Author: Rebekka Lien

I’m a clinical trial recruiter and life coach

How To Look Like A Teacher When You Look 14

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hi Friends!

First off, I want to thank you for following my blog! It means a LOT to me, especially since I’m going to publish a book soon (just have to write it since I have no idea what to write about specifically). THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for listening to me talk. I got 49 followers on July 7! Must be my lucky day.

Second, today’s topic is: How To Look Like A Teacher When You Look 14!

If you are young hearted, you probably do look 14 anyways. I look 14 without makeup and the appropriate teacher clothes. Since I am going to teach a sewing camp this week, I wanted to give YOU some tips on how you can look like a teacher.

1. Wear makeup– I surely am a feminist, woman’s rights kind of girl, but without makeup I look 12 sometimes. There were times my 12 year old students had makeup on and actually looked older than me. Yah, kids grow up fast these days.

2. Wear some kind of flowy, business-like shirt– because they don’t wrinkle. When your shirt wrinkle, you are telling the world you don’t know what you’re sayin’. Your students can’t help but stare at the wrinkles.

3. Don’t look confused– yes, don’t look confused. Look like you know what you’re talking about. This is very important, even if you forget something- have the “I know what I’m doing” look. Otherwise, you lose legitimacy right away!

4. Do know you are the teacher, even if the students are older than you- Unfortunately, ageism DOES occur. At first, older students who can be my mom’s age will ask me where the REAL teacher is, or they’ll give me a skeptics’ look. Don’t be afraid. Speak with authority….and

5. Finally, TAKE THINGS LIGHTLY- The great thing about teaching is that you are THERE TO CONNECT with your students, not to just look like a teacher. Thus, whatever age you are, it’s best to know what kind of life your students live, what they like, what justin bieber songs they listen to, and who they are crushing on on tv. It’s better that you’re cool with them, then they are bored by you. That’s my advice anyway.

Most students love me because I like to connect on their level and I believe, treating students like human beings makes all the difference. DUH! Woohoo!

What do you do to look like a teacher?? Comments very welcome!

What Would You Do If TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY LIVING?

On By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Yesterday I had this huge huge awakening. Something in my mind clicked after watching my Korean drama. I was so wooed by the romance in the drama that I thought to myself, why am I wooed by a drama, and not by life? Why am I not living out how I want to live?

Then I started journaling. I wrote an entry on why I am awesome (you should do that as well, it made me cry).

An excerpt of what I wrote: “I am awesome because I am extremely intelligent. I am beautiful, smart and wise. I am hardworking, creative and unique. I have a mind of my own and a heart of gold because I care for the poor and the oppressed. I’m funny, joyful and optimistic. I don’t let hardships get to me, even when they come, I persevere”.

WHY ARE YOU AWESOME? Write it down and you’ll be surprised how happy you’ll be.

Then I wrote WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY LIVING?:

1. Apologize to anyone I ever hurt

2. Forgive everyone who’s hurt me

3. Smile more, laugh more

4. Take things lightly

5. Talk to family, appreciate them

6. Appreciate my friends and bf

7. Go outside more, watch the sunrise, go to the beach, enjoy nature

8. Say what’s on my heart and be thankful because this day IS A GIFT.

Most of us live life like it’s going to last forever. In fact, I do believe our souls live for eternity. However, our lifetime on earth is short. Recently, I realized how much had taken life for granted. I was complaining, discontent, mad that I had to go through so much longsuffering to become a successful artist. I was mad that I had taken such a unconvenient path, not knowing exactly where my money was coming from, living an unstable life…comparing myself mostly, and not ACCEPTING MY GIFT AND DESTINY.

Then I went for a walk. I became thankful for nature, for the silverlake reservoir, for all my friends and family that have been through EVERYTHING with me. I had so many breakdowns, I can’t remember how many times my friends have comforted me. I remember how money showed up in weird places, how my boyfriend took care of me when I was sick, how my mom cooked for me when I was broke, and the list goes on.

I’m truly thankful and I want to live each day like it’s my last, without grudges, being thankful ALWAYS.

What would YOU DO if TODAY was your last day living? (comment below)

Would you dance like no one is watching? Karaoke at the top of your lungs cuz you don’t give a shi#!?

Art Night Sale & BRAND NEW NEVER RELEASED ART!

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

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If you live in the LA area, come out tomorrow or Saturday to see loads of original art. Not only can you buy your own piece of art, you can meet the artist too! (such as me).

For those that don’t live in Los Angeles – you can buy your own print of my art below!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/rebekkalien

For a beautiful and original piece of art, you only pay $15 and up. Purchase a $1 frame and voila, you got a beautiful wall art!

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$20 for an original art print

I have also been working on creating HANDMADE JEWELRY!

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Contact me if you are interested in the jewelry, I am selling them at the ART SHOW first.

Otherwise, visit my STORE for delectables! http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com

 

TV Children

On By Rebekka LienIn poetry, psychology, self- reflectionLeave a comment

1992- drew this when I was 4

They call us, tv children.

Changelings, sitting in front of TV’s, alone, doing homework, but not.

Changelings are little creatures, they hide under tables and play with barbies until they hear footsteps coming home.

We hear screaming and shouting, throwing of things, we learn to adapt like aliens.

We, like wallpapers, we like transformers. We learn to sing when there is only silence.

We recognize each other because we have no home, not an earthly one. We learned to make do, learned to see flowers when there was only blood and chaos.

Unicorns, monsters, purple and pink rabbits. We have seen it all. We have seen angry people, monstrously sad ones, scars on wrists and crushed plush toys.

TV children have learned to overcome, they are stronger than most and live in your neighborhood. They appear normal, but they are really part of my clan. Reclaiming the little girl and boy inside each of us.

 

Manifesting Reality With Your Mind

On By Rebekka LienIn faithLeave a comment

(A flower that my friend gave me, it was a confirmation from God that it’s a season of getting pampered!)

Whatever you focus on, whatever you spend your energy on- that is what will manifest.

If you watch Law and Order or CSI, you’ll hear the word “pre-meditation”. If you have a lot of anger towards someone, if you are not careful, you may go to prison. I know I’m being a bit drastic, but it is important to know the POWER OF YOUR MIND. Likewise, if you think positive thoughts, positive outcomes will manifest.

It Is ALL About FAITH

What do I mean by that? Did you ever hear someone say “I have faith in you” and didn’t that spur you on to do great things, to accomplish things you never thought you could?

There were many times I wanted to give up “self-employment”. I am currently 24 years old, after working full time for 9 months and suffering from backache, I decided to let go of security. The last year I have probably gone through the most dramatic times of my life. I’ll be celebrating my one year anniversary of liberation in July.

However, it was NOT easy. Probably the most SCARY things happened when I let go of security. Days before my bills were due, I still had no idea where the money was going to come from. BUT SOMEONE, MANY PEOPLE had faith in me. 

Faith isn’t this empty, abstract idea. Faith is believing in someone, in yourself, in your friends, it’s believing that YOUR mind is powerful, that if you allow your mind and heart to believe something will come true, it mostly likely will. Of course, it’s not believing in empty air. It is believing that SINCE you have seen miracles happen before, that it will also continue to happen.

Faith is believing in the good in people, thus attracting the good out of you as well. You DON’T have to be a victim to your circumstances, you can BELIEVE and manifest a good life.

What are some things that you have manifested in your life just by believing? And what are some things that you hope to manifest in the next month?

Comment below & I would be so appreciative if you could share this with your friends (repost through Facebook, email, twitter)! 

Post Travel Syndrome

On By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

For the past week and a half, I kept wondering what was so different about South America and United States. Finally, the word came to me “sterile”. Compared to days I spent dancing in Rio, my days in the US seems so sterile, so apart from bacteria, so safe, so clean, too clean, too safe.

Of course there are misconceptions of what Brazil is like. Not everyone is good looking, not everyone is the hot brown bod gentleman or lady. There are some seriously creepy men and the beaches are beautiful, but they are parts that aren’t that clean. Sanitary-wise, they don’t use disposable toilet seat covers and not everyone is that friendly.

Having said that, South America just seems so much more alive than the “to-the point” productive society that is LA. I’m trying really hard to analyze what is different and how I can transfer some of my travel lifestyle into my everyday life.

Some changes I am making:

1. Broaden my circle of friends: attend networking events, join groups, go to various demographic bars/clubs, events.

2. Go out more: in general, go out more…

3. Travel. Period. Sorry, I don’t think I can ever be normal again, travel just makes you weird. You just don’t think the same. You talk to strangers and want to be friends with people really unlike you and you get tired of the same environment. You get tired of the same demographic, the same roads, the same culture…

If you have any tips, help a sister out.

Dancing in Rio

 

Kicking Some Unwanted Balls & Throwing Up Cherries

On By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

At the Books Hostel in Rio

I woke up at 5 am today, 4 hours jet-lagged. My computer had crashed last night, so any attempts of writing, contacting potential clients, or any type of freelance search was out the door.

To add, after drinking milk and tea, I felt nauseated. Then I threw up in a public bathroom. Cherries literally included, not on top, but in it.

I asked god why I always had to go through with things like this. Why can’t I just adjust back to life like normal people? Why can’t I be normal enough to have a normal job waiting for me?

Then I’m reminded that I’m supposed to LET GO.

This is a lesson that will take a long time to learn. Especially when the facts in your life don’t seem so stable, a little discouraging at best. Especially when you find yourself comparing yourself to other normal people who don’t go off for a month and experience the most life changing shit ever.

By the way, I’m quitting alcohol for a month. Please keep me accountable. I need to cleanse my body from travel bugs, literally.

I guess it’s easy to be negative, but I’ll try to be positive. I woke up with the most amazing travel story idea. I’m going to write about Traveling Solo As An Asian Woman- Not Your Typical Travel Story. I’ll also write about harassment I experienced being an Asian woman in South America. Scandalous enough for an article, scandalous enough for people to be intrigued. It’s not your typical story. Yet, at the end, coming out a wiser person, knowing how to avoid nasty stares, avoid forced kisses, avoid and kick some unwanted balls.

I didn’t really have an easy life growing up. But it has made me who I am today, I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for the hardships. But guess what, I think it’s time I became gloriously awesome and fought for as a speaker, teacher and consultant. Even if I don’t feel like it right now, especially since I threw up just now.

Since I can’t pitch stories to publications because my hard drive just crashed, I’ll wait for the universe to pamper and flourish me, according to the right time. Meanwhile, sitting at the Apple Store, I’ll finish this blog post with some pictures that could erase the image of me throwing up cherries. 😉

Support me by receiving 30% off all purchases (code: summer)- http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com

Guess what, you are part of the universe that is sustaining this blog!

Some exclusive graffiti from Rio, Brazil.

Traveling Messes You Up

On By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

On the beautiful Ipanema Beach. There are some big butts there, seriously.

I’m sitting on my couch, enjoying the stillness and quiet of my house. The leaves are orange and yellow, the sun rays reflected on the wooden floors, I’m back in LA. It all went by so fast. After a crazy week in Rio, Brazil- I woke up after a 6 hour bus ride from Rio to Sao Paulo. I was the last person on the bus because I barely slept at all in Rio. I had $49 in my account, plus bills to pay, but memories I will never forget. Travel really messes you up.

Big time.

My brain still feels overloaded with smells, pictures, flashes of dancing on the streets of Rio, holding my dress and spinning in circles. I remember conversations, people from all over the world- England, Uruguay, China, Switzerland, Austria, New York, the list goes on. I think of the fuzzy dogs that my host family had, getting lost and listening to the voice within, buses, strangers, lots of strangers. In fact, before my trip to South America, I did not know a single person that I was going to meet. Now that I’m back in LA, I am close friends with at least 15-20 people. Friends that I can message and stay with all over the world.

It’s a bit difficult to squish my trip all into one summary.

So for this post, I want to tell you about what I learned.

I learned that despite being alone at times, we are never alone. The world is full of strangers turned friends. In my quest to see Marco, my sponsored boy, I saw that 3rd world countries are happier than we imagine them to be. In fact, I can say that despite everything Americans have, we seem to pop more anti-depressants than the kids running around without shoes on.

I always wondered why I had the desire to live simply, yet loved the world of fashion and glam. I wondered why I loved the idea of free swag, high heels, makeup and gratis but also the idea of living out of a backpack and being anonymous.

Now I understand. Perhaps, my goal in life isn’t just to help the poor…perhaps it is to help the rich let go of security and stability to live the life they want. In Ecuador, I visited the jungle and saw communities drinking out of rivers. Yet, their simple lives caused them to appreciate people and relationships. In contrast, in America, we are constantly bombarded by material things and status. We are constantly virtually contacting people, but never for the simplicity of enjoying the moment.

I met foreigners who wanted to volunteer in Ecuador, and now I realize, these 3rd world country kids should teach us 1st world folks how to live and love. Going to South America taught me the hospitality of a stranger. Strangers took time out of their day to help me, they literally laughed and smiled for no reason, they were open to you, not closed off or busy.

Brazilians seriously know how to party. This is something we can learn from. I am a different person from last month. For days I didn’t look at a phone or know what time it was, but the natural inclination of what I felt enabled me to live according to my inner self, the people around me, and free myself from time constraints.

The more I travel, the more strangers I meet, the more my craving to be alive and to break out of social constraints increase. We don’t have to be slaves to society, we can be trailblazers, we can still live the life we want when we’re all grown up. I can’t say I have it all figured out, because even now I don’t know where my next paycheck is coming from…but I have experienced it all, I really do live in faith knowing I’m not crazy, but destined for greatness. 

After arriving in Rio after a 6 hour bus ride sleeping sitting up, 2 hours trying to find the hostel, I met these 3 friends. I must have been crazy because I decided to hike 2.5 hours to see the Christo. Midway, I stopped several times to hear the quietness of the forest. I had come to Brazil to be still. This was it. After half- dying, hearing the pounding of my heart and running up to the Christo, I started screaming JESUS I’M HERE.

The Christo was startling, beautiful. I was sad to see he didnt have eye pupils. It just shows that statues can’t represent anyone.

Jesus I made it! I climb 2 hours to see you.

Watching the sunset in Rio @ the Christo

 

How It Feels To be White In A Foreign Country

On By Rebekka LienIn Music, travelLeave a comment

Hi friends,

You must be wondering how I am faring in a foreign country such as Brazil? Well, I now understand how it feels to be white.

Now, I have lots of white friends. I never knew how it felt to be white and always took pity on friends when they looked at me quizzically when my mom or relatives would speak mandarin. Jesting about the gringo is common; though the white friends can´t understand it. Of course, I have Indian friends too, but it just feels way different being white.

In Brazil, hardly anyone speaks English. According to my newly adopted Brazilian brother, you only learn vocabularies such as “dog” and “cat” in school. Thus, my Portuenglish is often returned with a empty look “what the hell are you saying? Are you from outerspace?”.

And of course, “JAPONAISE” is the common comment about my race. If anyone says I´m Japanese again, I will seriously choke the life out of them. I said, “I´m from LA but I´m Taiwanese”. “Thailandness?”- they reply.

OMG. Stab me!!

Thus, this is how it feels to be a multi-cultural, tri-cultural German born Taiwanese American. How does this relate to being white? Well, I often see my white friends have these typical quizzical looks when a restaurant worker or some non-english person would say something.

Now, I see it in the mirror. I, myself, carry a constant quizzical mask. The mask says “what the hell are you saying?”

It is in South America that I finally realized, “dayam…I´m American and I´m proud of it. Yes, I´m a confused American that happens to be Taiwanese and was born in Germany, but I´m still American in culture. I love my ghetto personality.”

ABOUT BRAZIL: 

I am going to miss Brazil because the people are incredibly warm. They are naturally positive, they smile and laugh for no reason. Well, reasons I can´t understand. They are laid back and can take hours to get out the door, but they enjoy relationships and talking. I have learned a lot from Ecuador and Brazil, the people are SO unlike Americans. They live simply, save and recycle, and they seem a lot more content than…well, me. So this is what I´ve learned from them- relaxe and enjoy the sun.

 

South America: Finding Home in Brazil

On By Rebekka LienIn travel2 Comments

Yes, that is my name on a towel. This is my first time couchsurfing and I was a little hesitant, but the family has been incredibly nice. They have one dog and two cats, the dog is named “Maggie” and has two poofy hairdo´s on the side of its head.

I now have complete access to internet, it`s incredible. After a horrible experience dying from food poisoning in Ecuador, I had to fly back to Quito and then to Brazil. Yesterday was a full day of flying, and my stomach was aching so bad. But thank God, today I feel great and I´ve learned a few Portugeuse words…unfortunately, with a Brazilian computer, I can´t spell check my English.

Small note of gratefulness: I had thrown away my crappy towel in Ecuador because I didn´t want to carry too much. On the way to the house, I asked my friend if they had an extra towel. When I got to there, they told me to look in the bathroom….voila- a new towel with my name on it. This may be a small surprise, but to me I knew that god had provided one with my very name on it. He sure takes care of His kids.

Everytime I look at the picture I am reminded that I have a home here in Brazil. I´ve been looking into a lot of travel writing sites, am trying to stop myself from compulsive workaholic behavior and not submit while I´m here. I know that I have something lined up in the states, there´s no human explanation, but my friend said that I´ll be working one on one with people, some kind of consulting work.

After going to the jungle, meeting Marco and working with the kids, I had 3 days. Even though, I didn´t have the money, I knew I had to go to the Galapagos Island because when would I return to Ecuador again? I put it on credit (yes, I know, not too smart, but somtimes  you have to sacrifice, plus it´s not like I have college loans) and flew there. I got sick the second day, wabam, diarrhea and vomit galore. I was praying my ass off (to put it nicely) and tons of people were back home to support me. But I felt completely alone and vulnerable.

As a 3rd world country, Ecuador sure had awesome hospitals. As a foreigner, I got to see the nurse for free and only had to pay 21 bucks for medication. They stabbed my arm with a vaccination shot and gave me some acid eating medicine. Wow, if I was in America, I would be screwed over with tons of bills.

Some pictures while I was still alive:

Galapagos

Turtoise

No I´m not in Taiwan, but there´s a street like the night market. There I met a Taiwanese, no kidding, straight from Taiwan. It felt good to talk in Mandarin because I had been speaking really bad Spanglish for 10 days.

I will expand on more when I return to the states. More posts to come!! And do keep the comments coming!! I love them! God bless!

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