To protect herself and those around her during the complicated Covid-19 pandemic, with rapidly increasing infection cases, one of the most important actions is to strictly observe quarantine. Most international students have to do this for 14 days in a quarantine camp.
It may sound a bit difficult, but many international students have embraced this time with an extremely relaxed mindset, making everything much brighter. Many have called on friends and fellow countrymen to voluntarily pay for their meals and accommodation during these 14 days; donate essentials or simply share optimistic and adorable stories.
Recently, netizens were envious of the chill lifestyle of a female international student from the UK in the quarantine area. As soon as she got her room, Bùi Phương Linh immediately jumped in to clean up and transformed the place into a tidy and clean space. Touched by the staff’s dedication, she and her roommates donated food and snacks to the staff there.

When she first entered quarantine, she also faced many unfamiliarities while getting used to it. Some corners of the room were a bit dusty because they had not been cleaned yet, or she encountered issues with time zone differences while studying online. However, having prepared her spirit and a detailed quarantine plan, Phương Linh was determined to post her quarantine diary online for everyone to see what civilized quarantine looks like.
Phương Linh shared: “I am very grateful to the staff here, so I always feel the need to clean my corner of the room. I often clean, scrub the communal bathroom, or help distribute meals to the staff. Occasionally, my roommates and I also contribute food and snacks for the staff here. The quarantine conditions may not be like outside, but this is the effort of many people. The cleaning supplies here are insufficient, so we can only make do with what is available.”
After quarantine, Phương Linh feels she has matured a lot: “I have been trained and changed my habits, balanced many things, and listened to everyone’s stories. No matter where you are, adapting and accepting is always important. The quarantine area may not be like outside, but I knew in advance about the quarantine process when returning home; what more can I ask? What I care about is that I have been taken care of attentively for the past 14 days; I am really grateful to everyone.”
Although the quarantine conditions may not be like outside, for Phương Linh, this is still the safest and most comfortable quarantine place.
It is known that Phương Linh is currently studying for her Master’s degree at Coventry University (London). In early March, universities began to close and switch to online learning. Realizing that the city could become chaotic and many flights would be canceled, Phương Linh, like many other international students, decided to return home.
Knowing in advance that she would have to be quarantined upon returning home, she gradually prepared herself for this. “When at the airport, I had already prepared myself for quarantine; however, some friends were not fully informed, so they were a bit worried. It took about 6-7 hours from the moment of entry to the quarantine area, and the weather was quite hot, coupled with a long journey, so everyone was exhausted.”
Although initially a bit apprehensive, she stated that this is something she must do: “Most people think that I, as a young person, don’t fear the virus, but when I get sick or have symptoms, I start to be really scared. Overall, going into concentrated quarantine has its benefits; it doesn’t affect the family and I received care for 14 days, so I feel very assured. The pandemic situation is complicated, and no matter how well you ensure your health, no one can be 100% sure of safety.”
