Convivio: a co-working in Oaxaca (Mexico) with a Wi-Fi at the top!
After almost 6 months of traveling across America (outside Canada and the USA) and juggling between Wifi, mobile connections and other phone solutions, the logistics of the job are starting to weigh me down.
As you know (or not), we prefer to work in our home. That’s why we carefully choose our Airbnb to have an acceptable working space and try to get information about the speed of the internet connection. We were quite confident when we arrived in our accommodation in Oaxaca because the owner had been able to answer us: 30 Mb / s which is much better than what we are used to.
Weary, we discover an intermittent connection, slower than expected and moreover, shared with other homes.
In addition to that, our house lacks light, which isn’t very pleasant.
To be digital nomad is to adapt, so I’m looking for a co-working nearby. Luckily, we find one just 3 minutes walk from our home. The Convivio co-working.
An internet connection at the top
I went to Convivio for the first time just to see the place and do a Speedtest.
And what a surprise!
191 MB/s download. 208 Mb/s in upload. 4 ms ping. That’s great!
Frankly, I don’t even remember ever having such a good connection anywhere in the world (maybe Japan, but not even sure).
The workspace
Coworking Convivio has about 20 work stations. It’s never completely full but there are still people, arrive in the morning if you want to be able to choose your place. All the more so as some people “reserve” their place when they arrive and leave their belongings even if they are away for several hours.
Workstation ergonomics are average. The chairs are basic, the large central table is a little too high. It passes but don’t expect ergonomic seats.
Two large windows offer a lot of light which is very pleasant
Electrical outlets are plentiful, all workstations have an accessible one, no fight in sight.
The coworking is located on the 1st floor, above a bar / café that plays music in the afternoon. It can be heard a little bit upstairs, it isn’t particularly annoying except for calls (see below)
What is most missing is space to make calls. There is a small space in a corner that has been set aside for this but without sound insulation and potentially squatted all day by the same person. So people make their calls in an open space. I don’t like it, but it seems to be accepted and doesn’t worry anyone.
However, the place isn’t very well adapted, the windows look out on the road and the passage of cars creates a noise that can be heard on the phone (I have been remarked). The same goes for the music in the bar.
Water and coffee are available free of charge throughout the day.
The occupants
Oaxaca is a well-known spot for digital nomadism and it is clearly the main clientele of this coworking
Not a single room on the horizon. Macs and nexstands are on almost every table. You can guess a translator with her screen split in two Word windows, the developer with his Sublime Text, … the very classic 😀
We meet the same faces every day, so it is quite possible to create relationships if you want to socialize 😀
Schedules
Convivio is open from 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday.
Starting my days early enough to be in communication with France, I would have appreciated a more early opening.
The prices
Consult the Convivio website for up-to-date rates.
In January 2020, 4 formulas were proposed:
- A day pass at 200 MXN
- 10 passes to be consumed over 30 days at 900 MXN
- 15 passes to be consumed over 30 days at 1 200 MXN
- One month unlimited pass at 1 750 MXN
For my part, I took the formula of 15 passes.
Note that the bar below the coworking area benefits from the same Wifi and also has tables adapted to work. It can be an alternative to work there punctually for a consumption. On the other hand the space is much noisier because of the music.
