My Elbow Room!
Space is so important.  Especially when you come back tired from a long day out running, jumping and god-knows-what-else.  For me, I only want a place (cum space) where I can truly unwind.  Off with the shoes, switch on some jazz, shrug off the sweaty clothes.  Zone out. 

Here's a photojournal of my humble abode--the 15m2 space I've been trying to make home:

The things I like most about my room: 1) The relatively high ceilings 2) The big, beautiful windows, looking out to green boughs.  In the first few nights I was here, the weather was good enough to sleep with the windows open.  I woke up to cool morning air and the sounds of birds chirping just outside!

On another note, cleaning ladies come to make the beds for all rooms in the Residencia Mondays to Saturdays.  They also sweep and mop the room, but obviously, the job is hardly thorough.

Good cupboard space, floor to ceiling shelves.  What's not so cool though is that the doors clack against the wood and because the walls are so thin, I can hear my neighbour's.!

 

Paraphernalia.  Thank God the room comes with a fridge--I keep my stash of huevos (Spanish for eggs) here, among other items like red wine and crackers (holy communion), carrots, orange juice and wholemeal bread.

 

 My desk.  Two computers.  The one on the right is the residencia computer with incredibly fast internet but disappointingly slow ram.  Pictures above desk remind me of home--and more importantly, that I'm not alone in this tennis endeavour.  In the words of my older sister, to a certain extent, it makes things easier because it forces me to realise (esp. when I feel down) that there are a ton of people back home who care and support me, and want to see me succeed... :)

This computer gives me access to cameras located around the residence.  In many senses, it is a like a panopticon, and many a time, I feel like a voyeur!  But it helps lah, especially keeping tabs on the kids.

When I first got this room, it was fitted with horrible florescent lighting.  It reminded me too much of the squalid hdb conditions so remniscent in depressing Eric Khoo movies. I got two lamps into the room, fitted them with warm bulbs, and they basically constitute my entire lighting system now. 

On another note, room in the evenings is always treated to breathtaking sunset sky.  You can't really see it much in this picture, because of the lights, but there it is.  The trees block out the actual sunset, but the sky is always tinged with brilliant shades of purple, pink, lavender, or even red.  Quite literally, what a palette to play with... :)