Someone asked me why I named this blog The Ivy Vines, to them the thought of an aggressive plant that grows on tree seem parasitical. Truth to be told the reason why I choose this name was because of the characteristic of the plant, it grows as high as it could symbolising the room we-as a human being-have to keep improving ourselves. It manages to grow even in the hardest environment. Albeit Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy) is poisonous, I can assure you most ivy is not.

These days I recalled the first time I had to really live on my own, away from home, in a country that was foreign in both its law and culture for me. One of the hardest thing that I had to go through was having to adapt to new standards-much higher than ones I have encountered. I was so scared and intimidated to study in a place where everyone else was incredibly smart in their own ways. Instead of believing in myself, I let that fear steer me at first when I was there. I was harder on myself. It took a few trials and errors for me to relinquished that fear and started to feel alright. At some point I even compared my process with others, I started highlighting my weakness with a red marker inside my head, convincing myself that they were more capable than I was. But it all changed when a friend kindly told me that we all are growing, improving, and learning at our own pace. From then on I stopped comparing my journey to others, because I do know that we each have a different pace.

Ivies could outgrow a tree and the tree would still grow on its own. 

Don't compare: your journey is your own.