Leaving the City for Home

A friend asked us to share the story of our cozy house in Điện Phương, hoping it might inspire others. So here it is:

At the end of 2019, right around Lunar New Year, both of us—the founders of ToAM—were hospitalized at the same time. We were discharged earlier than expected, also at the same time, as news of the “Wuhan” virus spread across Vietnamese social media, bringing with it a flood of political, social, and economic information, along with various “conspiracy theories”… With a problem-solving mindset and the top priority of “protecting our two little seedlings,” we decided to buy land and build a home on the outskirts of Hội An, with just 9 million VND in hand.

During those first days of nationwide lockdown, our small family of four drove around in our little car, searching for land on the edges of Hội An—looking for a quiet place where we wouldn’t disturb anyone and no one would disturb us. After driving around for a week regardless of sun or rain, we finally stopped, took a breath, closed our eyes to feel the air, and found ourselves on a plot with a view of the rice paddies in Điện Phương. The exact day we signed the deposit was quite memorable. The café was closed due to the policy banning gatherings of more than 20 people, yet the transaction was signed. While waiting for the land title to be separated, we found ways to earn enough to pay for the nearly 100m² plot, priced at 560 million VND before taxes, within 3 months. At the same time, we planned carefully to ensure construction costs would remain manageable after the pandemic.

In early May, we began construction, and by early September, it was complete. The construction process was truly a beautiful time. While everyone else had to stay home due to social distancing, our team—the two of us and 7 workers and helpers—had work to do, watching two seasons of rice planting and harvesting, sharing meals together on site. The result was truly satisfying—a house, a home was born. A place to heal spiritual wounds had materialized in our hearts and minds. Days of peaceful living began. We learned to appreciate life more each morning, each evening, each moment… Now, after 5 years of building our lives here, we’ve moved to Hội An for our children’s schooling, and this cozy green house continues its mission. We welcome our first guests from all over the world—people who share the same energy, who love nature and appreciate down-to-earth connections. The positive feedback from Jessica in Australia, from Igor in Russia; the bookings on the waiting list before previous guests even leave… all of this brings us immense happiness. That’s why we named it “The House Amidst the Fields – Where Peaceful Dreams Take Root.”

We believe that everyone eventually needs a place to pause. And where there are rice paddies, afternoon sunlight, and a small kitchen—that’s where you can truly begin again. If you’ve ever dreamed of a place like this—find a way to make it happen.