My home here in Can Tho is designed on the principles of Feng shui, a Chinese system of geomancy using the laws of Chinese astronomy and earth to improve one's life by receiving positive energy or "qi."
It is designed as a long boxcar style of home, one room wide, but very deep. I think the wind is supposed to blow through the house from front to back and clean out bad energy. In any case, this style of construction doesn't have good air circulation, and the windows are only in the front and to the courtyard. I tend not to open my back door as the back yard is a paved storage room for the landlords, with a dead tree and lots of junk. In addition, the house next door has been turned into a business for testing the strength of materials, including metal and cement, so they are often sawing or using chemicals in their tests. Phew!
My house came mostly furnished, though I have added to the furnishings. It has hot water in the bathroom (though not much water pressure), air conditioning in the front part of the house, 2 floor fans, and a front garden space that I am filling with small plants. I have 6 Italian basil plants there, waiting for transplanting!
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| My first visit to the house, before the landlady cut down the beautiful pine tree! |
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| My front garden with orchids and mums |
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| Learning to make wire & fabric flowers with my coworker, in the living room |
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| Office/store room/guest room |
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| My bedroom, with hand sewn sheets to fit the bed |
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| Inner Court Yard with Laundry |
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| Phuong, my cleaning lady, in the kitchen |
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| Another view of the kitcehn |
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| Bathroom, with western toilet, tub, and sink! |
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