I'm writing from a village near Covilhã, in Portugal. I joined a community where I've been living for the past 3 months. It's been quite an experience, with many good things, but also some challenges. After returning from India, the idea of experiencing community life was already becoming quite strong, but I wasn't finding the right opportunities - or at least, that's what I believed. Back in July, I joined a community in the Algarve. I went there without any expectations regarding how long I would stay, but I was open to staying long-term if I found it to be a good experience. I ended up staying for only 3 weeks. I met wonderful people, mainly fellow volunteers, but also a few members of the staff. However, I couldn't see myself staying there long-term, for a few reasons: 1. It didn't feel like a proper community. The volunteers lived in a separate wooden house, in dormitories, and had to cook for themselves. The staff had their own private rooms in a separ...