Creation and sustainability near Lake Rupanco, Chile

Details

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  Description

  Hola ! my name is Lautaro. I produce shows and teach classes that combine circus and theater arts in France, but I decided to take a break in 2026 and 2027 to devote more time to this project and use rainy days to develop a new creation. Architecture and agronomy have always been an important part of my life, and I would like this space to ultimately combine these experiences.
  
  Ten years ago, I started this project with the hope of one day being able to live here. Today, the idea of having a creative space that combines creativity, sustainability, and physical work excites me, even more so in this little paradise where the project is located.
  
  I’ve created an edible forest with a variety of fruit trees and native shrubs. There are also beehives, and I’m currently building a multipurpose space. Until now, the project had relied solely on the help of friends and family. This is the first time it has received external support, with volunteers during the season, and the experience has been incredible! Without a doubt, there is still much to learn. We have made great progress. Although construction of the multipurpose space is moving a bit slowly, this year, more than ever, we have enjoyed the benefits of nature.
  
  Sustainability in Progress:
  
  We live in a fragile natural environment and are transitioning toward more sustainable practices:
  
  Garden and Compost: We grow fruit trees and vegetables without chemicals.
  Bathroom: We currently have a conventional bathroom, but there’s always the option to go to the woods for those who prefer a more natural alternative. We are working on building a dry toilet, but for now, the traditional bathroom is the main option.
  Chemicals: We use only what is essential (e.g., varnish to protect the wood from moisture), but we seek natural alternatives.
  Trash: There is no recycling in the area, so we must take our waste to the city. Each volunteer commits to taking one trash bag with them when they leave.
  Water and energy: Conscious use (short showers, turning off lights, prioritizing wood-fired cooking).
  
  The area is known for being a fairly preserved and isolated place, located in the Los Lagos region, 40 kilometers from the border with Argentina, nestled in the heart of the Andes mountain range, at the end of Lake Rupanco, immersed in the middle of the native forest, on the shores of Lake Rupanco.
  
  The 65-square-meter house features two bedrooms, a living-dining room, and a bathroom. It can accommodate up to 6 people. It is surrounded by native trees over 30 meters tall; in the area, you can see arayanes, lumas, ulmos, tepas, avellanos, and olivillos, among others. Two trails lead to the highest and sunniest part of the property, where the apiary and a grove are located. Here you can see and hear a wide variety of birds, such as chucaos, hummingbirds, viuditas, huet huets, bandurrias, colilargas, woodpeckers, and many others.
  
  During your stay, you’ll help primarily in different work areas (regardless of gender, only based on skills and energy):
  
  Construction (current project: a 40 m² multipurpose space).
  Gardening (weeding, composting, harvesting from our edible forest).
  Beekeeping in summer (if interested; let us know if you’re allergic!).
  Cooking and cleaning (rotating shifts for everyone).
  
  Schedule and organization:
  We work 5 hours a day, 5 days a week (usually 9:00–13:00 and 15:00–16:00), but hours are flexible depending on weather or project needs.
  
  Tasks are assigned in daily meetings, rotating so everyone participates in everything (cooking, building, gardening, cleaning).
  No fixed tasks by gender: Here, everyone cooks, cleans, and uses a shovel equally!
  Example of a typical day:
  
  8:00: Shared breakfast.
  9:00–13:00: Work (e.g., construction or weeding).
  13:00: Lunch (prepared in rotating shifts).
  15:00–16:00: Light work or pending tasks.
  
  Important: If you prefer rigid schedules or minute-by-minute activities, this is not the place for you. But if you enjoy autonomy, adaptability, and teamwork, you’ll fit right in!
  
  
  We value open and ongoing communication: We’ll hold brief meetings at the start of each day and a weekly meeting to organize tasks, answer questions, and hear your feedback. Our goal is to balance workloads based on each person’s skills and energy levels, ensuring that everyone contributes fairly and that the experience is enriching for all.
  
  Outside of volunteer hours, this area is renowned for its forests, lake, hills, mountains, and hot springs, which every volunteer can enjoy in their free time. We have two kayaks, one single and one double.
  
  One-month stays are preferred, and stays of at least 15 days will be accepted
  
  The house has satellite internet with a strong signal, ideal for remote work. Occasionally there may be power outages and, consequently, internet outages, but this is usually the perfect excuse to step back in time and light some candles.
  
  Basic Rules for Living Together:
  To ensure everyone feels comfortable, we ask that you:
  
  Respect work hours (5 hours a day, 5 days a week).
  Keep things tidy: clean up after cooking, don’t leave items in common areas.
  Conserve resources: take short showers, turn off lights, use firewood responsibly.
  Communicate honestly: If something isn’t working, let’s talk about it without judgment.
  Be an active participant: There are no “tourists” here; we all contribute to the project.
  The full rules will be explained upon arrival, but these are the foundations for harmonious coexistence.
  
  We are looking for volunteers who can be aware of the difficulty in getting supplies and the need to share; be empathetic, proactive, and self-reliant; and want to live an experience immersed in nature, without being afraid of getting dirty with dirt, mud, or animal droppings, or of getting wet. It’s not a perfect place, but it’s an authentic one, where your help will make a difference. If you’re interested in contributing to a growing project that faces challenges, don’t hesitate to write to me.
  
  Artemisa, Lee (two kittens who live outdoors), and I would really appreciate your visit.
  
  Best regards!
  Lautaro

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Interests

  

  Writing

  

  Languages

  

  Gardening

  

  Photography

  

  Plant care

  

  Carpentry

  

  DIY & crafts

  

  Astronomy

  

  Performing arts

  

  Art & design

  

  Animals

  

  Architecture

  

  Charity work

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Videography

  

  Movies & TV

  

  Sustainability

  

  LGBTQ

  

  Pets

  

  Culture

  

  Self development

  

  Farming

  

  Yoga / Wellness

  

  Dancing

  

  Hiking

  

  Nature

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Mountain
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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

  The project is located in a very remote area; it can only be reached by boat, barge, or on foot. The nearest town is Entre Lagos, and the nearest city is Osorno. This makes it the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature. We have satellite internet so we don’t feel quite so isolated :0)
  
  Since getting supplies is quite complicated, we try to buy vegetables, cheese, butter, and eggs from our neighbors—eating local is always tastier!
  
  Volunteers are encouraged to spend time with the local residents, other volunteers, and friends who often visit. Between December and March, we hire a local person to help with construction work.
  
  I’m a circus artist and circus teacher; I usually work in Europe during their summer season and return to southern Chile to work the summer season amidst the mountains.
  
  I really enjoy dance, movement, architecture, gardening, and hiking. I love sharing these activities and am always open to meeting new people, learning new languages, experiencing new cultures, and discovering new ways of seeing and understanding the world.
  
  For all our exchanges through the site, I value clear and timely messages. We receive many requests, and without prompt communication, it becomes very time-consuming to coordinate. If you’re interested in staying with us, please let me know within a few days so we can plan accordingly. If your plans change or you’re no longer available, a quick message is always appreciated. This helps us welcome volunteers in the best way possible. Thank you for your understanding!

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  These are the areas of work:
  
  Gardening: weeding and harvesting
  We have sought to create an edible forest, where we currently harvest blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, peaches, murta, and native hazelnuts. We have many other varieties, such as walnut, almond, grapevine, quince, chestnut, and pear trees, which we hope will soon begin to bear fruit, but we are still waiting. We use organic pesticides and fertilizers. This often requires a bit more manual labor, but the benefits are invaluable.
  
  Preserves
  Mainly jam, or dried fruit, or roasted hazelnuts, depending on the time of year.
  
  Honey
  This beekeeping project began three years ago with three hives. Due to the difficult weather conditions caused by winter rains, a 49m² transparent, semi-enclosed shed was built in the summer of 2024 to provide the hives with a space protected from the rain during the winter while awaiting the arrival of spring. This year we hope to start the spring with ten hives!
  
  Construction
  In 2015, construction began on access roads to the site, a storage shed, and a 65-square-meter house. This year, we started building a 40-square-meter multipurpose space to accommodate volunteers, which we plan to complete by 2026.
  We are simultaneously working on the dock and constantly improving access roads.
  
  These are the various activities where help may eventually be needed, along with kitchen duties and cleaning of common areas. You can work collaboratively or independently, depending on your personal skills and motivations.
  
  Collaborative Cooking:
  
  We all take turns cooking and cleaning.
  
  Example: One day you cook, the next day another volunteer or I will.
  Breakfast and dinner are usually prepared by me (pancakes, oatmeal, etc.), while lunch is the responsibility of the volunteers on duty.
  
  Basic rules:
  
  Use only wooden utensils in pans.
  Clean the kitchen after every meal (wash dishes, sweep, take out the trash).
  
  You are not expected to cook for my employee (he brings his own food).

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  English: Intermediate
  Portuguese: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  The house has four beds and can accommodate up to six people. One of the rooms in the house is available for volunteers. Each volunteer will have a bed with sheets and blankets.

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  What else ...

  How to get there:
  To get here, you must first travel to the city of Osorno or Entre Lagos and take a bus to Puerto el Buey, in Rupanco (the trip takes approximately 3 hours). Then, you’ll need to take a ferry and get off at Puerto Minilla (this leg of the journey takes about 15 minutes).
  
  If you need more details about schedules or arrival days, feel free to contact us individually to coordinate your trip.
  
  If you’re coming from Bariloche (taking the 6 a.m. bus), there’s no need to go through Osorno: you can get off directly at Entre Lagos and continue your journey here from there.
  
  Activities in the surrounding area:
  Nearby, you can enjoy:
  - Hot springs (a two-hour walk away).
  - Hiking trails in the area.
  - Kayaking excursions (we have kayaks available).
  - More challenging hikes, such as to Puntiagudo Volcano, Nido de la Gallina, or the route to Lake Todos los Santos from Lake Rupanco via the Camino de los Jesuitas. For some of these routes, we recommend hiring local guides for greater safety and enjoyment.
  
  Logistics and recommendations:
  Volunteers are asked to pick up a food package in Osorno (an online order for pickup, weighing about 7 kilos).
  There are no nearby stores, so we recommend bringing snacks and any personal medications you may need during your stay.
  
  Profile of the Ideal Volunteer:
  
  We are looking for people who:
  
  ✅ Love nature and aren’t afraid of mud, insects, or the cold.
  
  ✅ Are proactive and self-reliant (don’t need instructions for every little thing).
  
  ✅ Want to actively participate in daily tasks (beekeeping, construction, gardening, cooking) and share their skills.
  
  Note: While we’re still building, I can guide you through specific tasks, but this isn’t a teaching workshop.
  
  ✅ Value basic but authentic comfort: a warm house with satellite internet (sometimes spotty), well water, and firewood. It’s not a hotel, but we do our best to make you feel at home.
  
  ✅ Are tolerant of uncertainty (power outages, weather-related schedule changes).
  
  ✅ Want to live a communal experience, where we all contribute and learn together.
  
  This is NOT the place for you if...
  
  ❌ You’re looking for a space with luxury amenities or urban infrastructure (here we prioritize authenticity: nature, simplicity, and connection).
  
  ❌ You prefer rigid schedules or activities planned down to the minute.
  
  Language at home:
  At home, the official language is Spanish. We highly value cultural exchange and the opportunity to practice and learn together. If you don’t speak Spanish fluently, don’t worry! The important thing is that you’re willing to try and communicate in Spanish during your stay. I’m sure it will be an enriching experience for everyone.
  
  For all our exchanges, I value clear and timely messages. We receive many requests, and without prompt communication, it becomes very time-consuming to coordinate. If you’re interested in staying with us, please let me know within a few days so we can plan accordingly. If your plans change or you’re no longer available, a quick message is always appreciated. This helps us welcome volunteers in the best way possible.
  
  About Communication and Teamwork:
  
  Here, we value open and direct communication. Every morning, we have a brief meeting to organize the day’s tasks, and every week we hold a longer meeting to iron out details, address questions, and listen to feedback. If something doesn’t seem clear or fair to you, we’ll talk about it. Our goal is for everyone to feel comfortable contributing, but it’s also important that everyone takes responsibility for their share of the work (e.g., cleaning, schedules, use of resources).
  Note: I’m detail-oriented and organized (it’s part of how I keep this project running!), but I’m always open to listening and making adjustments so that we can all work together smoothly.
  
  About Food and Resources:
  
  We share delicious, homemade meals, but it’s important to be responsible with food and resources. This isn’t about “control,” but because:
  
  We live in a remote location, where getting supplies takes time and effort.
  Avoiding waste allows us to keep the project sustainable and fair for everyone.
  We all take turns cooking and cleaning, because community life works best when everyone contributes.
  
  Thank you for your reading!

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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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  Can host digital nomads

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

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