They say the first year is the most dynamic, and we appreciate that we were there to hear about it while it was still fresh. Raquel was just getting comfortable and settling into her new role as a coliving owner and operator, and the coliving scene was blooming, especially in the Canaries.

For us, Coliving 1907 would introduce Las Palmas and Gran Canaria to us, a place we’d later return to so many times, so we naturally had it on our list to come back to this beautiful historic house in the old town of Las Palmas for so long.

Well, we thought that 2026 was the perfect year to do so, especially because Coliving 1907 will celebrate its 5th birthday🎂🥳

There had been so many learnings from that first year that Raquel told us in 2022 so many learnings from that first year that Raquel told us in 2022, but what are they now, almost 5 years after opening?

Read it in our catch-up interview with Raquel below!

Celebrating 5th Anniversary

“Milestones make the targets achievable.”

-Harjeet Khanduja

1. Coliving 1907 is approaching its 5th anniversary this November. Now when you reflect on what’s behind you, how would you summarize the first five years in three words?

Raquel: People, Learning & Experiences.

2. What would you say are the main differences in operating a coliving space today and back when you opened? Has it become easier for you as an operator, and would you say the reality of operations is different to what you imagined they would be in your first year?

Raquel: When I first opened the co-living space, everything was much newer. There weren’t many precedents or a clearly defined concept, so a large part of the work involved trial and error, fine-tuning, and really understanding what the co-livers needed.

Today, however, co-living is much more established: theres more choice and a clearer guest profile. That forces you to be more strategic, pay much closer attention to detail and stand out not just through the space, but through the experience.

As a manager, Id say that experience gives you perspective and allows you to anticipate many situations. But at the same time, expectations have risen: guests compare more, value more aspects and expect a very carefully curated experience.

The day-to-day reality is different from what I imagined in the first year. I thought more about the visible aspects, such as the community, the connections and the experience, and less about everything behind the scenes: emotional management, logistics, social media. And, above all, the constant energy required to maintain a space like this.

3. What achievements, big or small, brought you the most joy in these 5 years?

Raquel: What has made me happiest over the past five years have been the achievements that can’t always be measured. Seeing how people who arrived without knowing each other end up forming genuine bonds, including working on projects together or forming friendships that last over time. Thats something that makes me very happy.

Also those little everyday moments: an unexpected chat in the kitchen, someone staying a bit longer because they feel at home, or a review that doesnt just talk about the space, but about how they’ve felt here. Thats when you know that what youre creating makes sense.

And, without a doubt, one of the greatest achievements is looking back and seeing that, almost five years on, the project is not only still going strong, but has evolved, grown stronger and continues to make an impact on the people who pass through it.

4. Whats one hack (a thing or an approach) that you’ve seen that worked for other colivings but didnt work for yours? (e.g. a certain activity or collaboration method, or an operational approach like hiring an external operator, etc.)

Raquel: Trying to over-structure community life: rigid schedules of activities, compulsory group dynamics or a constant stream of social events.

On paper, it makes a lot of sense, because it facilitates interaction and ensures movement within the space. But in my experience, what really works here is exactly the opposite: leaving space for connections to emerge more naturally.

Whats more, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has a large community of digital nomads. There are activities every day and something for everyone.

5. In the past 5 years, was there a day that you will never forget (good or bad) – perhaps a hard day that taught you a lesson, or an extraordinary unexpected or delightful situation in the coliving that will be forever engraved into your memories? (think of a mishap, a special event like celebration or a surprise, a misunderstanding, or just an operational chaos).

Raquel: It was one of those days when several things went wrong at once: minor glitches and last-minute changes. In short, a certain sense of chaos. Luckily, far from causing tension, people began to adapt naturally.

That day taught me something important: a co-living space isn’t defined by everything running perfectly, but by how people respond when it doesnt. Through experience, Ive come to understand that its not about having absolute control, but about being quick to find solutions.

6. You’ve opened the doors of Coliving 1907 in the midst of the remote work and digital nomad boom. Now that that period has calmed, do you see a change in the digital nomad trend, specifically, do you see the difference in your target audience? Has the profile of travelers changed at all, or the remote work is still booming, and have you noticed any changes on the traveling trends and how long people tend to stay in one place?

Raquel: When we launched, we were right in the midst of the remote working boom, during a period of rapid expansion when everything seemed possible and there was a widespread sense that I can work from anywhere in the world without limits.

Remote working hasn’t disappeared, but it has become more structured. Many companies have moved to hybrid models or ones with greater oversight, and that has slightly altered the behaviour of digital nomads. It is no longer so much about constantly moving around, but about finding a balance between work, life and stability.

More and more people prefer to stay in one place for between 3 and 6 months so they can work better, establish a routine and truly connect with their surroundings. We have also noticed this in co-living, where stays tend to be longer and less impulsive.

The profile has also changed. Previously, younger profiles predominated, very much geared towards adventure and constant movement. Now we see a more diverse community: established professionals, people working remotely for companies (not just freelancers), including couples or people seeking something more stable and sustainable over time.

In short, I wouldn’t say the phenomenon has declined, but rather that it has evolved into something more conscious, more stable and, in a way, more in line with what co-living can truly offer.

7. With the experience you have today, what piece of advice would you give to someone who is opening a coliving for the first time today?

Raquel: Define your target audience clearly. Dont try to appeal to everyone. The clearer your profile is, the easier it will be to create a consistent experience.

Take care when selecting residents. Its not about filling places, but about ensuring people get on with one another. A poor living environment can affect the whole group. Establish a culture from the outset. You set the tone: rules, communication, values. This comes across in every detail.

Spend time in the space at the beginning. Youll understand your residents better, spot areas for improvement and be able to tweak the model as you go along.

Dont just think like a property manager; think like a host. Youre creating a place where people live, work and connect.

8. In the coliving space, the most important question seems to be what makes a coliving successful. In your 5 years of operations, what would you say to that – is it the community, the space design, how you approach remote work, your location, or something else? Is there a blueprint at all?

Raquel: The design of the space. Its not just about it looking nice, but about it being designed to encourage interaction in lively communal areas whilst also allowing for privacy when needed.

Location is very important. Coliving 1907 is situated in the city centre, in a neighbourhood right at the heart of the citys historic, cultural, commercial and gastronomic centre, with a wonderful atmosphere. As it is not a tourist area, it is the best option for living and experiencing the true Canarian spirit.

In my opinion, it is essential to pay attention to detail and offer a personalised service that caters to each persons individual needs.

What Future Brings for Coliving 1907

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

-Helen Keller

9. And lastly, looking ahead, how do you see Coliving 1907 in the next 5 years? Do you have any specific goals in mind that you would like to achieve?

Raquel: Id like Coliving 1907 to remain, five years from now, a place where people connect, grow and keep coming back. A hub for the community.

A space with a strong personality, offering something unique where the experience is just as carefully curated as the accommodation.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving 1907 – A historical house telling a unique story of Las Palmas

• ByMarko
• November 5, 2022

• • The Coliving Spain Project

Coliving Spain 2022: #6 Coliving 1907 – Your peaceful refuge in the Digital Nomad Center of Gran Canaria

• ByGala
• November 16, 2022

The post Catching up with Raquel – A Brief Reflection on 5 Years of Coliving 1907 appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Although it was tough to pick, here are our favorite speeches/sessions from this year’s conference.

Impact of Building The Most Successful Remote Work Relocation Program in the World.

Speaker: Justin Harlan, Managing Director @ Tulsa Remote

Considering our personal and professional background, this was one of our most anticipated speeches at this year’s Running Remote conference. We already mentioned in our “preparing for the conference” article that we were eagerly awaiting this talk and we’re glad to say that it lived up to the expectations (and beyond).

Justin Harlan, the managing director at Tulsa Remote, shared with the audience some valuable insights on how Tulsa Remote became one of the most globally successful remote work relocation programs.

Over the last four years, they have attracted over 3000 remote workers and retained almost 90% of them, who extended their stays beyond the obligatory 12 months stipulated by the Tulsa Remote program. 

Justin spoke extensively about the environment they’ve created in Tulsa, which is conducive to up-and-coming entrepreneurs due to the abundance of resources available. He highlighted that 1 out of 5 individuals enrolled in the program ended up starting a business as a result of how well they assimilated.

He emphasized that none of this would be possible without the proper structure of the program, which was supported by investments, and thoughtfully laid out.

Particularly interesting to us was his discussion on scaling the community, highlighting the differences in managing 70 versus 3000 people and the need for a more structured approach.

Justin also touched on how these developments are impacting Tulsa’s economy in a bigger picture, with over $560 million brought in through remote workers’ salaries and more than 1300 local jobs created to meet the demands of the city’s new demographic. 

Finally, Justin introduced us to the launch of a new Digital Nomad Program that we can expect later this year, which will be meant to cater to those interested in shorter trial periods. This news left everybody excited, as it will make it much easier for many others to experience Tulsa in the future!

Tulsa Remote is only one of the relocation programs currently happening in the world, and it’s very interesting to see how governments and cities can leverage a more global talent for their economic and urban development.

How to Design Your Business on Your Own Term

Speaker: Mrs. Ilma Tikki – Co-founder & President @ Mailerlite

As we mentioned in the introduction of this article, the Deep Dive stage really made an impression on us this year. 

There is nothing as valuable as hearing a personal, raw, and transparent experience of a successful business owner or a professional, directly from them, almost as if you invited them for a coffee. 

All success stories are painted in challenges and struggles and we rarely get a chance to hear about them. Having the opportunity to look inside the brain of the decision-maker who takes you back on a journey when they made the decision is an incomparable insight and inspiration. 

This year, one of the stories we liked the most was that from Mrs. Ilma Tikki, the Co-founder and President of Mailerlite, who took us inside her mind to tell us a story of how she grew a business on her own terms that ultimately became a global success story. 

Not only did Mrs. Ilma share some of her personal and professional challenges along the way, but she emphasized that you can achieve anything if you dare to dream and step out of your comfort zone. 

The key takeaway from her speech was the idea that a successful business often reflects the extent of a person’s determination, and adjusting a business journey to your own life and personal story can only make it stronger. 

People often think that behind every successful business is a perfect business idea, but the truth is that more often there is determination, hard work, flexibility, and an unmatched motivation to make it happen. In that sense, tailoring a business to our terms helps us stay on that motivation track and helps us make sense of what we’re doing even in the toughest times. 

This is exactly what we take from Ilma’s story, as it is something that can be applied to any business and any industry.

Balancing Work Culture, Global Mobility, and Legal Responsibility

Panel: Masha Sutherlin – Director @ Deel, Mrs. Crystal Gaskin – Former CPO @ Mailchimp, Howard Wu – CEO @ Whereby  moderated by Gonçalo Hall – CEO @ NomadX

The RR conference is well-known for its insightful panels that gather global leaders in one place, always moderated by a hand-picked industry professional who knows how to engage the panelists. 

Like every year, there were many interesting panels at this year’s RR in Lisbon, with many amazing panelists and discussions, but this one especially stuck with us. 

It’s needless to say it gathered some very insightful individuals, but the main reason we loved it so much is how natural the flow of the conversation was.

Everything from the honest stories and experiences of participating panelists to the amazing moderation skills of Goncalo Hall who always knew how to shift the conversation in the right direction with his take on some of the topics, made this panel a top-notch listening experience. 

During the hour-long session, the panel covered a variety of topics, primarily focusing on the complexities of providing work flexibility at scale. This included tracking employee locations, managing political ramifications, and balancing legal responsibilities while nurturing an empowered company culture. 

The panelists shared their personal experiences, offering both humorous and insightful anecdotes, but mostly, the audience was able to take some crucial aspects of employing remotely that we often forget about.

It is not an easy task for companies to maintain the same culture, happiness, and legal implications when operating remotely. It is a big conversation to unpack and we were glad we had a chance to hear it and develop a better understanding of the challenges.

The post Running Remote 2024 Recap: Exploring Growth, Connections, and Communities Through our Favorite Sessions appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

These days, we are preparing for what is now becoming an annual detour to Portugal – can you guess the reason?

Well, of course, it’s that time of the year—Running Remote is once again coming to Lisbon, and My Coliving Space: Spain (T&T) is joining as a media partner. 

After another year working in the coliving sector, we have witnessed many changes in 2023-2024 on the remote-work front ourselves.

We are living in a historical moment in which such a wide variety of professionals are able to be location-independent. With such a shift that happened over the past 5 years in how we look at work and what we value, the world is still only paving the path that will later become a standard—or to put it another way—this is still only the beginning of the new working culture. 

And like with many other beginnings, changes and shifts are happening quickly, and it is not any different when it comes to remote work. 

What we have been noticing through the coliving sector is also a shift in tendencies and a change of personas. We have been seeing a new wave of coliving visitors with not fully remote or flexibile jobs, such as those with 2-3 weeks/year WFA models. 

During the past 2 years many companies have experimented with work models and a lot of them chose hybrid as the best option. Surprisingly, many professionals did as well. 

After a few trial years of many people working fully remotely, it seems that there is an increased need for stability, routine, and team connection in the workplace—something that most of us were willing to give up on for more flexibility and independence just a few years ago. 

However, many still believe that the shift we experienced is permanent. It’s been almost 100 years since humanity was introduced with the 9-5 model; is the remote era going to be the end of it and show how productivity and human innovation thrive with more flexibility (time and location wise), or will the history books remember it as a only as a trend or an experiment?

Well, all these questions are the reason we’re excited about this year’s Running Remote. 

As professionals from the sector that is highly dependent on location flexibility, we’re curious to see how it can be shaped into the future to answer the newly emerging (and sometimes even conflicted) needs of the new work-life culture.

What will the future of work be – Remote, Hybrid, or In-office? 

As previously mentioned—this is the biggest question. The truth probably lies somewhere in between – in some type of hybrid model that we might not even have in our minds at this moment.

Flexibility is not something that can be taken back, but stability and in-person connections are something that we’ll want to have back. 

On the other hand, a big part of this tendecy comes from productivity. Where are we more productive and where do we set the best work-life balances?

We’ll explore all these questions and many other on RR 2024, and here are some speeches on this topic we’re especially interested in hearing:

Office at the Offsite – Future of All-Remote Organizations

Speaker: Mr. Prithwiraj (Raj) Choudhury, Professor @ Harvard Business School

On April 23rd, from 10:20 – 11:00 local time, on Radical stage, Mr. Raj Choudhury, a professor at Harvard Business School, will share his thoughts on what hybrid work could mean in the future. 

When we say hybrid, what most of us think is “a few days from the office and a few days from home”. However, Professor Choudhury proposes the idea of a hybrid work that meets the in-person connection needs in a third location. As he says himself, “his research suggests that teams are innovating on both where to meet and when to meet”. 

Companies are increasingly exploring team retreats as one of the offsite community outlets for their employees, but we are also interested to hear if there are more possibilities other than an annual company retreat? Dr. Choudhury will talk about different locations and situations where and when remote teams can meet. 

Once again mentioning Dr. Raj’s own words, his research “shows that even brief periods of being in-person together help individuals innovate, especially when they meet team members from different time zones or different cultures”.

For us, this speech seems very interesting as it shows us that the future will birth new solutions to meet the needs of this new wave of hybrid work. Downtown offices and coworking solutions will not suffice, and this definitely gives space for new models of coliving spaces specialized for remote teams.

Panel – Productivity Measurement of Co-located vs Remote Teams

Panelists: Jenny He, Founder & CEO @ Ergeon; Dart Lindsley, Strategic Advisor, People Experience @ Google; Michael Cockburn, CEO & Co-Founder @ Desena; & Rosie Sargeant, Project Leader @ Boston Consulting Group

April 23rd, from 11:40 to 12:20 local time, after the first break and networking while refueling with coffee and sandwiches, we will be back at the Radical stage to attend a panel discussing a crucial point of the future of work—productivity.

We are looking forward to this systematic discussion among global leaders on how they measure productivity and whether remote work shows more positive or negative results on productivity. 

Opinions have been changing throughout the years, but many think that productivity is actually increased with remote work. A typical struggle seem to be more on the side of the leaders and companies, who need to adapt by setting tools and work models that would support and measure productivity in a remote setting. 

With so many years of WFO models, models for measuring work seem to already be set in stone, but can they actually work in remote settings?

For leaders and companies, this might be the biggest challenge yet, as well as the most frequent disinclination towards giving their teams the flexibility to work remotely. However, if with time tools and models for leading, supporting, and measuring the productivity of remote teams become more available, will more companies and leaders feel confident to step their toes into those waters?

There is definitely something to think about there, and where better to dissect it than in a panel discussion made of industry leaders?

How different locations are attracting remote workers?

Another interesting perspective for us is the global trend of countries’ and cities’ goals to attract digital nomads. 

This is a very two-sided topic that can be perceived from both positive and negative perspective. On one hand, globalization and more flexibile borders are definitely a thing of today (and the future), not only from perspectives of knowledge-sharing that happens via international networks of travelers or foreigners in new places but also from the perspective of economic leverage of international talent that countries are tapping into.

However, on the other hand, where the borders open, gentrification comes in. Many countries have rushed to open their borders to generate more economic value only to pose economic challenges to their own people.

The idea of bringing (wealthier) people to countries that are facing economic challenges is a double-edged sword and the best approach on how countries can do it is something that is being tested in real-time and will take shape only in the future.

In general, if done carefully and by protecting the local habitants, bringing remote workers to the countries or cities that face challenges and low population, or just a decrease in popularity, definitely has a lot of benefits to it. 

With that said, we are glad to see a few topics close to this on this year’s RR, and here are the discussions we’ll definetly look into:

Impact of building the most successful remote work relocation program in the world

Speaker: Justin Harlan, Managing Director @ Tulsa Remote

At 12:20 – 12:50 on April 23rd, on the Deep Dive Stage, we will hear from Justin Harlan, the Managing Director of Tulsa Remote, a relocation program to Tulsa aimed at remote workers. 

This is a very interesting concept and definitely something that we will see more in the future—cities or countries creating special programs aimed at remote workers to enhance the local economy and reshape and modernize the local environment. 

In the past years, we have already been seeing countries such as Greece, Italy, and Switzerland, offering these programs aimed at populating rural areas with the decline of population, but we definitely expect to see more of these programs aimed at professionals and remote workers, such as Tulsa Remote. 

What is especially interesting is not the program itself but the infrastructure and the community of remote workers that will reshape the city. It will be very interesting to see what Tulsa Remote is offering beyond the 10000 USD incentive and how this is expected to change the city in the future. 

The program has already attracted around 3000 remote workers who moved to Tulsa and contributed more than $560 million to the local economy.

We’re very excited to hear Justin speak about this program and the impact that is already being generated from it.

How to enable your next remote experience in Buenos Aires?

Speaker: Mauro Alejo Guevara, Director of Int’l Relations @ Visit Buenos Aires

From 16:10 – 16:40 on April 24th, on the Radical Stage, we will join the speech from Mauro Alejo Guevara, Director of International Relations at Visit Buenos Aires. 

Last year, we also tuned it for the speech from Visit Buenos Aires and learned some things about the city and what makes it attractive for digital nomads. 

This year, we expect the focus to be more on the possibilities for remote workers and companies to visit or settle in Buenos Aires, as well as the infrastructure that makes this city a true hub for remote workers. 

There are many other speeches we are looking forward to but we’ll leave those for real-time reactions and a post-conference summary. 

What speeches have you written down in your schedule and what are you looking to get from this year’s Running Remote?

The post Getting ready for Running Remote 2024: Sessions We’re Most Excited About appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Famous Cactus Coliving from Tenerife received a younger sibling in its smaller neighbor La Gomera.

When Maria, Cactus Coliving’s owner invited us to check out the new space, we were very excited to see 2 things we already knew well from completely different perspectives – 

1. La Gomera (the island we visited 2 years ago collaborating with a pop-up coliving organized by Awid Aman)
2. Cactus Coliving – one of the first colivings we visited when we started our coliving journey, back in 2022.

After more than 2 weeks in Cactus La Gomera – we are leaving full of impressions and definitely with another perspective.

Discover how it went!

Cactus’s new Location: San Sebastián de La Gomera

First of all, we want to say that we completely understand why Maria decided to open her second location here. 

With its charming city and port, and amazing volcanic beaches just a 5-minute walk from the house, it’s an ideal spot. It’s also convenient to reach, as it’s less than a 1-hour ferry ride from Tenerife South.

While La Gomera offers a nice opportunity for everyone to relax and slow down, which is a common motivation for people choosing this island, we were pleasantly surprised by San Sebastian.

Despite its small size, it’s surprisingly full of life!

Of course, the community we met through Cactus also made that life a bit brighter. 

But first, let’s tell you more about the coliving. 

The Cactus House

History

The new Cactus house is a former hostel created in a building of a former school. The photos cannot really capture its charm and how fun and whimsical all the corners of the house are. 

While it’s a bit sad that its charm cannot be fully seen through videos or photographs, it also gives you a special gift when you arrive, as this space becomes a treasure only those who share it truly see it. 

There are traces of the house’s “past lives” all over the place – the practicality and organization of a hostel, and a shelter-like ambiance of a school. 

We believe all places and buildings carry their history forever, and we’d like to think that the energy that has been created throughout the years of this building’s existence is still around, helping the coliving blossom in its purpose. 

A school left behind the energy of knowledge, deep connections, community, and learning about the world, and the hostel left its own energy full of adventure, exploration, and courage that follows the travelers. If you think about it – mixed together, those two energies are exactly what makes a coliving. 🙂

And maybe this is one of the reasons why this house makes so much sense. 

Space

As we said, it’s hard to imagine this interesting building, and we’ll leave that magic to your imagination – at least until you arrive and see for yourself, but what we can share is the functionality aspect of the space.

The one-story house is quite spacious and actually one of the largest coliving spaces we’ve been to. With 14 rooms in total, including both private and shared ones, it can accommodate more than 25 people at its full capacity.

Because of its corners, hallways, and different rooms, the coliving space offers a good balance of private and common areas with most of the common areas being located on the ground floor, including the coworking space, kitchen, living room, and the garden, so the top floor is relatively isolated from daily activities.

Top floor and private areas

This is not the first coliving we’ve been to that has this setup of a top floor being secluded from the common areas, but it has only confirmed once again that it is definitely one of the setups we like the most.

In a place such as a coliving, designed for mid to long stays, having an isolated “bedroom” area is extremely valuable when living with a group as you can pick your level of social engagement by choosing one location over another. 

In Cactus La Gomera, the upper floor does not only offer privacy and seclusion from the common areas, but the old school’s long and narrow hallways that take up the most space on the top floor don’t really encourage long chit-chats in it, which further creates the balance of privacy and social life and amplifies the purpose of common areas on the ground floor.

Furthermore, the long hallway is blessed with windows all along the yard side, which allows an easy way to peek out and check if there are people outside and join if you feel like it. 

Additionally, the house is equipped with numerous bathrooms, making it practically impossible to experience overcrowding. Most of them are located all the way down the hallway on the top floor, leaving a lot of privacy for people to use them. 

On the top floor, you will also find the washer and the drying balcony, as well as one tiny coworking section and the Skype room. But let’s talk about the working areas in the next part. 

Working in Cactus

Needless to say, coworking and working areas are a crucial part of any coliving space. This is especially true for coliving spaces that are located in rural areas or cities that are not very digital nomad-friendly. 

When the town or a city has a bunch of cafes to work from or even some external coworking spaces, the colivings can leverage those spaces and create a relationship between them and their colivers, giving colivers places to work from undisturbed outside the house.

But, if the location does not really have suitable working spaces around, then a coliving needs to provide this space. 

Luckily, this is not Maria’s first coliving space, and she certainly spent a lot of thought and care on the coworking areas both in her Tenerife place and in this one in La Gomera.

Cactus Tenerife definitely has 2 of the best coworking spaces integrated in a coliving that we have seen (yes, they have 2 very spacious coworking spaces inside the house), but Cactus La Gomera is also not far behind. 

The working and coworking spots

Although smaller than the Tenerife one, the main coworking space in Cactus La Gomera easily accommodates 10-12 people and also offers the use of external monitors for an additional fee (2€/day).

The space is also conveniently located on the ground floor in a garden room, so it allows an easy switch from working inside to working outside and vice-versa.

There is also an additional coworking desk on the top floor for those who are looking for more privacy, and if that is not private enough for you, you can always work from your bedroom since each room is equipped with an ensuite desk, or book a Skype room for your calls and meetings. 

Besides the main coworking area, of course, you will find many work-friendly spots around the house. And of course, with the Canarian weather, the yard is reasonably one of the favorite spots for everything – working as well. 

There are 3 different tables (smaller or bigger, in the shade, or the sun), a hammock, and 8 lazy bags that people can choose to work from (which they typically do). 

The beloved garden (yard)

The yard is definitely the heart of Cactus La Gomera. It is shaded by two large mango trees, providing perfect cover during hot hours.

With many different corners, it’s where most people spend their days, whether working in one of the spots or simply enjoying the sun, relaxing in the hammock, or reading a book in the bean bag.

This is also the place where Cactus hosts family dinners.

When the time came, every Wednesday, we would put the tables together at the center of the garden, decorate, bring out the wine, and turn on the tiny yellow lamps to make an ambiance. Then we would sit all together to have dinner, enjoying the lovely La Gomerian nights.

Of course, some nights, it would be windy, but the garden is so much loved, that people would just put on their sweatshirts and still sit around and chit-chat. 

Like the one in Tenerife, this Cactus also has a ping-pong table that’s always shaded, providing a great mid-work activity to boost your energy a bit. 🙂 

Cactus La Gomera Team

The Cactus team in La Gomera is a special one. As Maria is on a different island, her visits cannot be as usual as in Cactus Tenerife. But that is not a problem, since, like in Cactus Tenerife, there is a great team who takes care of the house and the community. 

In this coliving, you will meet Rebeca – the community manager of Cactus La Gomera, and her team of 3 volunteers who are there to take care of the day-to-day.

But – who is Rebeca?

Let’s meet her. 🙂

Local Host: Rebeca

Rebeca is originally from Galicia, but in the eyes of locals, she has already proven herself as one of their own. After years of living in La Gomera, Rebeca definitely found a part of her soul there. She is not only living a life there but sharing her passion for the island with those who come to visit. Working as a tour guide for the island, she’s the best person to tell you all its secrets. 

We actually met Rebeca 2 years ago during our last visit to the island and yes – she was our tour guide. Her passion, dedication, and positive energy shine and infect those around her. 

So when we found out that Maria chose her to be the host of her new La Gomera experience, it absolutely made sense to us.

Even though she doesn’t live in the new Cactus house, she is there for all the important activities and is always ready to share new pieces of La Gomera’s culture and history with anyone whom she crosses paths with. 

We learned so much from her. For example, on the first day of our stay, we had the opportunity to learn how to make traditional La Gomerian soup, as well as the most popular Canarian dishes, mojo rojo and mojo verde in a workshop that she led.

We also learned a lot about the Laurel woods in La Gomera, the story of Gara and Jonay, the reason why Germans love this island so much, and the peculiar whistling language of La Gomerians. 

With all that said, with the energy she has, the passion for this island, and the knowledge she loves to share, Rebeca really seems like the perfect fit for a first coliving space in San Sebastian de La Gomera. 

Volunteers

Other than Rebeca, you will always find 2 to 3 volunteers who are living in the Cactus house, taking care of the space, and making sure your stay is good. 

During our time there, we met some amazing girls who were working as volunteers at the time. 

We met Maryam – a volunteer who has been with Cactus La Gomera from the start. She was there to witness all the changes and challenges of opening a coliving space and grew to be a very big part of it. 

We met Sara – an ambitious Italian girl with a passion for sustainability and nature conservation, with whom we shared a lot of great talks and will definitely stay in touch. 

And we met Marissa – a quirky adventurous girl full of soul who brings the party with her wherever she goes. Even though she came a bit after us and has only been in Cactus for a few weeks, she will definitely grow into the heart of the community very soon. 

Activities

As with every coliving, Cactus La Gomera is slowly building its signature activities but that will take some time. 

Of course, recurring weekly activities are always there, such as daily yoga (usually organized by Cactus volunteers), family dinners, and Monday pancakes, and there is a lot of space for organic activities hand-picked by current colivers.

During our stay, in addition to regular activities, some things we had the opportunity to experience were drone flying lessons organized by one of the colivers, Michael, the mojo workshop that we already mentioned, and a few movie nights and family dinners outside the house that were fan favorites.

Of course, we also lead our own skillshare on SEO. 🙂

We cannot wait to see in which direction Cactus La Gomera will develop and what unique activities will become its signature ones. 

The community we found in Cactus La Gomera

Lastly, during our stay, we had the opportunity to meet some amazing people. Despite April being a slower season in La Gomera, there were around 8-12 people (including volunteers) at the house.

The community comprised digital nomads, long-term travelers, La Gomera enthusiasts (mostly Germans – as expected 😀), and individuals who had already experienced the original Cactus location in Tenerife South and wanted to check out the new space.

Most people we met stayed between 2 weeks and one month, while volunteers tended to stay for up to 3 months. Many of them were working remotely, but all were passionate about exploring new places and sharing a bit of time in their lives with other like-minded individuals. 🙂

We encourage you to check out the new Cactus place yourself. There is something beautiful about visiting a young coliving space as there is always space to leave your mark behind. We bet you will fall in love with the tranquility of the island and find a bit more time to get to know yourself in the slow-paced environment.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Discovering San Sebastian de La Gomera with Cactus Coliving’s New House

• ByMarko
• March 26, 2024

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2024: #11 Cactus Coliving Has Arrived to the Capital of La Gomera appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Today, we are bringing you a new chapter of Maria’s journey as she opens a new Cactus Coliving experience on another Canary Island – La Gomera.

Join us as we jump into Maria’s decision-making process and discover why she believes San Sebastian is the perfect location for the second house of the Cactus Coliving brand.

Enjoy!

Embracing a New Chapter

“Milestones make the targets achievable.”

-Harjeet Khanduja

1. Congratulations on the opening of your new coliving space in La Gomera! Could you share the inspiration behind this new venture?

Maria: The idea for our coliving space in La Gomera came about when my parents visited the island for a day trip on August 5th, 2023. They stumbled upon a charming old house that was managed as a hostel at that moment.

It was about to be closed down by its current management, who were moving operations to another island. Knowing that many of our clients at Cactus Coliving Tenerife had shown interest in visiting La Gomera, and realizing the potential of the location, I went to check out the hostel and the surrounding area the following week.

Falling in love with the house’s Canarian style (for those of you who know me, you know that I have a great weakness for Canarian architecture 😍) and its close proximity to the beach, just 5 min walk to a nice volcanic black sand beach, we decided to take the opportunity and make it happen.

2. Two years ago, we had an amazing time at your original coliving space in Arona (Tenerife). How has your experience with the original space influenced the design and concept of the new space in La Gomera?

Maria: Well, drawing from the knowledge I gained during my studies at Les Roches and my three years of operating Cactus Coliving Tenerife, I’ve learned a lot that has directly informed the design of Cactus Coliving La Gomera.

As you know, the heart of any coliving space is the kitchen. With this in mind, I dedicated significant effort to creating a spacious and well-equipped kitchen in our La Gomera location.

It features two cooking stations, two sinks, and ample storage to ensure that our guests have a comfortable and convenient culinary experience.

Another crucial aspect is fostering a sense of community. To facilitate this, we’ve brought on board Rebeca as our community manager for La Gomera.

She’ll be the main point of contact for guests, ensuring that everyone has the best possible workation experience on our beautiful island.

Given that many of our clients prioritize remote work from Monday to Friday, we’ve also designated a specific area for work.

Here, guests will find large tables, ergonomic chairs, and the option to rent monitors, among other amenities, to support their productivity during their stay.

3. What unique features or amenities can guests expect at your new location in La Gomera?

Maria: Our new location in La Gomera offers several unique features and amenities that promise an exceptional experience for our guests.

Firstly, we’re just a 5-minute walk away from a stunning black sand beach, providing easy access to leisure and relaxation by the sea.

Additionally, our coliving space is strategically situated in the heart of San Sebastian de La Gomera, offering guests convenient proximity to a variety of amenities such as restaurants, supermarkets, a farmers market, and beautiful parks, all within walking distance.

Moreover, our location is only a 10-minute walk from the port, making travel to and from Tenerife incredibly convenient. With a quick 45-minute boat trip, guests can easily access our coliving space from Tenerife, enhancing

4. You’re known for your commitment to the local community in Arona (Tenerife), from monthly cleanups to other initiatives. How do you plan to incorporate that into the guest experience at your new coliving space in San Sebastian (La Gomera)?

Maria: We keep our commitment to the local community into the colivers experience at our new coliving space in San Sebastian de La Gomera.

We offer workshops where colivers can learn about unique aspects of local culture, such as the traditional use of whistling as a language among locals.

Additionally, we’re partnering with local organizations for clean-up initiatives, providing colivers with opportunities to contribute to the island’s preservation.

We’re also hosting workshops on making mojo, a popular Canarian sauce, to give colivers a taste of local cuisine.

These activities aim to offer a meaningful connection to the community and culture of La Gomera during their stay.

5. Now that you have two spaces (the original one in Tenerife and the new one in La Gomera), do you see guests interacting between these locations? Is it common for guests to visit both, and is there any promotion for those interested in trying both spaces?

Maria: A good number of our colivers like the chance to visit both Tenerife and La Gomera. They know they can rely on Cactus Coliving for solid internet and a good place to work at either site. So, it’s pretty common for guests to move between the two during their stay.

Plus, to encourage colivers to try out both places, we throw in an extra 5% discount for those who do.

What Future Brings for Cactus Coliving

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

-Helen Keller

6. Now, with this significant milestone achieved, what are your hopes and ambitions for the future of Cactus Coliving, both in 2024 and beyond?

Maria: We’re committed to encouraging our colivers to make a positive social impact wherever they go.

Currently, we’re working on several projects, such as our charity Animal Month initiative, where we support a horse rescue to raise funds for more animals in need.

Additionally, we’ve recently partnered with the Canary Green organization to kickstart beach clean-ups in Tenerife for 2024.

Our goal is for each of our colivers to find ways to support our islands and local communities, contributing to a brighter future for the Canary Islands.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • The Coliving Spain Project

Coliving Spain 2022: #5 Cactus – The perfect long-term coliving experience with a local impact

• ByGala
• May 23, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Discovering San Sebastian de La Gomera with Cactus Coliving’s New House appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

In our conversation, we delved into her journey, exploring the origins of Co Co Coliving and why Denia was chosen as its home base.

Discover what inspired this unique venture and the diverse community it’s attracting.

Enjoy the read!

Beginnings

“Work, love, and play are the great balance wheels of man’s being.”

-Orison Swett Marden

1. Could you share more about yourself and the journey that led to the opening of Co-Co Coliving?

Corinna: I no longer wanted to live in Germany, I used to travel a lot (before my dog Bosse came to live with us) and loved seeing new people and countries. I also don’t want to grow old in a cold country with lots of gray weather.

Of course, I also like to meet new people and interact with like-minded people. In addition, I worked in gastronomy for a long time, so I’m no stranger to hospitality. I like the idea of opening up and sharing a place that offers so much space and is in such a beautiful location for others to enjoy themselves.

My cousin – with whom I bought the house and founded the company – and I are both self-employed and digitally active. He is a programmer and I am a designer and conceptioner. This is why the idea of a co-working & co-living space wasn’t far off.

Now, after a year of renovations and a soft-opening phase, we are finally ready to open our doors to everyone in December 2023.

2. While developing Co-Co Coliving, were there specific influences or inspirations that shaped your approach and led to the creation of the space and experience you offer today?

Corinna: I always had a vision of our co-living space: it should be cozy, clean, and inviting.

You should feel right at home here and be able to let yourself go. There should always be enough corners that offer space for relaxation and creativity so that you can also be productive without being disturbed.

We have combined the influences of our house, which was built in the 80s, with modern elements. The Spanish style is complemented by a touch of Scandic.

We have created a space that invites you to relax but also to socialize.

3. What is the story behind you choosing Denia as the location of Co-Co Coliving?

Corinna: Not much of a story. Dénia has found us.

We flew to Barcelona with a list of places, rented a car, and drove down the coast to Valencia to see all the places that interested us. By chance, we ended up south in Dénia to meet friends of Marco (my cousin). We liked Dénia straight away.

Plus, it met all our criteria: Lively in winter, open supermarkets & restaurants (over 300 restaurants), etc., sea & mountains, no high-rise buildings, beautiful nature, hiking opportunities and excursion destinations nearby, 2 airports (Alicante & Valencia), lots of sun, the opportunity to do sports, nightlife,…

I could go on and on. The people here are also very friendly.

4. What sets Co-Co Coliving apart from other coliving places in Spain? What would you consider your signature or unique offering?

Corinna: Difficult to answer. But I think we offer a lot of privacy. Even if 10-12 people live here, there is enough space on the property to retreat if you want to.

We are not directly in the center (10 minutes), so we have a lot of nature and peace. The house is like a retreat with the option of action. We also only have private rooms and no dorms, and the rooms and bathrooms are very modern and new. The quality and feel-good factor is very important to us.

Management

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.”

-Thomas Merton

5. What is the management style or approach you follow at Co-Co Coliving?

Corinna: We go through an onboarding process with every new resident so that everyone lives by the same values and has all the information they need. It is important to us that you show consideration and care for your fellow residents and life together.

6. To what extent are you involved in the community and day-to-day activities at Co-Co Coliving?

Corinna: I live in the co-living space, so of course I’m also involved in the community and the activities.

However, there are no compulsory activities, we like to organize them individually with the current flatmates. We all have different daily routines, which is why a fixed schedule doesn’t fit from our point of view.

However, we offer many things and share events, markets, hikes, sports, and other activities with everyone.

7. What types of activities are offered to colivers during their stay at your coliving space, and what’s your approach to organizing them?

Corinna: We go to markets, parties, meals, bars, hiking, and sports together.

We also offer Spanish courses with a neighboring language school. In summer, we also organize diving courses and boat trips together.

We offer everything and do it together or help with the organization.

Visitors

“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.”

-Sundar Pichai

8. What is the typical coliver profile in Co-Co Coliving (age, occupation, etc.)?

Corinna: As we are still very new to the market, this is difficult to answer.

At the moment, most of them are in their late 20s to mid-40s. The sectors are very mixed, but everyone can work remotely. Many have previously worked in marketing or an agency.

Most are active in sports (hiking, cycling, gym) and enjoy eating out.

But all of them also love to have their peace and privacy in between without any obligations.

9. What is the most common motivation for people choosing to stay at your coliving space?

Corinna: The peace and nature. And still having the option of many different activities without being in the middle of it all.

And a big point: the grey, cold, rainy weather in other places.

10. What do you think is the ideal length of stay to fully emerge in the community and experience at your place?

Corinna: From our point of view it makes sense to stay at least 2-3 weeks. More is always better. But you need a certain amount of time to arrive and Dénia and its surroundings have so much to offer that you should give yourself enough time without rushing.

11. Do you offer some special offers/discounts?

Corinna: We have a general discount for a stay of 2 weeks and extra savings for 4 weeks and longer. In addition, the 2nd person in the room only costs a small surcharge per night.

We also have theme weeks from time to time, such as nutrition coaching or stress management, which is then included in this target room. There are also yoga and fitness courses that residents can take part in from time to time.

Oh yes, and not forgetting our great outdoor kitchen with a big BBQ and bar. As we come from a catering background, we also have an extensive bar menu and bar service.

About Coliving Movement & Future

“We are all one family in the world. Building a community that empowers everyone to attain their full potential through each of us respecting each other’s dignity, rights and responsibilities makes the world a better place to live.“
”

-Pope John Paul II

12. Do you believe coliving is exclusively tailored for certain groups like freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you see it expanding to a broader audience?

Corinna: I think coliving is something for many groups apart from digital nomads/remote workers. As long as you find your perfect place with like-minded people, coliving is always a good fit.

For us, we focus on people who are also coworkers and want to enjoy the sweet life at the same time

13. What is your opinion about coworking being a crucial component of coliving?

Corinna: It doesn’t have to be, but it is an issue for us. In addition to coliving, we also offer pure coworking space. And this daily, weekly, or monthly (of course, also annually).

We also like to involve locals in our community, which makes it possible.

14. One of the main selling points of colivings is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences, and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is this something you also had in mind when opening your place?

Corinna: Yes, the exchange and getting to know each other is a big factor. If you’re not interested in other people, you can also go to a hotel or Airbnb. For us, this includes being open and respectful towards each other. Care for each other.

15. Lastly, how do you see Co-Co Coliving developing in the next few years? Do you have a vision of what it will grow into or some aspirations and goals that you’ve set for it?

Corinna: We wish for many wonderful moments, guests who come back because they feel comfortable, a community that stays in contact even outside of Co-Co. Valuable contacts in a private and professional context. So that when you think about your time here, you realize how valuable it was.

Kudos for the amazing photos used in this interview go to Mirjam Kilter for capturing these incredible moments! 📸

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

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The post The Perfect Harmony of Personal Space and Social Connections at Coliving Costa Blanca appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

But some colivings were already long-standing even before we stepped our toes in these waters, paving the path for many others to come and building the values upon which the industry is standing today.

Two years and nine colivings later – The 10th Coliving Spain project partner was one of those colivings; one of the oldest colivings in Spain – Sun and Co.

While colivings are still just becoming, Sun and Co. has already passed through phases of emergence, growth, popularization, and change, and its life cycle continues to be an example for younger businesses.

And now, 2 years since The Coliving Spain Project was born, and has already gone through some of its own phases, we think it was the perfect moment in time for us to finally meet Sun and Co.

This February, for a month, we had the chance to get to know Sun and Co. from the inside out; to witness the changes happening in real-time; to hear the stories from old and new colivers; to help the new team more confidently take its place; and to be a part of the amazing international system Sun and Co. helped built in a small Mediterranean city overlooking Costa Blanca.

The People Behind Sun and Co. Team

Each step in Sun and Co.’s life carries a footprint of the people involved in crafting the experience, and all that makes Sun and Co. what it is today, carries all those phases and people who left their contributions along the way.

Back in 2023, we had the opportunity to talk about Sun and Co.’s beginning and the vision behind it with one of its co-founders Jon.

And this year, we had the opportunity to meet some old and some new faces of Sun and Co., who all at one moment gave a tiny bit of themselves to make this place such a valuable part of many digital nomads’ and remote workers’ lives.

Sun and Co.’s new team

In September of 2023, after 8 years of existence, Sun and Co.’s core team changed its shape, opening the doors to a new chapter of the experience.

Today, the new management team is made up of Edu, Fer, Ana, and Nana, who all bring a part of themselves into the community.

• Edu keeps running the place and keeping it in line with the values that were there at the beginning, and ultimately, who chose the perfect new management for its creation.
• Fer is the bridge between the old and the new team; a local host and the new general manager; and a person who shines positive energy around him and brings his passion for local, fresh, and healthy food… to the table. 😉
• Ana (with one N) – curious, dedicated, persistent, and experienced in living in communities and creating them; with a Ph.D. in nutrition and a sacred view of how important self-care is, Ana is a positive community builder and a tireless learner who brings mindfulness and peace to the house.
• Nana (Anna with the double N) – a positive and warm soul who draws people to her; a passionate yoga teacher and a dedicated host; one of those people whose presence is an ice-breaker, a community glue whose positive energy and laughter gives color and make experiences unforgettable. 

Well…we hope you meet them yourself, but if you’re still curious to find out more about New Sun and Co. Management Team and their views on the new era of Sun and Co., we invite you to check out our interview with them at the beginning of our collaboration.

Now, let’s talk about the location.

Jávea 

There is something about Javea.

At first glance, this is a charming Mediterranean town like many others, but there is an energy that draws you in and that quickly makes you want to stay.

Of course, many clear reasons make Javea a place where many can feel at home – an ecosystem suitable for modern, international residents; a great location; and a community full of inspiring and admirable people.

Nonetheless, Javea has a certain energy about it  – something that just makes us fall in love with it – just by sitting in the sun and sipping on a coffee while people watch on one of its tiny squares.

We won’t take too much space here describing the town, although there is so much to tell. If you want to dive a bit deeper, we invite you to read this article we wrote for Sun and Co..

It talks about all the big and little things that make Javea the perfect city for people like us – curious, looking for valuable communities, and always ready for new opportunities to grow and learn. 

The Coliving Space

Of course, like in any coliving, Sun and Co.’s house plays an important role in its coliving community.

So what is it like? Let me try and paint you a picture:

Imagine a big wooden door opening to a huge colorful entrance; it feels like a ballroom. On each side, you will find silent rooms – sit there if you want to work or brainstorm.

Up front, you will find a cozy living room for evening board games and a huge dining area for all the weekly dinner parties you will experience with windows overlooking the patio that sometimes sparks with a late bonfire. This is where the people are: this is where you can start that conversation.

If you want a more intimate atmosphere, a late-night movie, a deep conversation, or a quick meditation, head straight to the chill room – the one with cozy floor cushions and dimmed lights.

And when you’re tired and need your space – just go up the stairs to your peaceful bedroom, a sanctuary that’s out of reach for anybody but you and your roommates.

That is what living at Sun and Co. looks like.

But what does it mean to be a part of the Sun and Co.’s community? 

Sun and Co.’s Community

The community of Sun and Co. is actually quite different from some other colivings we experienced.

There is a mix of people from all around the world, but there is a certain thread that connects them (us) all; a character feature or a life decision that makes people join under the roof of Sun and Co’s community.

People who we met in the past few months were all brave, bold, and not scared to take a leap; people ready to take their lives into their own hands and make their own destinies. Different ages; different backgrounds; different struggles; but a shared willingness to live and create.

Sun and Co’s community has around 25 people in the high season, and 15-20 in the lower one.

This community consists of staff members, colivers, and community pass members.

However, many people stay a part of the wider community even after becoming one of the above. People often stay in Javea, or just stay in touch, meeting each other in other parts of the world and continuing their shared experiences that started in Sun and Co. 

Community Pass

Community pass members are those living outside of the coliving. The community pass access allows you to work from Sun and Co.’s external coworking space and be a part of the community activities (which are Sun and Co.’s biggest strength).

The community pass members are typically those who come for a longer time to Javea and need space for themselves; those who come with friends or families; and those who were once a part of the coliving community and decided to move their life to Javea, at least for a while, so they settled in the town.

However, many people met Sun and Co. through its coworking space.

Located in the old town, in such a perfect spot, designed to facilitate and inspire work and with 2 Skype booths available, it’s not surprising that many people choose the community pass for the coworking space and stay for the community.

The community pass members can be a part of the community as much as they’d like. Some just come to work and spend time with the community here and there; and others are there daily making the core members of the community even without living inside the house.

But typically, those who have the community pass try to make the most out of it because missing out on the Sun and Co.’s community activities is not something many would do!

Community building 

If you’ve heard about Sun and Co., then you’ve heard about their activities.

Their community experience is definitely the most famous for its impeccable program full of professional and personal development activities and events that encourage connection and growth.

Many colivings take inspiration from Sun and Co. but Sun and Co. remains the leading coliving when it comes to the elaboration and quality of its program.

Because of this status, many people decide to join the community so they can work on themselves and meet other inspiring people whom they can learn from. And by attracting creative, entrepreneurial, and proactive individuals, Sun and Co. truly offers a unique opportunity to be surrounded by great minds who are ready to share bits of their knowledge and life with you.

So, here’s an inside into the Sun and Co.’s community program.

Program Overview

Sun and Co.’s schedule is adapted to one week. Each week, a new round of activities and events gets chosen by the community and makes its way to the weekly plan.

In one typical day, there will be 2 to 3 activities, a mix between social, professional, and leisure activities. This distribution is not fixed, but some recurring things happen weekly, such as yoga with Nana, a visit to Fer’s community garden, family dinners, and the community meeting. 

Community Meeting

A community or family meeting is a meeting that happens every Monday night intending to introduce new family members, share a bit more about the individuals that make up the community, and of course, plan the week ahead.

Each Monday, there is a different “introduction” question – something to help new family members meet the rest of the group and vice versa, but also for those who are there longer to give some new interesting perspective about themselves.

These short introductions also serve as icebreakers for a great weekly planning sesh. 

Weekly planning

Weekly planning consists of 2 parts.

The first part is the “Collaboration board”. This is a shared sheet where everybody writes what they can share with the group, what they’d like to learn during their stay at Sun and Co., and what they’d like to do. This serves as an inspiration and prep for the community meeting.

You can write on the Collaboration board at any given time, but at the community meeting, you will always get a chance to add something that you might have forgotten.

After all the things are added to the collaboration board – it’s voting time. The group votes for activities they’d like to attend and the 3-4 most voted activities make their way onto the weekly plan for the next week. 

This system works well because each group can tailor the experience to their liking. 

Social and leisure activities also go on the weekly schedule, but they get up there more spontaneously and are not voted for. 

So, what are these professional and personal development activities that Sun and Co. is so famous for? 

Types of activities 

There are 5-6 different types of activities depending on the structure and the model. 

Masterminds

Mastermind sessions are one of the most beloved activity models among Sun and Co.’s community and they’ve helped many people find guidance, and confidence, and kickstart their next life chapters. 

This is because this model is focused on one community member who has an issue, an idea, or needs help and brainstorming around anything in his or her life. This can be a professional venture such as starting a new business, or a personal one such as guidance on how to improve one’s relationships. 

This is typically a 1-hour session, facilitated by one of the staff members and made up of 3 parts:

1. The first part focuses on the person whose mastermind it is to share the issue, and the background, and give their perspectives. The facilitator helps this person find concrete questions and expected outcomes of the mastermind. The facilitator also typically has a conversation with that person even before the mastermind to understand their needs and plan on how to guide them.
2. The second part focuses on questions from the participants. So, in this part, people would ask questions to further clarify the issue, the obstacles, and the needs of the presenter.
3. The third part is the “brainstorming” together; sharing ideas, advice, or personal experience that can help the presenter gain new perspectives on their issue.

This approach is an amazing opportunity for individuals to get some new ideas and broaden their perspectives on matters that are important to them. 

And coliving is a great setting for this as it is one of the few places where so many different people with unique experiences and backgrounds find themselves in the same room. 

And of course, although this session focuses on one person’s problem, thinking together and listening to others gives everybody new perspectives and generates value for all participants. 

Sharing circles

Sharing circle is a bi-weekly activity introduced with the new team. This activity is led by Ana, who has been a part of many sharing circles before and has tested out different approaches and methods. 

Because it’s such a deep-connection activity that asks for the participants to be grounded, and look deep into themselves, it made the most sense that it would happen once every two weeks. 

Before each session (on the Monday meeting) Ana shares the topic for the upcoming sharing circle and invites community members to think about the topics and some specific questions upfront. This is not mandatory as the conversation in the sharing circle should be natural and from the heart, but it’s good to give a bit of guidance and set expectations. 

Even though they last around an hour, sharing circles opens the room for more conversations and connects the people on another level. This experience always helps community members feel more comfortable around one another and feel more connected to each other moving forward.

Skillshares

A skillshare is a model in which one person who has expertise to share with others, either professional or life-related, prepares a presentation (according to their liking) to introduce the participants to the topic and help them gain new knowledge.

Mostly, skillshares are based around something narrow and clear and are made for the participants to be one step closer to understanding and developing a new skill. 

While we were at Sun and Co., we had skillshares on storytelling, writing, and SEO (this one was done by us), but also ones focused more on personal development such as the skillshare on ayurvedic nutrition or personality types.

People come with different jobs, hobbies, and interests, and it is extremely interesting to see what everyone has to offer. 

A skillshare is the most structured activity because it resembles a presentation or a class, but it is also the one that gives the most concrete information on a certain topic and generates the most hard knowledge. 

Roundtables 

Roundtables are typically something in between skillshares, mastermind, and sharing circles. 

Roundtables typically come from somebody proposing something they would like to discuss with others to gain new perspectives.

For example, we had a roundtable on freelancing and roundtables on relationships and love, so these are typically topics that a lot of people have input on and can share their views on. 

Roundtables are about sharing experiences and thoughts, but they can also be about sharing inspiration, motivating each other, or adding some new value. 

These sessions are not facilitated. The “host” is typically the one who proposes the roundtable and they are responsible for drafting topic guidance, some questions, and some points that the roundtable should cover, with which Sun and Co.’s team can always help. 

Support board and 1-on-1

Lastly, when some activities have only one or 2 people interested in them, or when a person is asking for help in a certain area but others don’t seem interested, they can have a 1-on-1 session with a person willing to help or share expertise. 

To further support that, Sun and Co. also has a Support Board, which is right next to the weekly plan in the dining area, where people can write in things they need support with, and people who can and want to help them can reach out to them directly. 

Social and Leisure Activities

Of course, on top of the above-mentioned activities, each day there is a Social and/or Leisure activity.

Some of the most popular recurring activities like these are yoga and meditation sessions that happen every week, hikes that are a beloved weekend activity of many community members, family dinners that always bring a new level of connection to the group, and games, movies nights, nights-out to the town, and many other creative social activities that come and go with the groups changing. 

A tiny recap of our month at Sun and Co.

After a month in Sun and Co., we have seen 2-3 group dynamics changing. We had 15 people in the house, then 6, then 10, then again below that.  We had people going and coming, and all bringing their personalities to the community completely reshaping it.

It is so interesting how one person can bring something with them that has such an impact on how we develop as a group. And with each group – there was something that became a signature of that period.

We had sunrise swims with Alice; a new cake every day with Stephanie, unforgettable karaoke with Ania, late-night conversations with Shlomo, peaceful days and movie nights with Naja, and not-so-peaceful hikes with Bjorn, daily Italian cuisine with Manu, coffee talks with Tal, and of course, the werewolf nights with Serghei, and many many moments more that all went down in history and gave a bit of reshaping to the coliving’s community.

This experience taught us how much impact we all carry as individuals, and how valuable the footprint we leave behind us truly is. 

Thank you Sun and Co. for a wonderful month – and please, keep creating the space for these wonderful human connections!

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. – Embracing The New Chapter

• ByMarko
• February 4, 2024

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. (Part 1) – 8 years of Hosting, Learning, and Community-building in Javea

• ByMarko
• April 4, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2024: #10 Sun and Co – The Coliving that Shaped The Industry appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Lavinia, the founder of The Offsite, who has hosted 13 coliving pop-ups since 2020.

We discussed how it all began, the key elements, the participants, and why Fuerteventura is one of her favorite pop-up destinations.

Enjoy reading!

Beginnings

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

-J.R.R. Tolkien

1. Could you share more about yourself and what led to the start of The Offsite?

Lavinia: I’ve always loved traveling and organizing events for my friends – so it’s no surprise to anyone that I’m hosting trips now and building a community!

The idea started with two friends when we decided to go and work from Lisbon during the pandemic. We invited all our friends to join us! What started as a two-week trip ended up being a five-week one, with twelve of us enjoying the late autumn sun in Portugal!

It was a blast and I decided that I loved coliving and wanted to do more of it ☺

2. While developing The Offsite experience, were there specific influences or inspirations that shaped your approach and led to the creation of the experience you offer today?

Lavinia: I see the Offsite experiences being very well-rounded; there’s surfing but it’s not exclusively about surfing, same with yoga, same with spirituality stuff (such as cacao circles or breathworks).

In the same way, hostels are very good for people who travel alone, I wanted that experience but for people who are working, maybe a bit older, and not mostly there to party.

I’d say I was inspired by many concepts out there and picked and chose what I liked in each to create my very own unique offering.

3. The Offsite pop-ups always have interesting locations. What’s the process of choosing these places?

Lavinia: They are mostly based around surfing, with a good community for digital nomads!

4. This year you are returning to Fuerteventura for the third time since you started hosting The Offsite pop-ups. What’s the story that led to this tradition?

Lavinia: We just love that island! The combined two months spent there have been so good that I have never even explored the other Canary Islands.

For me, Fuerte is still so beautiful and untouched while still offering a good community of digital nomads, surfers, and freedom seekers.

The nature is breathtaking, the surf is great and it’s always sunny and warm – What not to like?

5. What sets The Offsite apart from other pop-up experiences? What would you consider your signature or unique offering?

Lavinia: I haven’t attended many other experiences, but I think The Offsite is really special as it allows everyone to be exactly who they want to be, we’re all so unique, no one’s the same age, nationality, or background.

As mentioned above, we offer different activities from surfing to breathwork to ice baths and nights out – it makes the experience very well-rounded! We do everything together from morning to evening, and that makes us all become super super close – I think that’s definitely one of Offsite’s strong attributes!

Management

“Unity is strength division is weakness.”

-Swahili proverb

6. To what extent are you involved in the community and day-to-day activities?

Lavinia: I’m fully immersed in it!! We do everything together; from the moment I pick them up at the airport when they arrive till I drop them off when they leave, I do everything in between with everyone ☺

7. What types of activities are offered to guest during their stay at your pop-ups, and what’s your approach to organizing them?

Lavinia: There’s usually always one weekly surf and yoga class included as well as a welcome BBQ night.

The rest of the week is co-created as a group, but I always make sure I research all activities the location has to offer and come up with daily suggestions – in Fuerteventura, we have gone on volcano sunrise and sunset hikes, on party boat trips, kite surfing, we’ve attended a full moon meditation in the dunes, a breathwork session followed by an ice bath & a karaoke night in town, just to mention a few!

Visitors

“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities”

-Stephen R. Covey

8. What is the typical profile of The Offsite guests?

Lavinia: No typical profile type! The most common age range is 25-35, but we’ve had as young as 19 and as old as 44.

Occupation and nationality vary so much. Everyone is open-minded and ready to make new friends!

9. What do you believe attracts individuals to The Offsite pop-ups? What is the most common motivation for people choosing to stay with you?

Lavinia: I think people choose to join an Offsite because they know they will be genuinely taken care of and that they will be able to be part of such a great loving community!

Many Offsiters join again to be with the same friends they’ve made on past Offsites! It’s like a little tribe meeting up on different corners of the world a few times per year!

I’ve also heard from Offsiters that they are pushing themselves out of their comfort zones by joining; it might be the first time they travel alone, or they’ve never joined a coliving before, or never tried surfing, and want to try something new – so being out of their comfort zone but in a very safe place would be another element to people joining ☺

10. What do you think is the ideal length of stay to fully emerge in the community and experience at your place?

Lavinia: I think one week is great you really do connect deeply with everyone but then of course, if you’re able to stay longer you’ll see even more of the location and meet new faces on different weeks and connect even deeper with the ones that are staying the full length of the trip!

About Coliving Movement & Future

“Every new friend is a new adventure… …the start of more memories”

-Patrick Lindsay

11. Do you believe this kind of experience is exclusively tailored for certain groups like freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you see it expanding to a broader audience?

Lavinia: Not at all, I’ve had people from all kinds of work backgrounds join.

Many people are not necessarily digital nomads, many joiners are actually not nomads and sometimes don’t even work fully from home but ask their bosses to be able to do so for a week in order to join us. We’ve had students that decide to come and revise or write their thesis with us.

On top of that, I am now also running some “offsite offs”; travel offsites where we don’t work – for people who are not allowed to work remotely at all but have always wanted to experience the Offsite magic.

12. One of the main selling points of colivings is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences, and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is this something you also had in mind with The Offsite?

Lavinia: We’ve had all of that – some people have found new job opportunities and a lot of friendships have been made of course! Many Offsiters have met up around the world in each other’s cities/homes.

13. Lastly, how do you see The Offsite experience developing in the next few years? Do you have a vision of what it will grow into or some aspirations and goals that you’ve set for it?

Lavinia: I want to have fixed houses while continuing the pop-up ones in more remote places.

I want to cover more countries and have different non-working experiences like Offsite in a van, Offsite with no phones, and Offsite on a desertic island – many plans to be excited about!

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving & Surfing: Explore the Benefits of the Community and Remote work in Fuerteventura

• ByMarko
• March 7, 2023

The post The Offsite Tribe’s Traveling Community – Experience Fuerteventura and Many Other Exotic Destinations appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

In the short history of coliving, few places have played as pivotal a role as Sun and Co., standing as a cornerstone in the industry’s narrative.

Last year, we explored the origins and the journey that led Sun and Co. to its current standing with Jon, the co-founder and former general manager.

Now, we’re excited to introduce you to the fresh faces (and some familiar ones) stepping into these renowned shoes, marking a new chapter for Sun and Co.

Join us in this exclusive interview as we unveil the dynamic personalities shaping the future of Sun and Co.

New Faces of Your Favourite Coliving

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

-John F. Kennedy

1. The new coliving season began with significant changes in the Sun and Co. management team. Could you share more about that transition?

Nana: You can surely say that the past season for us started with a bang!

During the first half of 2023, both Jon (general manager and co-founder) and Iva (local host and marketing and sales specialist) decided to pursue their careers elsewhere.

When it comes to Jon, you have to understand that he had been with Sun and Co. since the doors opened 8 years ago: his image and name have always been very much intertwined with the identity of Sun and Co., therefore it was clear that big challenges were on the way.

We decided to face this the best way we knew: took a deep breath, and after the initial shock (we won’t deny it!), we looked at the situation as an opportunity for change.

Sun and Co. has always been an inspiration for a lot of the colivers that crossed our doors, and we decided to practice what we preach – learn and grow together, as a community.

Edu opened new positions to the world, and he leveraged the name of Sun and Co. to get in touch directly with some professionals in the field, including myself and Ana.

What was key at this stage was knowing that the structure of the team needed to be flexible in order to better fit the new personalities that would come in. Having the right team members is the key, tasks and responsibilities can always be adjusted and moved around.

It took a few months of interviews, talks, and brainstorms…but eventually a new team that could support Sun and Co. in this transition was put together and ready to start!

2. Can you introduce the new team members who joined Sun and Co. last fall?

Nana: The team right now is composed of three core members, supported by a young mind through the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program.

Ana and Nana are the new additions that started in September 2023. Both have worked for several years in the coliving industry, supporting and developing the growth and well-being of different communities of nomads.

Ana had experience as a social media manager and joined the team as Head of Marketing and Community Pass. She is a mindfulness and emotional intelligence trainer and adores holding space for people to express themselves.

I (also Anna, but I go by Nana here!) have been extremely involved in community hosting and customer experience, testing the industry through direct experiences in different colivings throughout Europe. I am also a yoga teacher and I am an advocate of all the beauty that comes from being surrounded by a community.

What surely made the transition easier, was Fer! After being with Sun and Co. for two years as a local host, he stepped into the role of general manager, allowing a smoother transition and onboarding of the new team, as well as making sure that the core identity of Sun and Co. was maintained intact.

So if you have been with us before, not all faces are new!

3. Sun and Co. has a history of wonderful interactions with guests. How do you plan to maintain connections with guests who have fond memories of the original team and atmosphere?

Nana: As a new relationship builds with time – we trust that time will create new fond memories for our guests the same way it happened before.

Ana and I are directly involved in the community, from running our community meetings to participating in community dinners and activities when possible.

Our expertise and skillset have allowed us to review some of the processes that were in place since years and brought significant changes that we believe will help us in the long term to stay connected with the broader community and function better on the operational side.

Not to forget, our social media channels and newsletters are up and running, allowing us to showcase that the essence of Sun and Co. is still here.

We can sense the excitement of new beginnings, and we invite our community to come and meet the new team for themselves!

For the big nostalgics, we are proud to say that former team members will always be part of our family. The Slack community will allow us to keep these contacts alive, as people like Jon and Iva will also be invited to join us there; and for the people that want to stay longer, we invite them to check out the Community Pass.

Jon and Siena are active members in the Javea community, and it’s easy to stay in touch with them once you’re here for some time!

4. What positive changes or improvements can guests expect with the new management?

Nana: Let me start with Slack, a new addition launched in January 2024. It’s a very big change for Sun and Co., but as our community grows constantly, we felt the need to have a better way to stay connected with each other.

Experiences in other coliving places have confirmed that this communication tool is extremely effective: not only does it allow easy communication among all community members (current and past), but it also helps us in operations such as welcoming guests and sharing announcements.

Sun and Co. is known for a structured community-building approach, where the community takes the lead in organizing the weekly activities and where a special emphasis is put on professional and personal growth.

The new team brings in elements that allow to create a space where vulnerability, self-discovery and connections are welcomed and encouraged to a new level.

Ana has started hosting a bi-weekly sharing circle, inviting people to open up on different topics each time; while I have started offering a weekly yoga class whenever the group is interested, to bring in more awareness on the connections between body, mind, and breath. It feels to us that these events bring a more holistic approach to the transformative experience we always wished to provide to our guests.

At the same time, Fer is more and more sharing his passion for gardening, local products, and cooking. Every Wednesday the community is invited to join him for a Garden Session!

A lot more changes are on the way, big or small, and once again we invite everyone to follow us on social media, check our newsletter, and come to visit us – as, in general, the new energy of the team is something truly special and marks a new chapter.

What Future Brings for Sun and Co.

“Change brings opportunity.”

-Nido Qubein

5. What are the key goals and aspirations for Sun and Co. in the upcoming period?

Nana: Our main focus right now is to fully settle down with the new team. Re-establish good dynamics, ways of working, and explore each one’s interests and skills. As mentioned before, in this first year the team’s structure is a test so that we can learn and then leverage each one’s strengths.

Besides that, we want to make sure that everyone that comes across our door feels welcomed and inspired to be their true self. A big focus is on facilitation and holding space, which we believe is the ABC of a healthy community and that should have our attention especially in such a moment of transition.

As a leader in the industry for years, Sun and Co. is facing one of the biggest challenges that any small business could go through: a complete change of the team. We are sure that we will succeed in this, and that Sun and Co.’s identity will be once again re-defined as a result of contributions from all sides of our community and team.

6. Can you share any upcoming events or initiatives that guests can look forward to in 2024?

Nana: We have just launched our third edition of the Basque Country Pop-Up, which we very much look forward to! There might be news coming up for our community later this year…but too early to say. So stay tuned!

We are also investing a lot of time in the growing community based in Jávea and all the people who decide to come to visit us for longer periods through the Community Pass.

For us, it’s a new and exciting experiment that brings a new perspective on the coliving industry. We are trying to understand how to accommodate the needs of a growing community, and a community that changes in needs and age.

We are also working on submitting some Erasmus+ Projects that would allow us to open our doors to meaningful and impactful projects.

At last, we always seek for new collaborations that can bring to our community new insights, expertise, and growth from different sources. The collaboration with Travel & Tapas is one of those.

Overall, with a new team the energy and motivation to explore what this industry has to offer is high, and surely 2024 will be a year of exploration for all of us.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. (Part 1) – 8 years of Hosting, Learning, and Community-building in Javea

• ByMarko
• April 4, 2023

The post Sun and Co. – Embracing The New Chapter appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

As you might know, for this initiative, we decided to take it slow and visit only two coliving spaces that were just starting their coliving journey. Still, we chose two completely different colivings to show you different sides of this movement – and we think we chose them perfectly. 

After Madrid and a month of balancing between the metropolitan and suburban life, taking in the best of both worlds, we flew right into the center of digital nomads in Canaria, to continue taking the best of both worlds – the world of digital nomads and the local community we found ourselves in. 

If you haven’t checked the article we wrote after the first coliving from this initiative – Coliving Madrid – we invite you to do that, and if you did, let’s get right into our month half stay in Eco Isleta Coliving, the first sustainable coliving in La Isleta, Las Palmas.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Las Palmas – The Canarian Capital of Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

Eco Isleta’s convenient location in one of Europe’s leading digital nomad hubs makes it a promising place to find community and connect with others. 

Like all big cities, with around 400 thousand people, Las Palmas is a colorful and lively place where you will not lack the opportunity to meet new people. 

However, Las Palmas is not just another city on an island or just another European metropolitan. Las Palmas is a European capital dressed in a coastal paradise on an archipelago deep in the Atlantic Ocean, which perfectly merges three completely different groups of people – the locals who love the city in a way only islanders do, the tourists who love good food, crisp water, and sipping cocktails on the beach, and digital nomads who seek adventure, community, and modern infrastructures.

Somehow, Las Palmas answers the needs of all these three groups, letting them cohabitate and enrich each other’s lives. 

The city can be as wild or as shy as you want it, as international or as local as you want it, and as busy or as calm as you want it. Sometimes, it seems like three cities in one. And even though it is not as big, it does stretch along the coast, allowing it to have distinct areas that all carry individual vibes. 

To live in the old town is quite different than to live close to the city beach, which gives its visitors and residents a choice based on what they’re looking for. 

In Eco Isleta’s case, the location is right there in the epicenter of the digital nomad activity – in the upper part of the city called La Isleta – a neigborhood equipped with all you need, full of live and happenings, but also rich in quit corners.

What is interesting is thatm even though this area is extremely popular with digital nomads and even tourists due to its proximity to the city beach, it is still a very local neighborhood that takes great pride in its people and traditions.

Eco Isleta Brand

Eco Isleta is not only a coliving but rather a sustainability brand and ecosystem owned and operated by Jonatan and Rita, a local couple who spent their whole lives in the neighborhood. 

Before opening the coliving space, Jonatan and Rita had already opened Eco Store La Isleta, the first locally owned small eco store in the area. 

Their store focuses on high-quality, healthy products, from snacks and sweets to vegetables and olive oil, but also on eco home and personal care products such as washing detergent, dishwashing soap, and shampoos they sell on tap. 

All things that Jonatan and Rita brought to life through the Eco Isleta brand had two things in mind – what the name also states – the eco, sustainable way of life, and La Isleta, their beloved neighborhood. 

The vision started with a blog, Conoce La Isleta, which was meant to tell a story of this old area from the local perspective. Many people pass through the neighborhood not stopping to think about its history, the people who live there, their stories, struggles, and in the end, the things they love and cherish the most.

After some time of being inspired by their own stories of La Isleta, Jonatan and Rita decided to offer even more and open an Eco Store that will sell local products and, more importantly, promote a healthy, responsible, and eco way of life.  

With a family house they owned in the neighborhood, Jonatan and Rita first hosted an Airbnb, however, with the birth of coliving spaces, they saw a bigger opportunity to promote their values and vision, and do something more significant for the area. That’s how Eco Isleta Coliving came to life in November of 2022.

Jonatan – The Local Coliving Host

In all colivings, the host is one of the most important elements of the experience. So, when the host understands that and knows how to use his or her role to make a balanced and inspiring environment, the colivers can thrive.

In Eco Isleta’s case, the host’s perspective is on point. The role belongs to Jonatan, who does not live in the coliving (but very close by) and who comes in daily or bi-daily to check in on the place, add more amenities, clean up, fix or improve something, or set the place up for an event.

However, all these visits have a much bigger value because of Jonatan’s charismatic and extroverted personality. He always comes in smiling from ear to ear, looking forward to a chat with his colivers, hearing about their day, and often diving in a meaningful conversation.

As a family-owned business, Jonatan and Rita, with the help of their two kids, manage the coliving and the store by themselves. So, everything that happens and everything you see is a product of their hands, effort, and imagination. 

As a host, Jonatan is not only responsible for managing the house but also for organizing events in the coliving – which are PLENTY – but we’ll come back to that a bit later.

What makes him shine among other owners is his curiosity and constant wish to learn more, improve, and research. We have met a lot of decidated owners througn our Coliving Spain joruney so far, but Jonatan s one of the most dedicated ones we’ve met.

Lastly, Jonatan proudly and bravely takes on the role to be the educator and promoter of a healthier, more eco-friendly way of life, and does it without any judgment. He is just happy to show you better ways and lets you decide if you want to implement them or not – no pressure and no strings attached.

The Coliving

Eco Isleta Coliving is a very unique house with a big soul. The way it looks today was certainly not how the house was originally built or imagined but Jontan and Rita worked on it to convert it and repurpose it in order to maximize its potential. 

The house was originally built for two families back in the day, providing common and private areas both on the ground and the first floor, but today, it’s a cohesive unit centered around one set of common areas upstairs with private rooms on the ground floor.

When you walk in, you will be welcomed by a small hallway with a wooden vanity, an information board, a couple of bikes, and some inspiring coastal decoration. You will also immediately see a small window at the end of the hallway looking at the stairs covered in natural light. This part of the house was a patio but, now, when the outdoor space is occupying most of the first floor, the patio has been converted into a bright hallway. 

All private rooms are on the ground floor, except one that is actually a tiny wooden hub on the rooftop, so let’s take a close look at the rooms, shall we?

Private rooms

Private rooms in Eco Isleta are simple, cozy nooks, with original walls, and handmade furniture. There are seven rooms for seven Canary Islands, each one carrying the name of one of the islands.

All rooms are equipped with a bed (standard or double, except for some that are single only), an open closet (we loved ours!), a nightstand, and a working station with a night lamp. All rooms also have unique art from a local artist that represents the urban and the local soul of the island. Most rooms on the ground floor are blessed with super high ceilings, making even small rooms feel big.

All the rooms (except the upstairs one) share two bathrooms – one downstairs and one upstairs. 

What is great is that the downstairs bathroom is that it is truly only for the colivers, because when events happen, they happen upstairs, so all the rooms below are (unofficially) kept private from the guests. 

Every room has something unique, like this one with a bed in mezzanine or another one with the original stone wall. 

The room on the rooftop is the only one with a private bathroom – La Gomera. Simple and isolated from other rooms, it is like a small cozy cabin with its own nightly views of the herb garden. 

Also, all the rooms are pretty private in the sense of sound isolation so people can have different routines and not be bothered by others. 

We stayed in room Fuerteventura and we enjoyed it very much. But what we enjoyed the most are the common areas, so let’s get into that.

Common areas

As we mentioned, in Eco Isleta Coliving most of the common areas are on the rooftop. There is a small lounge area in the sector before the stairs on the ground floor but it is not frequently used as the upstairs spaces are much more conveinet.

The upper floor of the coliving is amazing. It’s divided into 3 sections – the inside kitchen/coworking area, the outside coworking/chill area, and a more private/chill area on the upper section of the rooftop next to the upper private room. 

The sections outside are perfect for sunbathing and events with larger groups, especially the kind of events that often happen in Eco Isleta.

There are also quite a few spots outside that you can use to have a more private work corner in the morning or evenings until it gets sunny. But, in general, the rooftop is very spacious and allows you to choose a spot based on your mood, although, when there are no events, the outside areas typically mean somebody wants to chill alone and not be bothered. Why? Because all the socializing happens in the kitchen/coworking area and now let’s get into that!

Kitchen and Main Coworking area

The main social area is also the main working area and – surprisingly – it works really well. Often, when a coliving space doesn’t have a clearly separated space for work and social life, it can get tough to get around and establish boundaries. But, in Eco Isleta, it works perfectly.

The reason for that is probably that the space is organized in such a way that despite its size, it has structural corners that align with the natural movement of people. The cooking area is in the corner with a window overlooking the opposite side of the roof and the (now closed) patio. 

At the entrance to this common space, and right across the cooking area, there are two big fridges with shelves assigned to each room, with a multipurpose table in front of them, that is most often used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Even though there are not any strict rules for that, it just follows the natural structure of the room. 

In the opposite corner of the room is a sofa for nightly social chills or afternoon siestas, and in front of the sofa, two tables with 4 to 5 working spots. 

During the day, we would always gather around the tables and work together, and even when somebody goes a few steps away to the kitchen area to make breakfast or cook lunch, they are never distributing those who were working. 

And even if there are more people or a conversation going on and you have an important meeting, all the rooms are equipped with space to work and a good connection, so you always have an alternative.

There was something very special about the energy in this space that it just worked at every moment of the day. 

In the morning, whoever wakes up first would make coffee for all of us, and then, when by one, people would emerge and be welcomed with a fresh cup of energy. 

In the afternoons, we would often gather around the tables, put some music on, and work each on our laptops, joking in between, playing games or quizzes, and helping each other through the day.

In the evenings, we would gather around a board game or just sit together around the tables, talking, joking, and having a beer or two. 

In a way, this space became the perfect representation of what remote workers are missing without an office job – a community, colleagues, and somebody to share the burden of work and a smile in between, and at the same time, it also became a place where people come together after work, to play and socialize

So, even though we always suggest colivings to divide the work area from the social area if they can, and especially from the kitchen area, in Eco Isleta’s case – it just works.

Community

And then, we come to the most important part – the community. 

As a smaller coliving, with no host living in the house, the community grows close together pretty quickly. There is a strong family feeling, but not from the cliche “we are a family” perspective, but from the perspective of a real raw family.

When you’re in the house, you can be yourself, show your good and bad sides, be transparent and honest, and not pretend. You will meet your colivers as they are, and accept them, and you will build relationships with them that are unique to the two of you. No relationship will be the same, but still, you will all be a community. 

Outside of the house, in the sea of digital nomads, you will enjoy and meet hundreds of new people, but you will always know you have your nucelous community to come back to. You will always have somebody to go back home with or at least somebody you know you will see in the morning. 

Eco Isleta creates a very unique community that grows on you very fast and makes it much harder to leave it behind. 

As a coliver, you will probably rely a lot on this internal community, but through the coliving, you will also meet a much bigger community of remote workers and locals. How?

Well, Jonatan and his wife Rita care a lot about the community that surrounds them. They find it extremely important to connect the locals with digital nomads and see their coliving space as a tool or an environment where these valuable connections can spark. 

They use their coliving as a platform to introduce digital nomads to the local side of the city and the locals to the beauties that digital nomads bring with them. Let’s see how they do that.

Eco Isleta Weekly Events

One of the ways Jonatan and Rita use coliving to connect the local community and digital nomads is the weekly activities that happen in the coliving. 

They organize a variety of activities and events all focused on promoting the island, the city, Canarian culture, healthy lifestyle, cultural and language exchange, and, in the end, the importance of community and social connections.

Some of the events they organize are structured language exchange evenings, where the locals practice speaking in English and the foreigners speak in Spanish; family dinners with locally sourced, traditional, or international food, food workshops where they teach foreigners how to make that local food, educational workshops such as SEO seminars we held, or sustainability seminars they had in the past. 

In many of these activities and events, they collaborate with other local businesses such as a vegan restaurant or a local bakery, so with that collaboration, they can offer an amazing event to digital nomads while supporting a local SBO. 

These events are almost always open to all who are interested and posted in the biggest Slack group of digital nomads in Las Palmas – Live It Up Las Palmas, so very often, a lot of people show up. Some days, there are as few as 10 people, and others as many as 25-30.

What is impressive is that besides managing the coliving space, taking care of their family, and running an Eco Store, Jonatan, and Rita organize these events completely by themselves – preparing it all without any external support. Rita cooks the dinners and holds food workshops, and Jontatan facilitates the language and education workshops. 

This only shows how dedicated they are to the cause and how much they care for the value they offer, which is also something that elevates the colivings experience.

Local Contribution

Lastly, besides the events happening in the coliving, Jonatan and Rita also find opportunities to contribute to the local neighborhood. 

There are often different collaborations between the coliving and local businesses outside the coliving, such as free tours of the neigborhood or contributing to the local youth.

While we were in Eco Isleta, we had the opportunity to be a part of one of such initiatives. We went to the local high school and had a conversation with two classes about remote work and work opportunities in general, helping the kids understand their potential and talking about modern skills and where they can start to explore to learn these skills to set a better future for themselves. 

This was not the first nor the last visit to a high school organized by Eco Isleta, and it is certainly not the only initiative of this kind for the neighborhood because this is the true value and vision behind the Eco Isleta brand.

After a month and a half

A month and a half has passed. At the same time, we feel it flew by quickly and, that it was as long as a lifetime. All in all, we are extremely grateful for this experience and for meeting Jonatan, Rita, their kids, their coliving, and their neighborhood. 

We are leaving with great admiration towards their dedication and we’re excited to see what big things they will do next.

All we can say in the end is “Thank you, Eco Isleta, for showing us the real face of La Isleta, and teaching us what love of your neighborhood really means”. 

Hope to see you soon!

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Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

EcoIsleta Coliving – Sustainable Community in the Digital Nomad Center of Gran Canaria

• ByMarko
• May 23, 2023

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2023: #9 Eco Isleta: Sustainable Coliving Community in Las Palmas appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.