Spaces and the weekly rhythm at Rooral influences how you feel and act. They are designed to help you become part of the village as soon as possible.

Everything is planned on purpose to make visitors feel like locals fast. Here's how it starts with spaces: our coliving isn't one big building. Instead, we use 5 houses spread out across Benarrabá. The coworking space is in a different building. This setup is like pollination. You walk the streets every day for food, work or exercise. You bump into neighbors, say hi, share a smile or story. It mixes us naturally, building easy real ties.

Now, the week has its own smart flow, made to match village life.

• Sunday (relax day): Arrive calm. Unpack, walk slow, breathe mountain air, eat paella in the bar. No rush or work.
• Monday (work start): Dive into jobs fresh. Hold a family meeting: sip coffee, plan the week together. What to do, who needs help, fun ideas to do.
• Tuesday (mayor's welcome): Meet Silvestre, our mayor. He gives an official hello, shares village tips, asks you what made you join the pueblo, and makes you feel at home.
• Wednesday & Thursday (activities): Hands-on fun. Workshops like making cheese, picking olives, learning from grandmas. Easy to connect with locals.
• Friday (bar night): Head to the local bar for dinner. Eat tapas, drink, laugh with folks like Paco or Irene. And perhaps you end up dancing or staying late.
• Saturday (excursion day): Explore. Hikes to rivers, hills, or other villages. Adventure calls.

Then Sunday rolls around again, keeping the loop. We use a shared calendar to schedule and organize.

Another layer of the local rhythm: gifting culture in Benarrabá

At Rooral, we live by the village's easy rhythm and its natural way of sharing gifts.

Think back. Growing up, gifts were for big days like birthdays or Christmas. But in Benarrabá, it's different. Anytime sharing that feels like family.

One afternoon, I saw neighbor Antonia sewing a hat for her great-grandkid on the street. "Beautiful work," I said. She smiled, said "Wait," and ran home. Back she came with a green handmade hat: "For you." It took her weeks. Unique stitches, so cozy. I had one already, but she did not allow me to return it. That sparked something: I gifted mangoes from our Thailand trip.

Suddenly, a chain happened: she gave me a handmade bag; we gifted her tasty chickpeas; she brought plums from her garden; we baked a cake with them. It didn't stop. And this happened also with other locals: Secun, Porti, Silvestre the mayor, Irene, Manuel, Monica, Paco. Fruits, veggies, crafts from their hands or land, never about price. Neighbors just share what they have, building that "we're in this together" feel.

This gifting attitude changes you. You feel a warm glow inside. More kind, open, calm. We tune into Pueblo rhythm. No rush, the flow of nature, siestas, chats. Giving back often, we become part of the village heartbeat.

Author: Juan Barbed (Rooral)