By siweb | Published:
August 28, 2010
As is typical for a Friday night the ”aldeanos” will be feasting at the banquet and hopefully burning off some energy during the “discoteca” to follow. However, there is a difference in tonight’s schedule….tonight the “aldeanos” won’t be the only ones packing up their suitcases. So it is that we’ve reached the end of our summer session here at Wilder. We’ve been kept on our toes all summer, fortunately the majority of it was definitely for the better. We have also been very pleased and blessed with the “aldeanos” we’ve gotten to know and with the staff we have gotten to work alongside.
As Maya Angelou puts it, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Names, faces, and dates will blur together, but the key is in how we felt as we did activities, as we learned, as we worked together. It is the most precious, and truly the most important thing we take with us. Fortunately you and your “aldeano/a” can look forward to a little surprise tomorrow from all of us here at Wilder.
….It’s been a long, beautiful, eventful summer for all of us here at El Lago del Bosque, Wilder.
By siweb | Published:
August 25, 2010
We have officially reached our last CLV week here at Wilder for the summer. We wrap up the week with one last session of elementary-age “aldeanos”, some of whom are familiar with the Spanish language and others who are new to the experience. They participate in the same acitivities as those of the previous weeks and we have been very happy to see them grow in many of the same ways as the other “aldeanos” we have gotten to know this summer.
Last night for “Programa de Noche” the casas went around the camp and got to play some fun group activities including “Toca la serpiente”, “Pelota de mono”, “Relay ropa”, and “Juego del círculo”. Tonight is “Noche de piratas!” or “Pirate night!” where they will be creating their own treasure maps, finding the hidden “X”, be blind folded and given directions of where to walk, and will get to construct their own pirate art!
Finally, each night we have been having a bonfire and accompanied by group songs as a way to both connect and to calm down from the day of excitement and activities.
Que tengan una buena noche!
By siweb | Published:
August 20, 2010
Today has offered many “lasts” for many people here in Wilder: the last charla, the last actividad, the last baile y canto, the last telenovela, and the last “alávanse las manos” song. Two weeks ago we said goodbye to the SI-72 session, this week we say goodbye not only to the SI-92 session but also the SI-74 credit students and to many staff members as they all head off to various parts of the world. Tomorrow will bring a sad goodbye to a large group of people, but it will also be followed by many camp story retelling to friends and family as well as letters, e-mails, phone calls, and online chats with their new found friends.
Tonight we send off our queridos amigos with a banquet followed by a discoteca in hopes of spending the night in high spirits and staving off the goodbye’s that tomorrow brings.
Entonces, buenas noches a todos
PS: check out the new link under “Fotos” if you wish to see some I-Day photos from last Friday!
By siweb | Published:
August 17, 2010
Buena tarde,
Tonight for the “programa de noche” the kids will be put through an immigration simulation. As a family they will be put out into different parts of the forest and ultimately must make it to the playforest which represents the United States. As some will be immigrating “legally” and others “illegally” the process is not meant to reflect only the Mexican immigration but rather the whole of all peoples attempting to cross the border in some fashion. Also, in the real world immigration can be rough, frightening, and sometimes traumatic, but here in Wilder we keep it friendly while also trying to make an impression. More often than not everyone loves “cruzando la frontera” so we expect you’ll hear about it from your “aldeano/a” before long!
Que tengan un día bellísimo!
PS: check the photos link and see if you can spot your “aldeano/a” in any new pics.
By siweb | Published:
August 15, 2010
As always, we had a very eventful weekend at El Lago del Bosque!
The credit students and their teachers left early (6am!) Friday morning to attend International Day in Bemidji with all of the other language villages! Although they were one of the smallest groups there they made their presence known by loudly chanting the grito , representing Nicaragua at the UN Summit, and presenting a beautiful Salsa dance in front of more than 400 people! That night they camped out at El Lago del Bosque Bemidji and the next day visited Itasca State Park (where the great Mississippi River is born!)
Those of us who stayed here enjoyed a usual day full of Charlas and Actividades (pictures included). We also had special programa de noche about Costa Rica in which the villages learned a typical game, dance, food, and general information all from the beautiful country of Costa Rica (as are three of our counselors)!
Saturday we continued with Charlas and Actividades during the day. But in the evening the villagers created Fallas, a tradition from Spain, out of cardboard to represent things (mosquitos, war, etc) that they don’t like. The idea was to burn them in the Fogata (bonfire) while singing songs and eating s’mores, but the weather turned rainy and we opted for a movie instead. Hopefully we will get an opportunity to have a bonfire later in the week!
Today the weather has been sunny yet cool and the villagers enjoyed a morning lounging on the beaching and eating delicious a picnic! This afternoon there will be a soccer tournament and this evening… a wedding! That’s right, we are going to simulate a typical Hispanic wedding between two counselors, which will be followed by a reception.
More news to come later!
By siweb | Published:
August 10, 2010
We are all very excited to start a new two-week session. The creditors warmly welcomed the new aldeanos with a “presentación de comida” and taught them a few songs. Today the new two-weekers will get to experience their first full day at the camp and begin to assimilate to their surroundings and make new friends. To see what your villager’s typical day is like please visit “el horario” and find out!
The creditors have also now reached the half-way point of their stay and are preparing for International Day [I-Day for short] this coming weekend in Bemidji, Minnesota. They are preparing a presentation for all the other attending Concordia Language Villages and are anxious to see what will be presented to them in turn.
Remember! Send your “aldeano/a” mail! They love to know that they are being thought of while away at camp and enjoy hearing what’s going on at home as well.
Que el día pase bien para ustedes!
Have an awesome day!
By siweb | Published:
August 5, 2010
Today was a typical day at Wilder though a few exciting things will be happening tonight. First, we will finally get to see the dramatic ending of our wonderful telenovela starring Chaupolín, Brad, María Isabel, and Aáron with his henchmen. Then we will be holding our version of American Idol + dancing! Each casa gets to choose whether or not they will be competing in the form of dance or song. May the best casa win!!
One other item of interest for many of you is that tomorrow will be the SI-72ers last day at ELdB Wilder 
We will be sending them off right with another special banquet tomorrow at dinner and you can all expect to see their wonderful faces again within the next few days.
Have a great evening!
By siweb | Published:
August 4, 2010
Last night was “La noche de Fallas” or “Fallas night”, which is a Spanish tradition. We constructed that we didn’t like and would later burn over the fire. To make it even more interesting we decided to make it a competition to see which casa could be the most creative about what they didn’t like. The two houses that won were Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Costa Rica made a tree with several branches of things they didn’t like, and Nicargua created a turtle with a line on the bottom side of the shell that reads, “Nicaragua doesn’t like the oil spill.”
Congrats to the winners:
Casas Costa Rica & Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Nicaragua
By siweb | Published:
August 3, 2010
Buenos días!
Last night we lived through a coup d’etat in El Lago del Bosque, Marine. But luckily the dean was re-crowned in the end. Be sure to ask your villager about their experience in this simulation!
By siweb | Published:
August 2, 2010
Buenas tardes a todos!
Day by day your “aldeano/a” has been growing closer and closer to both another culture as well as their fellow campers. We get to see this growth as they sit together at meals, charlas, activities, community time, and as they dance and sing. We love seeing this and hope that it will be something intangible that they can take with them at every point in life. While today may have been back to its regular schedule in many ways it acts as the glue to tie those experiences together and make it strong.
For our 2 week campers there are only a few days left until they depart for home, and so we encourage you to keep up the mail and to also contact us if any travelling schedules will be changed. We thank you very much!
Have a great evening
