Welcome to Barabor, a word meaning 'together' in Konkani, and one of the latest additions to Goa's growing co-working community. Taking up space in Betim, a small fishing village just across the Mandovi river from Panjim, in a beautifully restored ancestral home with the vision "to collectively create a thriving community of entrepreneurs and freelancers, in the pursuit of work-life integration."
We took the opportunity to check the place out on one of their open office days back in April and were very pleased by what we found. A clean, stylish shared office space that is both intimate and profession. It has all the aesthetic charm of your favourite art cafe without the worry that you'll over stay your welcome. All the perks of an established co-working office without the drawbacks of feeling you're in a large institution or campus. For the solo professional or digital nomad looking for a quiet and productive space for a days work in Goa, or for a longer term dedicated desk, it provides the perfect balance between social, and not too social.
The founder, an equally well put together women named Liesel, decided to open the space when looking for an office to house her own wedding planning business, Knotted Up Weddings. The empty family home of her husband seemed the logical option and yet the house seemed far too large to occupy on her own. And thus, long story short, Barabor was born.
To reach the office one can either take left once over the bridge (old not new) on the way to Porvorim, down the hill looping back towards the water. Or better yet, take a quick free ferry ride across the Mandovi from Panjim to Betim where you'll turn right once onto the main road. The house is hard to miss with its brightly painted entrance, a combination of a black & white geometrical pattern and bright blue murals. One might say the house stands out a tad from it's surroundings. The road itself undergoing endless renovations due to the newly constructed bridge over head. Yet once you've step into the space, you'll forget there was ever any dust or construction on the way at all.
A day's work at Barabor costs as little as 400Rs and gives you access to a comfortable seat in their open office space with high speed wifi, endless tea, coffee and use of their common kitchen and beautiful outdoor spaces.
For those looking for a more permanent setup, Barabor offers the following monthly memberships:
Flexible Desk - 4,000Rs / month
Dedicated Desk - 5,000Rs / month
Private Studio (up to 5 members) - 15,000Rs / month
Barabor also organizes regular events, workshops and social gatherings within their space with the aims to create connections and build a strong community around their work. All of which you'll have discounted or free access to as a member and stay up to date with by tuning into their facebook page. Past events include a live music gig with the folks at So Far Sounds Goa, various yoga classes, along with creative and professional skills development workshops. For as mentioned above, Barabor's vision is to create a space that promotes and supports a positive work-life balance and this comes across in their offerings. Demonstrating a clear understanding and appreciation for the value of daily life, rather than the unhealthy expectations of the daily grind.
Photos courtesy Barabor's Facebook page
While visiting Barabor, we also met fellow co-worker Vishal. Creator of Blueberry Trails, a custom travel planning service for those who might be looking to get out of Goa. Vishal had recently shifted operations from Mumbai to Goa, and was now working several days a week from a standing desk at Barabor. He spoke of how much he appreciated the space and found it much more accommodating and in tune with his working style than some of the other co-working spaces in Goa. Vishal had started out working from cafes upon arrival but recognised a major improvement in his productivity since taking up a membership.
So what are you waiting for, go check them out!
Barabor Co-working | Betim
Website: https://www.barabor.com
For inquiries please call: +91 9769062699
Email: baraborgoa@gmail.com