I am a woman reborn-a woman who found new life in words, a survivor who writes to heal, and a mother who believes in the light that never leaves.

For the second chance I live, I define my life to every meaningful purpose.

🌿 About Me

I am Aireen Rivera—a teacher, author, mother, and joyful survivor.

Life has taken me to classrooms and communities across the United States, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Wherever I go, I carry one mission:

to honor stories, nurture human connection, and remind people that there is always a reason to hope.

Six months after arriving in the USA, I received a life-changing diagnosis:

Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.

The world went quiet—

but my spirit said,

Live.

Through every hospital hallway, every quiet night of fear and surrender,

I learned to embrace the beauty of the present moment.

I learned that healing is not just found in medicine—

but in love, faith, generosity, and the choice to keep going.

My story became the heart of my memoir,

The Days I Lived Twice,

a book that holds my rebirth—

how I let suffering teach me compassion,

how I learned to love myself again,

and how a shattered life can still become stunning.

For more than 36 years, I have taught English and inspired learners of every age.

I have trained teachers, built programs, and walked with students who needed more than a lesson—they needed to be seen.

I write stories that come from real moments—

from the chalk-dusted corners of the classroom

to the fragile edges of hospital rooms.

Those memories, lessons, and tender conversations have formed the heart of my teaching and writing.

Today, I continue to create:

✨ Books

✨ Journals & blog reflections

✨ The Survivor’s Chalkboard Podcast

✨ Community-centered learning programs

Every project is rooted in the belief that

our stories—even the painful ones—are sacred.

What I Believe

I believe that:

• kindness saves

• hope can be taught

• education is an act of love

• our scars are not shame—they are testimony

• every person has a story that matters

I live my life with the quiet courage inherited from my Filipino roots,

carrying my father’s gentle reminder

to be humble, grateful, and gracious with every blessing.