I’ve been absent from this blog for a while. I could tell a hundred reasons why it’s been too long: my oil painting project’s incredibly stressful, my academic’s been driving me crazy. I felt overwhelmed by both simultaneously, but I’ve come to realize that things come and go, and I must move forward.

 

A significant event in the last two months was an unexpected and concerning weight loss of five kilograms. I felt emotionally drained and lost interest in everything, including my studies. I simply wished for 2024 to end quickly because I couldn’t cope with the negativity surrounding me.

 

That was the brief intro, let’s delve right into the main story I wanted to tell.

December 28th was my grandmother’s birthday – a special occasion for me as she is one of the most important people in my life. Typically, my mother and uncle handled the birthday preparations, but as a sixteen-year-old with a “more mature perspective”, I felt compelled to do something special for her as a means of appreciation. I visited a bakery to buy a large birthday cake for her 70th birthday and also bought her a small bouquet of flowers. We enjoyed a warm dinner, followed by a surprise: my sisters sang while I presented her with the cake. My grandma was so happy, and the experience brought immense joy and fulfillment to all of us.

I’ve noticed that recent Phouries contents have primarily focused on my personal feelings about life rather than on Hanoi, as they used to. I will try harder to share more about Hanoi and its unique charm.

In the meantime, I’ve included a short video below capturing my grandmother’s birthday celebration. I hope you find it lovely :3