Come and help around our eco hostel with natural building, art and community life in EL Bolson, Argentina

Details

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  Description

  "Travel, be a passer-by, a migrant or a tourist, it's about to undertake a process, each time diverse, conscious and in all cases deeply subjective, of rediscovery between oneself, the community and the world."
  This philosophy is at the heart of our intercultural hostel project, which seeks to put this link at the center on three levels, its richness and its priority in the design of the architecture, the use of the place and the community insertion of the project within an area of high ethnic, ecological, tourist and cultural diversity. In addition to offering a reception point for tourists and travellers, the hostel will seek to organise itself as a centre for the expression and integration of cultural diversity and community exchange. The construction of the hostel is in line with ecological self-building and permaculture and favours the use of local materials and a low ecological impact.
  
  A semi-collaborative architectural design: the plans of the hostel have been established in broad outline with a Patagonian architect from his knowledge of the place and by privileging the use of local and natural materials (adobe, straw and earth). These plans can be enriched as the construction progresses by other contributions and suggestions from architects and volunteers according to their coherence with the general spirit and economic criteria of the initiative. The hostel has a capacity of 20 beds, 1 dormitory and 2 independent rooms, a dining room - common kitchen, 1 bathroom, a park of 5000 m2.
  
  A social and collaborative use of the hostel: the time invested, the social and relational contribution deposited in the community of the hostel and surrounding area are worth as much as a monetary payment to stay there. Our vision for the future is that each traveler will be able to pay for his or her overnight stay in monetary form or in the form of a social contribution, the value of which can be estimated within the hostel's ethical charter. These social contributions can be in the form of artistic and cultural activities (drawing, music, dance, storytelling, hiking, ethnic dialogue), activities to accompany residents or members of the surrounding community (teaching, support, intergenerational support, friendship) or charitable and permaculture activities (gardening, cultivation, crafts, cooking).
  
  The community of El Bolson: El Bolson is a young town of 30,000 inhabitants located in an exceptional landscape and natural setting of the Andean Patagonia. The tourist flows coming from the big urban centers, the local demographic growth and the new economic projects make appear new challenges for the city and the region: to preserve the culture of openness, ecosobriety and artistic sensibility particular to the resident population of El Bolson; to open up to new segments of population coming from an urban cultural matrix through tourism and new waves of migration; to control the urban development, the economic pressures of mining and real estate proper to the development of the emergent countries.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  Hospitality/Tourism

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  You will learn how to build your own house, about a sustainable ecotourism project, about bio-construction techniques, how to compost, forest care and how to live in a respectful way with the environment.
  You will expierience the argentinian live style, how to prepare the perfect mate and at the same time learn Spanish, because we don't speak a lot of English.

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  Help

  We will work on bioconstruction, carpentry, creation of new rooms for future tourists, painting, caring for animals gardening and improving the place in general - we are looking for your creativity.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Spanish: Fluent
  English: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  English and French most of all.
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  Accommodation

  You will get a bed in a shared dorm without sheets, and blankets. The is hot wather is limited. If you wish to come with your own tent; there is a huge space available for camping.
  We don't provide meals but we have a beautiful and fully equiped kitchen which is free for you to use. We often also organize share cooking with guests.
  
  We do not have heating in the rooms, but there is a small stove in the main living room that works with firewood, so you have to be a bit of a friend of the cold.
  Personal hygiene products are not included in the place.

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  What else ...

  There are lots of hiking spots around with beautiful lagoons and rivers, plenty of out door activities like paragliding and horseback riding. The little town El Bolson which is just 30 min away is charming and invites for a stroll and it's famous ice cream.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Small vans only.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Any kind of travelers are welcome here. Just ask before coming to check if we have place to welcome them.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 3 hours a day, 5 days a week

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