The boarding house where you "miss it even before you leave".

Ms. Loan, originally from Gia Lai , married and moved to Phu Yen. She's been living in the same apartment complex as my family since her family moved from Gia Lai. After working there for a few years, her husband unfortunately passed away prematurely. After much deliberation, she still chose to stay in the apartment complex instead of returning to her hometown.

After nearly 10 years living in Phu Yen and 20 years working as a preschool teacher, this May she decided to move to Ho Chi Minh City with her younger brother to take care of her older son who is studying at university. She said that she had just returned to Phu Yen, and then her husband passed away. What helped her get through the difficult times was the camaraderie of the women in her apartment complex. However, life and work are currently difficult, and she wants to be closer to her family.

Next door to my apartment was a room occupied by a young couple from Ha Tinh province. The husband was a soldier, so he was away for training and work year-round. When they moved in, their baby wasn't even a year old yet. Although they moved in later, we managed to get through the difficult and stressful days of COVID-19 together. Later, the husband often said, "You were away so much, your wife was in a strange place, and the child was so young. Luckily, you ladies were there, allowing me to focus on my work with peace of mind."

In the apartment complex, the spirit of community is clearly demonstrated through small but meaningful actions. When someone in the neighborhood has a problem, the whole community pitches in to help. From looking after the house and children to lending money, everyone is ready to support each other. Occasionally, on weekends and holidays, the whole neighborhood gathers around the charcoal stove, making Vietnamese pancakes together. Everyone lends a hand: some make the pancakes, some pound the fish sauce, others prepare the fresh vegetables. The sizzling sound of the batter on the hot pan, the fragrant aroma of shrimp, meat, and bean sprouts fills the entire complex.

For the children, the housing complex was not just a place to live, but also a place to grow up and mature, as most of them came here before they were even a year old. They grew up together, played together, and studied together.

After many years of living together and facing many changes, some families decided to move. Some returned to their hometowns, some sought a livelihood elsewhere, and some, after years of saving, finally bought a new house. Even before saying goodbye, everyone felt a pang of sadness, promising to have a big gathering and take lots of photos to preserve the memories, because in the future, being far apart, it would be difficult to see each other again.

No matter where they go, everyone will surely miss the old rooms, the old courtyard, the old faces, and all the happy and sad emotions they shared together. They miss it so much that they already feel nostalgic even before saying goodbye!

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/hon-nhan-gia-dinh/202504/xom-tro-chua-xa-da-nho-38f39eb/