Teen Book Review: Saved By Her Enemy

This is not the typical teen book we’ve reviewed at Girls With Dreams before. In fact, Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak’s heroic true story, Saved By Her Enemy, is not one you’ll find in the teen section, but it is definitely worth checking out.

Especially if you are someone who loves suspense, politics, history, foreign affairs, or maybe you’ve just wondered what it might be like to grow up as a teen girl in another country, you will love this book. When I started reading it I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I could hardly put it down. Saved By Her Enemy will touch you in unexpected ways. I know it did for me.

As a child and a teenager can you imagine what it would be like to live with bombs going off around you, to have very different rules when it comes to boys, and to not have much access to the internet? These are just a few of the ways Rafraf’s (a young Iraqi woman) life was very different than most American teens.

This true story of journalist Don Teague and his experience in Iraq and the story of Rafraf Barrak and her life in Iraq, her culture, and her eventual coming to America will open your eyes to the events many Americans and Iraqis have endured during the war. It will inspire you and give you a deeper appreciation for our troops, different cultures, and the thousands of heroes that have worked around the globe for peace, from everyday citizens to journalists, to military.

Rafraf is now in her twenties, but in our eyes, she is a true teen hero and inspiration!  You’ll have to read the book to find out why we feel she is so courageous!

If you’ve already read Saved By Her Enemy, or once you do, we’d love to hear what you think!

The GWD Summer Swimsuit Challenge is Back

Last year, we launched the Girls With Dreams Summer Swimsuit Challenge and we liked it so much, we wanted to bring it back this year. The purpose of the challenge is to reject negative fat talk, whether it’s putting ourselves down or talking about other girls. Listen to how it got started and read more about the challenge below!

Every girl, no matter what shape or size, deserves to be confident in her own skin. Here are a few more tips to help you stop second-guessing yourself when you look in the mirror:

-Try to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, not an unrealistic one. Make sure you’re having a healthy mix of fruits and veggies, whole grains, protein, and water. Try to cut back on or eliminate soda as much as possible.
-Look for fun ways to exercise with your friends, such as walking, swimming, or dancing.
-Watch out for negative self-talk. Girls With Dreams has started a Summer Self-Esteem Challenge. We ‘d love for you to join us!
-Be practical. Find a swimsuit that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Just because everyone else is wearing a bikini or some other style doesn’t mean you have to do the same. When you feel good about what you’re wearing, your beauty will shine through.
-Think about when you’ve been proud about your confidence. Remember those times and use them to help pick yourself up when you start feeling down.
-Have other confidence and self-esteem boosting ideas for teens? We’d love to hear them! Send your ideas to info@girlswithdreams.com or post them on our fan page!

Easy Ways Teens Can Eat Healthy

Our group got together recently and was talking about how easy it is to eat junk food, but it’s just as easy to eat healty. Find out easy ways you can feel better, look better, and eat better by changing the way you eat.

Find a Summer Job!

Finding a summer job isn’t always as easy as it seems. Some of the teens on our team already have jobs while others are in the process of finding work, so we thought it would be helpful to share some tips. Hopefully, the tips they’ve learned can help you, too!

Everything You Need to Know About Graduation

Whether you’re preparing to graduate from 8th grade or high school, the advice we’ve gathered will make the transition smoother! Congratulations to the Class of 2010! We know you’re dreaming BIG!

Getting Ready to Graduate?

Plan A Great Graduation Party without Breaking the Bank

Graduation Gifts That Don’t Cost a lot of Green

Graduation Party Games and Ideas

Final Thoughts from a Graduating Senior

How to Plan a Senior Trip

Take a Stand!

I have noticed lately that a lot of my friends are having trouble with their boyfriends. Either rumors are spreading about the guy liking another girl or they’re constantly arguing. I’m not sure about what others think, but these don’t sound like healthy relationships.

If your boyfriend treats you badly or the two of you are always fighting, maybe you should take a break and try something new. Who knows? Maybe the two of you will appreciate each other more. Maybe you’ll decide that it’s best to move on. All I  know is that no girl should get themselves stuck in a relationship that doesn’t make them happy. If you feel like it’s time to move on, be honest with yourself and don’t be afraid to take a stand.

Drop the Technology

I’m sick of hearing, “I found out you and your boyfriend broke up through facebook.”

I am FED UP with technology. I know I’m not the only one in the world who feels like they’re on facebook 24/7. Logging in has become my biggest addiction, so I am now trying to give up facebook for a while. In fact, I’m going to try cutting back on technology in general.

I’m tired of being in class, texting in my purse: “Hey what’s up?” “Nothing, bored… you?” I’m tired of my friends looking down at their phones and texting as I’m trying to talk to them.

Technology has taken over my life! Although technology improves my life by helping me keep in touch with friend I can’t always talk to in person and stay informed with world events, I want to encourage everyone to cut back. Put down your phone and enjoy the summer sun. Hide it if you have to! It’s amazing how much I rely on my phone. I miss it even after a few hours!

Cutting back on technology will also improve your communication skills. Strike up an actual conversation with that person you’re texting in the row next to you. Go a week without facebook and ride your bike instead of watching The Hills all day. It’ll be worth it in the end.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness

I was working at T.J.Maxx the other day, and I was stressed out of my mind. A little kid came up to me and opened his hand to reveal a handful of “keters” (the tabs on hangers that label the size of the garment.) He had been picking these tabs up off of the floor for the past hour while their parents were shopping. My heart sunk because this 5-year-old was trying to make the world better and easier for someone else.

I love the feeling I get when someone thanks me for making their day. I love knowing I can make a difference in someone’s life, even it’s the slightest impact. I know you would change the world if you could.

Here are a few ways to make someone’s day:

Pick a person at random in your phone to text or send an instant message to someone you haven’t talked to in a long time. Tell them they’re an incredible person and you wish you would talk more.

When you’re at a friend’s house, secretly write a note and leave in for them to see often.

Go for a walk with a neighbor or a friend.

Make a mix CD for a close friend or someone who loves music. You could just tell someone a certain song made you think of them.

Write “You are beautiful” on sticky notes and leave them on mirrors in bathrooms and dressing rooms, just like blogger Secret Agent L.

Call your parents to tell them you love them.

Go to a school sporting event, and make a sign for a player who doesn’t get acknowledged as often other players.

Invite someone who’s sitting alone to eat lunch with you.

Let someone out of the parking lot before you or stop to let someone merge into your lane.

Thank a teacher by telling them how much their class means to you.

Bake a surprise treat for someone’s birthday.

Learn a New Language

One of the greatest things I’ve done during my high school career is studied Spanish. I progressed up to Spanish 4, and I wish I could have pursued the language even more. I’m fortunate enough to be Vietnamese, so I get the cultural experience in my daily life at home. I believe knowing Vietnamese and English helped me learn Spanish quickly.

I think it’s fun to learn a language, especially Spanish, French, or Italian. They’re romantic and it’s incredible to say that you can speak more than one language. When you get the chance, you can study abroad and learn more about the culture. You can practice your speaking skills!

A new language is something you can carry with you throughout your entire life, and it’s an impressive skill to have in the job industry.

If you want to start learning a new language, research which languages your school offers. You can check out books from the library, or complete tutorials online. Maybe you have a bilingual friend who can teach you a couple of words a day. I teach one of my friends one Vietnamese word a day, and it’s fun to hear him repeat the words later when I least expect it.

Broaden your horizons! A new language is a new opportunity.

The Last Song

Hannah Montana? Miley Cyrus? Which is it?

This inspirational chick has the best of both worlds. As a Mother’s Day present, I took my mom to see The Last Song. We haven’t been to a movie together since I was 7 years old!

The Last Song was a little cheesy at first, but I know many people (myself included) enjoy cheesy movies. Miley Cyrus performed well during this summer love story. Plus, her male co-star was easy on the eyes! They were adorable together, making me want that type of a close relationship.

I recommend seeing The Last Song, but bring some tissues because there were waterworks in the theatre. I’m glad it was just my mom and me!

Next Page »