In Melbourne, home has always been with my family. I’ve never been without a ‘base’. But now, as an international student, I’ve learned a bit about what it feels like to be groundless. There is a sense of temporariness. Every time I want to buy something, I think about how I’m going to get it back to Melbourne or if I would sell it when I leave. I make do with imperfect systems, like limited banking abilities. I don’t file my paperwork properly. I have fewer haircuts. I’ve put my dancing on hold. Everything is on pause.
The worst of it has been my living space. My room was like a hostel room: bare, characterless, functional. Why spend the money and time, just to take it all down when I leave in six months? It’s quite a rational line of thought, isn’t it? But I underestimated the psychological discomfort of living no man’s land.
I’ve visited other people’s rooms. They have flags, posters, drapes, ornaments, rugs… The decorated rooms felt more home-like. Someone lived there.
On the weekend, I chose 45 of my favourite photos from my time in Cambridge so far and got them printed through Photobox. The photos arrived on Monday and at 1 AM, I was still happily sticking photos all over the walls of my room with Blu Tack. It’s made a huge difference. I feel like my room is a home now.
I know that feeling. I felt the same when I was still renting. I kept thinking that I should wait until I get my place before I buy anything. Oh gawd! The frustration!
Welcome to my world. Though, admittedly, I’ve got enough non-generic possessions scattered around my room that I don’t particularly need photos or posters to make it feel less like an institution (cello, beanbag, rubix cubes…)
I totally agree about renting. That’s how I’ve been for the last two years. I’ve been waiting to buy a CD tower and a clothes rack for two years…
I’ve had to make an A1 scientific poster about the lifecycle design of a lightbulb (I, of course, chose the topic after hearing that Australia is banning the bulb). It was quite exciting to see it printed out. I paid lots of money to get two copies of it, one to hand in and one to blu tac to my bedroom wall.
So, was it pretty straight frward through photobox? What am I doing? Im in a mall in the Philippines…contemplating looking up photobox now. In truth, this is the first time I’ve had from months to read your bloga (and others) and stuff like that….although it’s not the usual way to spend away time. Hitting the road/air tomorrow to go a favourite beach down south, can’t wait. your 6 months in ruight? Congratulations, has gone fast hasn’t it. Will we be seeing you in another 6 then CocoJo?