A World of Our Own
I'm a product of the 1960s, a time of social upheaval and idealism amongst the younger generation. Communal living was in fashion and the concept of an intentional community has always intrigued me. Egalitarianism, fellowship, sharing resources and living with a purpose. In 1980 I spent ten weeks working on an Israeli kibbutz. A few years later I lived with and supervised groups of young adults in the national youth program, Katimavik. This abiding interest in collectivism and alternative lifestyles in general led us to El Bolson. Billed as the "Hippie Headquarters" of Argentina, during the 1960s people moved here from the cities looking for tranquility and a new way of life. We noticed a little extra flower power but the scene was not too Bohemian. The values endure, however, in the form of environmentalism, a focus on community, handicrafts, economic self-sufficiency, festivals and political activism. El Bolson sits in a very attractive valley. With an ex...
