Pacha K'Anchay Wasi is a house located in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.
So, what's so special about it?
Well, let's see. The whole project started in 2010 when I (Marina, nice to meet you) was looking for an apartment to rent and move out of my dad's house. I had started looking when on a not-very-particular night, over dinner, my dad asked me: What if I was to lend you the money so you could afford to buy an apartment? You could pay me back as though you were paying rent, only that after so many years, you'd come to own the place. It sounded like an amazing idea and after making sure that I could actually pay him back, I agreed to it, happily.
This changed everything. All the properties that I'd seen had been put up for rent, and so I had to start my search all over from the very beginning. And most importantly, what I came to find out soon enough, was that now I wasn't OK with just any apartment. Now I wanted the perfect place: a place where I could see myself living for at least the next 5 or 6 years.
Now, what happened is that once you start to look for you "dream place" you don't settle for your "almost dream place." It had to be perfect. So I started asking myself what perfect really meant to me. Just then did I realize that I didn't really know what I wanted, and that I had to define it in order to make my hunting more efficient. Another thing I learned while seeing different places is that, despite what everybody says in Argentina about constant crisis and how hard it is to be able to buy property, places got sold really fast. So I couldn't take too long to make up my mind on about the right place, or it'd be too late by the time I'd figured it out.
One of the first things I realized is that no matter how big, all apartments seemed too small for me. Let's see, I wanted a bedroom for myself, and lots of space for my friends to be able to hang out and sleep over whenever they felt like it. Oh, yeah, and it had to be big enough for me to teach English while my friends were still there, so that I could work without having to kick them out or hush them, each time I had a class.
I also found out quick enough, that I didn't like leaving my house and having buses, and noise, and traffic and thousands of people walking around, so a big avenue wasn't a great idea (despite of it considered to be safer.)
Another thing that was absolutely necessary was light. I just couldn't see myself living in these dark little places that just looked ever so depressing to me.
So, I went on vacations. Took some time to get my mind off the whole thing, had the most incredible trip I could've imagined during the summer (to those of you who meet me, or who are interested in knowing about it, just ask me and I'll be sure to tell you all about it.) So, I came back, and I realized why I hadn't been able to find the perfect place yet. It was really simple once I'd figured it out, but for some reason, I hadn't realized it until I left, lived very different things, and came back. I didn't want to live in this huge city. I was tired of it.
Now, don't get me wrong. It's a wonderful place to go to, and I'm thankful for all the wonderful people I've met, and all the great experiences I've had in my years in Buenos Aires. But it was the end of it. I had always known, deep inside of me, that I wasn't going to live in the city forever. To be quite honest, I didn't think I would live there when I was 30. I always dreamed about living somewhere in the country, having my fruit trees and vegetable garden. Just eating out of my own production, exchanging veggies with the neighbors...
Well, it didn't feel like it was the right time for that, yet. I was somewhere in the middle. So, I decided to start apartment hunting for a quieter place, somewhere in the northern suburbs (an area that's super calm, and that I've always loved.) And guess what? Property was a lot cheaper! So, I could afford a bigger, more luminous place. Wow, now we're talking. This sounded perfect. So, I went to the classifieds and started looking up places, calling real estate agencies, setting up appointments, and the like.
(I promise I'll try to cut to the chase!) One day I went to see the house that would soon be Pacha K'Anchay Wasi. I went there with my best friend, Mauro, and another close friend of mine, Pame. It was really near Pame's so we got together, had a little something to eat, and walked to the place. As soon as we saw it, the three of us fell in love with it. It was the perfect place. It's big, luminous, quiet… it had everything we were looking for, and even a little bit more.
Mauro and I had decided to move in together (at some point in the middle of all of this, I'm not really sure when, but he's likely to remember) and we both felt that this was the place where we'd be moving. After looking around, we went back to Pame's and I called my dad telling him I'd seen the place I wanted to move into. We arranged to go see it again the next day, this time with my father tagging along. He really liked it, (thank Goodness!) and decided to go forward with the purchase.
So, basically that's the story about how we came about Pacha K'Anchay Wasi, and how -in some way- it seems to have chosen us rather than the other way around.
So, what are we going to do with such a big house?
That's where YOU come into the picture! What we want to do in that house exceeds the initial idea. Having so much space, we've decided to fill it with all kinds of music instruments, as well as sewing machines, embroidering machines, etc. Basically, the idea is to generate possible workspaces so that we can use recycled materials and produce useful elements out of them.
We also produce compost out of all the organic waste, and use it to fertilize flower pots with seeds for different plants that produce edible things like basil, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, parsley, etc. We also plan to plant different fruit trees and then relocate them, once they're big enough, in different parts of town as well as in parks, so that we can help people with lower resources to access food.
That's as far as organic waste and how to put it back into the food chain is concerned. As for electronics, and usage of energy, water, and gas - well, water and gas we're still trying to figure out how to make a difference. So far we've decided not to have heaters that work on gas or electricity, but to have lots of blankets to sleep under when it's cold. As for electricity, the house is to be fully equipped with LEDs, so as to have enough light during late hours of the afternoon and early evening. The idea is to NOT have as much light as we'd naturally have during daytime since that's kind of Nature's idea. The benefits of sleeping in proper dark and silence, and of going into dark and silence gradually, have been tested and proven throughout several studies. So, the plan is to not be extreme: have some cheap, nature-friendly light, but not watts and watts of artificial whiteness at any given time of the day.
Of course we don't use microwaves since I at least, highly doubt that they're as innocent to the human body as they are said to be. For the time being, we won't be having a refrigerator either, since it doesn't seem to be as basic as most people think it to be. For one, cold water isn't so important and we don't consume sodas of any kind. Fruits and vegetables last long enough if one buys as much as needed for just a few days, instead of buying loads of them and then keeping them refrigerated so that they last longer. Seeds and cereals when raw do not require cold. Cooked meals ought to be cooked in the amounts that are expected to be consumed so there'd be no advantage in having a place to store them. Dairy products are to be bought and consumed in the moment of acquisition, or not to be bought, since they aren't a must in any diet.
So basically, the idea is to be responsible. Responsible for what we consume, responsible for what natural resources we decide to exploit, responsible for what we put into our bodies, responsible for how we live our lives. And I do believe that there is another way to do things, that is equally comfortable and that, at the end of the day, when you're all alone with your thoughts, makes you feel that you did things right.
So, my invitation to you, whoever and wherever you are: Come visit us. Stay with us. We have enough space and mattresses and will be thrilled to have you over. Stay for as long as you like, and leave whenever you feel like it. We all speak both Spanish and English and are hoping to learn other languages such as French, Italian and Portuguese.
I don't consider that we should charge for this, but it's true that we do have to pay for internet (we have Wi-Fi), food, and all the utilities and taxes. What we do is this. You come and see for yourself. And we invite you to be responsible and pay at your discretion (which doesn't mean not to pay). Also, anything you might have at your home and do not use (except if it works on batteries, please ask first) we'll gladly accept. The idea is to not have more than is needed. Whatever we don't use we take to "gratiferias" which are markets where you can take home whatever you want (or nothing at all) and leave whatever you want (or nothing at all.) There's no money involved and it works based on people's own capability of realizing that the more we share things, the less production there'll be of more and more goods. And the less production, the less disposal.
Doubts, comments, enquiries of any type, please don't hesitate to e-mail us at: pachakanchaywasi@gmail.com
If you want to visit Pacha K'Anchay Wasi, please e-mail first so we can make sure that there's enough room available since we also receive people from Couch Surfing.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave comments and feedback.
I'll do my best to answer all e-mails ASAP.
So, what's so special about it?
Well, let's see. The whole project started in 2010 when I (Marina, nice to meet you) was looking for an apartment to rent and move out of my dad's house. I had started looking when on a not-very-particular night, over dinner, my dad asked me: What if I was to lend you the money so you could afford to buy an apartment? You could pay me back as though you were paying rent, only that after so many years, you'd come to own the place. It sounded like an amazing idea and after making sure that I could actually pay him back, I agreed to it, happily.
This changed everything. All the properties that I'd seen had been put up for rent, and so I had to start my search all over from the very beginning. And most importantly, what I came to find out soon enough, was that now I wasn't OK with just any apartment. Now I wanted the perfect place: a place where I could see myself living for at least the next 5 or 6 years.
Now, what happened is that once you start to look for you "dream place" you don't settle for your "almost dream place." It had to be perfect. So I started asking myself what perfect really meant to me. Just then did I realize that I didn't really know what I wanted, and that I had to define it in order to make my hunting more efficient. Another thing I learned while seeing different places is that, despite what everybody says in Argentina about constant crisis and how hard it is to be able to buy property, places got sold really fast. So I couldn't take too long to make up my mind on about the right place, or it'd be too late by the time I'd figured it out.
One of the first things I realized is that no matter how big, all apartments seemed too small for me. Let's see, I wanted a bedroom for myself, and lots of space for my friends to be able to hang out and sleep over whenever they felt like it. Oh, yeah, and it had to be big enough for me to teach English while my friends were still there, so that I could work without having to kick them out or hush them, each time I had a class.
I also found out quick enough, that I didn't like leaving my house and having buses, and noise, and traffic and thousands of people walking around, so a big avenue wasn't a great idea (despite of it considered to be safer.)
Another thing that was absolutely necessary was light. I just couldn't see myself living in these dark little places that just looked ever so depressing to me.
So, I went on vacations. Took some time to get my mind off the whole thing, had the most incredible trip I could've imagined during the summer (to those of you who meet me, or who are interested in knowing about it, just ask me and I'll be sure to tell you all about it.) So, I came back, and I realized why I hadn't been able to find the perfect place yet. It was really simple once I'd figured it out, but for some reason, I hadn't realized it until I left, lived very different things, and came back. I didn't want to live in this huge city. I was tired of it.
Now, don't get me wrong. It's a wonderful place to go to, and I'm thankful for all the wonderful people I've met, and all the great experiences I've had in my years in Buenos Aires. But it was the end of it. I had always known, deep inside of me, that I wasn't going to live in the city forever. To be quite honest, I didn't think I would live there when I was 30. I always dreamed about living somewhere in the country, having my fruit trees and vegetable garden. Just eating out of my own production, exchanging veggies with the neighbors...
Well, it didn't feel like it was the right time for that, yet. I was somewhere in the middle. So, I decided to start apartment hunting for a quieter place, somewhere in the northern suburbs (an area that's super calm, and that I've always loved.) And guess what? Property was a lot cheaper! So, I could afford a bigger, more luminous place. Wow, now we're talking. This sounded perfect. So, I went to the classifieds and started looking up places, calling real estate agencies, setting up appointments, and the like.
(I promise I'll try to cut to the chase!) One day I went to see the house that would soon be Pacha K'Anchay Wasi. I went there with my best friend, Mauro, and another close friend of mine, Pame. It was really near Pame's so we got together, had a little something to eat, and walked to the place. As soon as we saw it, the three of us fell in love with it. It was the perfect place. It's big, luminous, quiet… it had everything we were looking for, and even a little bit more.
Mauro and I had decided to move in together (at some point in the middle of all of this, I'm not really sure when, but he's likely to remember) and we both felt that this was the place where we'd be moving. After looking around, we went back to Pame's and I called my dad telling him I'd seen the place I wanted to move into. We arranged to go see it again the next day, this time with my father tagging along. He really liked it, (thank Goodness!) and decided to go forward with the purchase.
So, basically that's the story about how we came about Pacha K'Anchay Wasi, and how -in some way- it seems to have chosen us rather than the other way around.
So, what are we going to do with such a big house?
That's where YOU come into the picture! What we want to do in that house exceeds the initial idea. Having so much space, we've decided to fill it with all kinds of music instruments, as well as sewing machines, embroidering machines, etc. Basically, the idea is to generate possible workspaces so that we can use recycled materials and produce useful elements out of them.
We also produce compost out of all the organic waste, and use it to fertilize flower pots with seeds for different plants that produce edible things like basil, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, parsley, etc. We also plan to plant different fruit trees and then relocate them, once they're big enough, in different parts of town as well as in parks, so that we can help people with lower resources to access food.
That's as far as organic waste and how to put it back into the food chain is concerned. As for electronics, and usage of energy, water, and gas - well, water and gas we're still trying to figure out how to make a difference. So far we've decided not to have heaters that work on gas or electricity, but to have lots of blankets to sleep under when it's cold. As for electricity, the house is to be fully equipped with LEDs, so as to have enough light during late hours of the afternoon and early evening. The idea is to NOT have as much light as we'd naturally have during daytime since that's kind of Nature's idea. The benefits of sleeping in proper dark and silence, and of going into dark and silence gradually, have been tested and proven throughout several studies. So, the plan is to not be extreme: have some cheap, nature-friendly light, but not watts and watts of artificial whiteness at any given time of the day.
Of course we don't use microwaves since I at least, highly doubt that they're as innocent to the human body as they are said to be. For the time being, we won't be having a refrigerator either, since it doesn't seem to be as basic as most people think it to be. For one, cold water isn't so important and we don't consume sodas of any kind. Fruits and vegetables last long enough if one buys as much as needed for just a few days, instead of buying loads of them and then keeping them refrigerated so that they last longer. Seeds and cereals when raw do not require cold. Cooked meals ought to be cooked in the amounts that are expected to be consumed so there'd be no advantage in having a place to store them. Dairy products are to be bought and consumed in the moment of acquisition, or not to be bought, since they aren't a must in any diet.
So basically, the idea is to be responsible. Responsible for what we consume, responsible for what natural resources we decide to exploit, responsible for what we put into our bodies, responsible for how we live our lives. And I do believe that there is another way to do things, that is equally comfortable and that, at the end of the day, when you're all alone with your thoughts, makes you feel that you did things right.
So, my invitation to you, whoever and wherever you are: Come visit us. Stay with us. We have enough space and mattresses and will be thrilled to have you over. Stay for as long as you like, and leave whenever you feel like it. We all speak both Spanish and English and are hoping to learn other languages such as French, Italian and Portuguese.
I don't consider that we should charge for this, but it's true that we do have to pay for internet (we have Wi-Fi), food, and all the utilities and taxes. What we do is this. You come and see for yourself. And we invite you to be responsible and pay at your discretion (which doesn't mean not to pay). Also, anything you might have at your home and do not use (except if it works on batteries, please ask first) we'll gladly accept. The idea is to not have more than is needed. Whatever we don't use we take to "gratiferias" which are markets where you can take home whatever you want (or nothing at all) and leave whatever you want (or nothing at all.) There's no money involved and it works based on people's own capability of realizing that the more we share things, the less production there'll be of more and more goods. And the less production, the less disposal.
Doubts, comments, enquiries of any type, please don't hesitate to e-mail us at: pachakanchaywasi@gmail.com
If you want to visit Pacha K'Anchay Wasi, please e-mail first so we can make sure that there's enough room available since we also receive people from Couch Surfing.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave comments and feedback.
I'll do my best to answer all e-mails ASAP.
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