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.
Salolampi
Finnish Language Village
About the Village
What do Angry Birds, Nokia phones, Santa Claus and saunas have in common? They all originate from the great country of Finland! From the moment you arrive at our Finnish Language Village, Salolampi, Finnish will be incorporated into every daily activity—from summer camp favorites to culturally authentic activities like mölkky (classic throwing game) or pesäpallo (Finnish style baseball). Personalized, hands-on learning activities give you fun opportunities to learn and practice new vocabulary as native and expert speakers introduce you to modern Finland. Your time at Salolampi's beautiful, wooded lakefront site will give you the chance to live like the Finns!
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Life at Salolampi
Culturally Appropriate Cuisine
Swimming in Turtle River Lake
Weaving Loom
Fishing from the Dock
Traditional Finnish Sauna
Campfire Community Time
Homemade Bread
Wood Whittling
Visiting the Village Bank
Experience Salolampi
Upcoming Finnish 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 the Family Programs. Tuition is as follows: Adult participants: $435 each Youth participants: $235 each Participants ages 3 and under: Free All paying participants must pay a $50 registration fee to save a spot.
Registration closes December 18, 2026
Join us at Salolampi Spring Adult Week May 16-22 for an intensive, immersive week of Finnish language learning, cultural experiences, food, music, sauna, crafts, games, and a warm and welcoming community of life-long learners! Tervetuloa! Standard price: $1305 Seniors 65+: $1205 College Students: $1105 Minimum deposit: $125
Registration closes April 20, 2027
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 the Family Programs. Tuition is as follows: Adult participants: $955 each Youth participants: $775 each Participants ages 3 and under: Free. All paying participants must pay a $100 registration fee to save a spot.
Registration closes May 17, 2027
Minimum registration fee $200 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 24, 2027
Minimum registration fee $400 Our two-week high school credit program allows villagers to earn a semester's worth of high school credit in just two weeks! In addition to classes with formal language instruction, credit villagers can choose from a variety of elective activities, as well as classic summer camp favorites like campfires, singing songs, and more - all in the language of the Village. These programs welcome language learners of all levels. Fully accredited by Cognia, credit programs include standardized curriculums, assessments, and transcripts to meet your local school system’s requirements. Please check with your school district in advance to ensure that credit from Cognia will be accepted if you wish to have the credit reflected on your villager’s high school transcript. High school credit sessions are designed for villagers entering grades 9 and up in Fall 2027.
Registration closes May 24, 2027
Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Need-based scholarships are available for Finnish 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: Salolampi
Turtle River Lake
Meet Our Team
Read more about our professional staff at Salolampi, our Finnish Language Village.
Jen Jenna Pulju Porter
Dean
Jen Jenna Pulju Porter is a Finnish to English literary translator, specializing in children’s and young adult fiction. She enjoys playing a part in bringing great Finnish literature to English-speaking audiences. Jenna holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Washington and continues to study Finnish, Estonian and Literary Translation at Indiana University-Bloomington. She currently resides in Colorado with her family and enjoys spending her free time skiing, cooking and knitting.
Tiina Watts
Program Leader
Tiina Watts has been teaching Finnish at Salolampi adult weeks since 2003, and her seven children and husband, Ed, have all attended many Salolampi programs. In addition, Tiina teaches Finnish at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, as well as online in a variety of Zoom classes. She holds a master’s degree in Second Language Teaching and enjoys using what she has learned to improve the speaking, listening, writing and reading skills of her students.
Jessica Dina Korynta
Program Leader
Jessica Dina Korynta is part of the leadership team of Skogfjorden, the Norwegian Language Village. Dina has been a villager, credit villager, counselor, volunteer, business manager and staff counselor as well as now leading the Nordic Holiday Weekend. Dina earned her B.A. in Linguistics with a minor in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
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.