were more like Olympic games, such as rowing, but without paddles. Or maybe soccer, with sprinklers going everywhere. There was also a footrace, while running through water. The only event that remained an authentic sport was the swim race. One person from each team swam out to the Iceberg (a big floatie that you can climb, go around it, and come back).

After all the events were finished, the LKTs had Lernzeit and the KTs had Pause. Then everyone joined together for an hour-long Gesang, YAY! After singing, we went to dinner and then had an evening program. Everyone had a team, and you had to make your civilization by trading things with other teams’ civilizations. After that, each Haus did a “family feud” game. And then, it was Gute Nacht!

Wann, was, wo? by LKT Nadja and Christoph

Most days at Waldsee follow a strict schedule, with some variations for LKTs and KTs and Betreuer and Betreuerinnen. We’re all supposed to wake up at 7.20 Uhr (although it’s usually closer to 7.45 Uhr). We have Morgenkreis (8.00 Uhr) at the Marktplatz and then breakfast (8.10 Uhr).

Then the day changes for different groups. The LKTs and Lehrlinge, for instance, go to class at 9.00 Uhr, until 10.15 Uhr, and then they go to Gesang (time to learn Deutsch through singing and dancing). During that time, the KTs do things in reverse, with Gesang first and then their Familie, which is where they have their language lessons (but no homework!).

After that, for the LKTs and Lehrlinge …

10.45 – Pause

11.15 - Arbeitsgruppen (our chosen 2-week long elective cultural period)

12.30 – Lunch

13.15 – Naptime! (You can also do homework or other things in your Haus, as long as it is quiet)

14.15 – Second Unterrichtsstunde for the LKTs

15.00 – Activity time, with lots of possibilities to choose from

16.00 – Pause

16.30 – Third Unterrichtsstunde

17.30 – Another activity to choose from

18.15 – set the Tisch

18.30 – Abendkreis on the Marktplatz

Then dinner, an activity or Lernzeit, and finally we we get to go ins Bett. And that is the end of another day at Waldsee!

Report #4

Servus! 

Our LKT Villagers’ Blog series on life in Waldsee is a great chance to see Waldsee through our Villagers’ eyes. Today, one of our bloggers writes about how we kept cool yesterday even though it was heiß! We were especially thankful to have so many Rettungsschwimmer (life guards) on staff so that we could make full use of the beach and stay safe.

Schönes Wochenende!

Irmgard (Credit Facilitator)

Heiße Tage, aber immer “cool” bleiben! by LKT Jan

Friday was all about water! Although it may not have been a hot day by some people’s standards, we certainly felt the heat for Waldsee standards! Almost everyone (LKTs, KTs, Lehrlinge, and Betreuer and Betreuerinnen) converged on the Strand for all sorts of activities and learning. There was swimming, sand-castle contests, and time to hang out in the shade and have a Gespräch auf Deutsch.

The Völkerball tournament also started. Völkerball is a lot like Dodgeball.

On Fridays, we always have a Restaurantabend. We found out that we would be eating at Raj Daber (The Gasthof suddenly turned in to an Indian restaurant!). We made reservations on the phone auf Deutsch and got dressed up.

All of that in just one day at Waldsee! Check back tomorrow for photos of the evening.