Basque
Immersion
Pathways toward a more independent,
sustainable, & connected life.
September 14-20, 2026
Basque Country is home to the oldest culture in Europe, and the most sophisticated cooperative economy on earth.
What does that mean? It means that there is a vast network of egalitarian worker-owned organizations working together in sectors that range from organic agriculture to banking, communal living to industrial manufacturing.
Join us for a deeply practical learning experience, with real humans who have decades of accumulated expertise. Gain exclusive access into local businesses, non-profits, farms, and communities who have together built an utterly unique form of success.
This is where your journey begins.
This is a carefully crafted experience for a maximum of 10 participants.
If you feel a strong pull to join us, please take a moment to fill out the intake form so we can explore whether it’s a good fit.
One week of
immersive experience
carefully crafted
to give you a head start
in building a better life,
thriving together outside the
technofeudalist dystopia
whose talons are fast approaching.
Real Human Experience
Fundamentals of the Immersion
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Hands-on time with sustainable agriculture, and homesteading systems born from the local climate and culture: soil, water, plants, animals, and seasons.
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Explore the social and economic foundations that allow worker-owned systems to thrive at a variety of scales: principles, practices, innovation, competition, and collaboration.
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Proven models of communal living projects that actually work: governance structures, conflict resolution, shared resources, legal considerations, and real human experience of what works and what fails.
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The Basque Country is not a just a backdrop to what we learn. Its language, food, history, and fierce sense of collective identity are inseparable from everything we're exploring. Expect long meals, local voices, and time spent understanding the key elements of why this place is what it is.
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Almost everything we explore in this immersion is in direct opposition to the mental and emotional patterns entrained by the dictates of consumer capitalism.
We weave reflective practice, guided nature immersion, expanded states of consciousness, and somatic work throughout the week; not as a separate "wellness" track, but as the foundation that makes everything else possible.
A Progressive Journey in Four Stages
Stage I : Intake
A free introductory call to learn about your interests, answer questions, and ensure the group is balanced and coherent.
Stage II: Preparation
A series of three group calls in the weeks before arrival. We'll share preparatory reading, orient you to the region, and begin building connection within the group.
Stage III: Experience
A week immersed in the rhythms of rural Basque life. We will discuss during the preparation process and adapt the program to the needs of the group, but as a general guide our days will be organized as follows:
Morning
· Movement Practice ·
· Breakfast ·
· Inner Work & Practical Skills ·
—
{Lunch & Rest}
—
Afternoon & Evening
· Site Visit ·
· Dinner ·
· Campfire: Process, Settle & Share ·
Stage IV: Integration
Three group call in the weeks following the experience, to process what you've learned, clarify next steps, and stay connected to the network.
A Balance Between Depth, Breadth, and Significance
Who this is for:
People who are seriously considering relocating to the Basque region, or who want to take real, applicable knowledge back to wherever they live.
People who want to learn with their hands and their hearts, not just their heads.
People who understand that building a different life requires building it with others, and that no matter how urgent current events might make things seem, there is deep value in taking the time to do things right.
Food, lodging, practicalities:
We gather at a private farmstead in the Basque Country.
Expect rustic comfort: sustainable glamping and communal living in a beautiful natural setting.
This means wholesome meals prepared with local ingredients, outdoor showers and composting toilets, with a traditional stone farmhouse as our base.
What you’ll get:
Exclusive access to a wide variety of established projects in diverse industries, all with the common goal of creating a wealthy society rather than wealthy individuals.
An immersive journey shared with other curious and capable people from around the world.
Detailed knowledge, practical experience, and all the tools needed to create a personal blueprint for moving forward.
Investment
We work on a sliding scale from €1,500 - €2,500 which includes food, accommodation, all site visits, preparation calls, and integration support.
Work-Trade arrangements are available for skilled professionals.
Air transport is not included.
Meet the Hosts
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Eric Haas
Born into an intentional community in the US, Eric grew up inside an experiment; witnessing firsthand both the power and the fragility of idealistic enterprise. Years of immersion in traditional communities across Latin America and Africa deepened his understanding of what holds collective life together and what pulls it apart. Fifteen years in Basque Country have rooted him in the culture of cooperative effort that forms the backbone of this project. He works as a therapist with a practice grounded in the conviction that real change always starts within.
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Chiara Vitali
Chiara brings years of direct engagement in communal projects and social endeavours across Spain, alongside a therapeutic practice with a comprehensive focus on body and mind. Her steady, attuned presence holds the reflective and somatic dimensions of the experience; creating the conditions for insight to land not just intellectually, but in the body, in relationship, and in the choices people make when they go home.
September 14-20, 2026
This is a carefully crafted experience for a maximum of 10 participants.
If you feel a strong pull to join us, please take a moment to fill out the intake form so we can explore whether it’s a good fit.
FAQs
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Good. Ask us questions. Send an email, or set up a call to talk things over. This experience is designed for people at different stages, whether you're seriously planning a move, just beginning to explore, or looking to learn skills you can apply wherever you are.
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No. We start where you are. The week is designed to be genuinely useful whether you've never touched soil or you've been homesteading for years. What matters is willingness to learn, to get your hands dirty, and to engage honestly with the group.
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That depends on you. We've designed the experience, including the preparation and integration phases, to give you practical knowledge, real connections, and a clear sense of your own next steps. But we won't pretend that a week can do what only sustained effort can. This is a starting point, not a finish line.
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The retreat is conducted in English. Some site visits and local conversations may be in Spanish or Euskara, with translation provided. If you speak Spanish, all the better; it will deepen your experience of the culture and the people.
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It's exactly what this is for. You'll get an honest, ground-level picture of what life here actually looks like; the opportunities, the bureaucracy, the culture, the costs. You'll meet people who've made the move and people who decide not to. And you'll leave with a network that stays with you wherever you decide to settle next.
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This retreat is one node in a growing decentralised network of people and projects oriented toward collective self-reliance. After the experience, you remain part of that network, with access to the online community, the work/trade directory, and ongoing connection with others building similar things in their own contexts, wherever they are.
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No problem. Please ask to make sure, but we can easily accommodate most dietary restrictions, including allergies and intolerances.
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The week involves time outdoors and various forms of physical activity, including some hands-on physical work, but we adapt to the group. Let us know your situation and we'll make sure the experience works for you. We'll send a brief questionnaire before confirming your spot.
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Bilbao (BIO) is the nearest airport, well connected to most major European cities and with regular transatlantic routes. From there, public transport will get you to our home base; we'll send detailed directions and timing once we’ve confirmed registration.
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We begin at 10am on Monday the 14th and end at 3pm on Sunday the 20th.
The exact schedule of each day will vary slightly depending on the weather, our site visits, and individual needs.
Please let us know if you have specific requirements.