this is my first blog, and I hope you’ll like it. for more photos, please visit here.
i grew up in a small town in Vietnam’s central highlands, where not many people, even Vietnamese, know about this province. turning 18, i made a big decision in my life-to study abroad. at first glance, studying in another country sounds easy – just move all the luggage with a couple of pairs of shoes, some favorite t-shirts, and two pairs of jeans to another place. but at a second, third, and fourth glance, it’s a different story. maybe a difficult story.
when all the documents went through—visa accepted, flight ticket booked—it was time to find the place i’d call home. my agency sent me a list of available rooms. these rooms were near the school, supermarkets, and convenience stores, these rooms are shared with other school alums, these rooms seem lovely. but, these rooms were not affordable for my little wallet. i had imagined how great it’d be to call these rooms mine, but deep down, i felt guilty as i never spent lots of time there. and then, forgot the list, i tried to find a room on my own.
it’s like a parking lot battle. either you lucked out and found a good spot just a few steps from the entrance, or you might have space, but it’s far away. either way, you’ll have a spot for your car. rental is the same. and guess what? i ended up choosing a room nearly 2 hours from school – three buses and a 30-minute skytrain ride – every single day.
there was nothing special about this room when i first moved in. just four walls, plain white IKEA furniture, and a single bed. but now, as i prepare to leave, i realize how much it has become a part of me.
my cozy room.
my cozy room is filled with white—white table, a white bed, a white chair, a white racket, and even the white light. i hate white light because i feel like it makes the room look like in a hospital. but somehow, white overall makes the whole feel so peaceful and modern. over time, my tote bag collection found a home here, hanging on the rack, growing heavier with each passing day. I’m a tote-bag-girl—of course, I have more than 20. my mom always complains about why i keep buying more. some were gifts from my dad. he loves Miniso, so naturally, he once brought me back a leather Miniso tote from a business trip-simple, timeless. others hold memories with my friends from our trips together, reminding me of the great times we had. And then there are some from my landlord, who knows me so well that every time they travel, they bring one back for me.
my cozy room saw me at my most exhausted in the morning, and my most hardworking late at night. yes, i’m a truly night owl. it’d been with me numerous milestones. the first graded assignment, my first online uni class, the first email i ever sent to apply for a job.
on my wall, i created a “motivational corner”—a collage of sticky notes with reminders to keep going. 10-15 of them, stuck in every corner of the room, whispering encouragement: if you want it, work for it. a few steps are better than no steps. perfect things never come from a comfort zone.
my room is always covered in paintings—not because i’m good at drawing, but because i love the way art transforms a space. my sketches are abstract, messy, imperfect, but i keep them on my walls anyway. they make that space feel like mine. Check out my pieces here if you want to see how weird my drawings are!
and my cozy room has everyone. when I say that, i mean it. my wall is covered with photos of my parents, my bro, and my friends – they are amazing and they know that i miss them a lot. having their pictures on my wall, on my frame is a kind of mental support, that i know i’m never truly alone. no matter how far i am, i have people who support me, who are with me through every struggle, success, and even failure.
and my cozy room saw me smiling, laughing, and crying. no matter what my emotions was, it sees all of them, and i hope it can hide them from everyone. just me, and this room.
soon, i’ll be packing up and leaving this cozy room behind. but no matter where i go next, my cozy room will always be a part of me.
and this cozy room always belongs to the cozy home—my second home.