In fact, even a year ago they were living in San Jose, the capital city in Costa Rica, where they were on-track for lucrative careers in law and architecture, respectively. However, their soul-sapping corporate cubicle life further pushed them to the Less Than Zero life on the weekends, and soon they were depressed, despondent, and self-medicated with the prospect of spending their next 30 or 40 years that way.
 
So, Val and Lupe chose the road less traveled, deciding to move to the beach in Tamarindo, which is about five hours away from San Jose but may as well be another planet in terms of the pace, vibe, and the pura vida, or pure life.
 
It was anything but easy: the Covid pandemic essentially shut down Costa Rica from tourism for about seven months, but at least they were living a life of purpose and passion now. Finally, after months of struggle and hard work, they grew their Tierra Bendita Café, which means sacred or holy ground in Spanish. That’s an apropo term for the place that both saved their lives and serves as the center of community life in Tamarindo for so many (me included).
 
We talked about all of that when we sat down at Lizard Lounge recently, my favorite bar in Tamarindo, with the mic rolling and margaritas flowing. Over our nearly two-hour conversation, Val, Lupe and I covered the story of their move to Tamarindo, the build-up of their café against all odds, dealing with mental health, chasing their dreams, sacrificing everything to live an authentic life, and much more. 
 
These sisters couldn’t be more different in terms of personality, but I like and respect both of them a little more every single time we talk and the closer we become.
 
Enjoy this part 1 of my conversation with Val and Lupe, and I’ll bring you the (slightly more inebriated) part 2 very soon. (And shout-out to Wes at Lizard Lounge for hosting us and always being a stand-up dude!)
 
 ***
You can follow the sisters and their café life at @tierrabendita.cr on Instagram, 
and give some love to Lizard Lounge at @lizardloungecr

Thanks for listening! 

-Norm  :-)
 

About The Ronin Years:
 
After graduating from The Young Lions program, Judd Reid set his heart on traveling the world, teaching what he learned during his 1,000 days of training in Japan.
 
As a personal student of Sosai Mas Oyama, Judd knew it was his duty to carry on his teacher’s legacy and share his wisdom.
 
From Sweden to Thailand, Australia to the United States, and many countries in between, Judd explores the world like a Ronin of old, or a Samurai without a master. He bounces at a Tokyo nightclub, trains Thai SWAT forces, and later becomes heavyweight champion as well as completing the legendary 100-man kumite.
 
Through it all, his best friend Anton Cavka was there to share in the adventures and document it all, putting together an award-winning film, the 100-Man Fight. But Judd's world is turned upside down by an unexpected tragedy.
 
Picking up the pieces, Judd finally finds peace and happiness, honoring Sosai Oyama's life's work while finally opening his own Kyokushin Karate dojo back home in Melbourne, Australia. 
 
If you liked Judd Reid's first book, The Young Lions, The Ronin Years is a must-read!
 
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telling everyone that they needed to evacuate immediately because the Americans were ready to bomb the city (which was untrue). They mandated that every single person exit the city immediately, leaving their homes and cars and all of their belongings. The Khmer Rouge promised that it would only be a few days until everyone could come back, but that was not true, of course.
 
Once outside the city, people were forcibly separated – families broken up - and shipped off to work camps throughout the country. Those who resisted were murdered on the spot.
 
At these camps, people were starved and worked to death, tortured frequently and often killed arbitrarily. 
 
Sitha was in a camp, too, and saw his three brothers killed, his mother barely spared. But survive he did, until late 1978/early 1979 when the Vietnamese army stormed the country and forced the Khmer Rouge to flee to the jungles in the north.
 
Whoever was left may have been alive, but they did not much left, as a whole series of generations lost their family, property, history, culture, and faith in humanity.
 
In the midst of the 1980s when Cambodian society started to crawl out the darkness, Sitha picked up the pieces and managed to obtain a college education in Phnom Penh. He met his wife, Sreymom, while teaching English, and together they looked to the future.
 
With a whole nation of impoverished orphans, there were plenty of children who needed help, so Sitha and Sreymom took in a few children for what was supposed to only be a week or two but became permanent. They traveled to the city of Siem Reap in the north and volunteered for a charitable organization and realized it was their life’s work to take care of Cambodia’s unwanted children, helping their nation heal.
 
Soon, they took in more children. And more. And then officially formed The Childrens Improvement Organization (or Organisation, the British spelling) orphanage.
 
They moved the budding family to a plot of land and several rudimentary structures they rented from a Taiwanese company, and that’s where I connected with them back in 2015 when I was living in Cambodia. Through a total random happenstance, I was met Sitha and helped place two orphan sisters, Jenny and Jenna, at the Childrens Improvement Center, or CIO.
 
Over the years, I’ve visited Sitha, Sreymom, the kids, and the orphanage many times, and helped support them with my own humble donations and also raising awareness. Thanks to the benevolence of strangers, Sitha and Sreymom managed to buy property of their own, building a nice complex that is perfect for the 35 children they now care for.
 
From narrowly avoiding a certain death under the Cambodian genocide to a flourishing charity that’s changing so many young lives, Sitha gives us hope that one person can make a difference in this world.
 
In this podcast, Sitha tells his story.
 
-Norm Schriever

Amy’s resume is quite impressive, as she was sponsored by Adidas for many years and grew a small boxing empire in Korea for women who wanted to better themselves. She’s started philanthropic endeavors in the Philippines like the Lil Sisters Project and the Empowered Clubhouse for women, as well as launching several clothing brands revolving around athletic gear.
 
But before she was “Dead Aim Amy,” Amy Berezowski grew up outside of Toronto to a working class, cookie cutter family. However, once she went off on her own, she definitely knew the grittier side of life, from homelessness to being attacked by a bartender at the club where she worked, leading her to take up boxing for the first time. 
 
After knowing Amy for several years now and conducting this revealing interview, I can see that boxing is just the vehicle she uses to support, empower, and help the women and girls whose lives she wants to impact. 
 
That is her legacy, even more than lacing up the gloves and duking it out.
 
Enjoy this interview with Dead Aim Amy and thanks for subscribing to the podcast!
 
-Norm Schriever  :-)

​I met Karl totally randomly at a taco joint while living in the Philippines, as he and his lovely wife was in Clark, Pampanga to check out a gig by our good friend, DJ Mark Afrika. They all were incredibly nice and we kept in touch. I even got to attend one of Karl’s PBA playoff games, in which he played really well (and shook his defender so bad at one point that the guy crumbled to the floor!). 
 
In this podcast interview, Karl Dehesa talks about his roots, what drives him to be great, adjusting to life in the Philippines, and what it’s like to play pro ball in that chaotic (but fun) country. He shares a few Manny Pacquiao stories, and we even delve into racism against Asian players in basketball (and life), a topic that’s relevant now thanks to Jeremy Lin. 
 
Karl also predicts who will be the first ever native-born Filipino to make the NBA! 
 
Enjoy this podcast with the nothing-but-net, always on-point Karl Dehesa and thanks for subscribing.

***
​-Norm :-)
 
P.S. You can follow Karl on Instagram at @kd.align