solo travelled to 2 new countries
got proposed to
got engaged before the proposal (iconic lolll)
visited japan twice in a year
completed my master’s straight A+
girls trip to Phuket xx
ended my long distance and officially moved in together
bought a mortgage with the loml (and being in debt XD)
quit my job in vietnam
experienced unemployment
found new opportunities
building my new life in London
made new friends
made shepherds pie and gammon like a British
was granted a fellowship in the US (although I’ll have to pass it)
spent way too much on matcha and matcha accessories
drank responsibly, no blackout
2025 was remarkable in many ways. I wish I could say no regrets and I did my best. But I didn’t. I’m always the loudest supporter and praiser for others, yet weirdly harsh on myself behind the scenes.
Givin’ me some credits, as I listed out all the highlights, it’s kinda wild how much I did. Growth looks messy, but it still counts, I think.
Happy New Year, folks. I’ve got a feeling 2026’s gonna be wholesome.
Fun fact: The first time Li popped the question was 2yrs+ ago, in my car, right before heading to the airport to fly back London. It was too soon for that and I honestly think he was joking. But one thing I did know since day 1 we met: we shared a connection so rare, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. Back then, we didn’t have it all figured out. We didn’t know if this relationship would survive the distance, the time zones, the uncertainty. But we knew we’d regret it if we didn’t try.
Deep down, we both know what a journey this has been. All the struggles, the fights, the moments that nearly broke us. There were times I truly didn’t think I could keep our long-distance love going. But this man was always there, willing to talk things through, to face the hard stuff together, and I’m always grateful for that.
Interestingly, most things in our relationship seem to happen out of order.
For some reasons, we had our engagement ceremony with our loved ones in Hanoi earlier this year, even though Li hadn’t actually gotten down on one knee yet. So no, I wasn’t expecting a “real” proposal. And yet…
Okinawa, 17th June 2025
It turns out none of this was a coincidence.
Not the fact that we’re going to Japan twice this year.
Not the fact that he meticulously planned every detail of this trip, especially this one specific day.
Not the fact that he asked me to wear white for some nice photos during sunset.
And definitely not the fact that he ran to Don Quijote at midnight to buy a brand new iron… just to make sure his shirt was perfectly crisp for the moment he asked again.
So yes, it finally happened. And somehow, even after everything, he still managed to surprise me.
Soon, Mr. & Mrs. Dinhđź’Ť
P/S: I’ll be forever obsessing over my ring. He just knows I’m a marquise girly🥹✨
bali: swim, drink, dance and repeat 🍸
my second time traveling alone, met loads of new cool people, got sunburned in the tropical weather, tried ice bath and red light therapy for the first time. although bali waves are not for beginners, and traffic is so damn bad, i enjoyed it big time xx
