Who in the World Norm Schriever

Do you have a good friend; someone who you consider yourself close to and who is impactful on your life, although you’ve never actually met them in person? For me, that person is Ian, who I was connected with a long time ago based on a mutual friend and wild life events (long story). 

For years now, Ian and I have chatted on Facebook and got to know each other, getting to know about each other’s lives, families, aspirations, and even supporting our favorite charities back and forth. 

So, it was a great pleasure to finally get Ian on the podcast. 

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Ian is living a full, rich, and rewarding life despite being diagnosed with FHS - a rare degenerative and incurable disease - as a child. Now in his 50s, Ian talks about how gratitude changed his life, his love of music, why his family saved, him and the legacy of good vibes he’s giving the world.

Enjoy this chat with my friend, Ian!

When I first moved to Sacramento in 2003, I literally knew no one in the city. Eager to make friends and expand my circle with positive, impactful people, I started volunteering and attending charity events. It paid off with lifelong friends and connections, such as with the guests on the Who in the World podcast today, Sharon Gerber Scherer and Rob Scherer.
To me, they stood ten feet tall – they were well-accomplished in business, revered in the community, and incredibly well connected. What’s more, they were achieving their success by helping others – what a win-win! 
It was a eureka moment for me to witness them in action and even stand in their shadow.
Over the years there, we all became friends, as I enjoyed supporting their fundraisers and charitable projects, they always came to my humble functions, and I even got to dog sit their four-legged baby. Cabo, when they were out of town.
Now, we all have moved on from Sacramento (although the 916 will always hold a special place in our hearts). Sharon and Rob live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where they are a shining example of how to move abroad, how to reinvent yourself, and how to live a well-balanced life of fun and service.
So, I hope you enjoy this Sunday morning, tequila sunrise podcast chat with the people I’m still honored to know and call friends all of these years later, Sharon and Rob.
Oh, and Cabo, too!
Your buddy,
Norm :-) 

In this episode #32 of the Who in the World Podcast, I have the pleasure of introducing you to ML, one of the most amazing human beings I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. 

I first met ML in Sacramento, Ca when we had both newly moved there in the 2000s, her from NYC where she was an actress and arts promoter for 7 years, and me from CT. Upon being introduced by a mutual friend, we became homies instantly, and shared a common vision for community, networking, empowering the arts scene in Sactown, and generally encouraging a higher vibration for all of those around us. 

 In fact, there’s no one I know who loves, supports, & encourages the arts more than ML and, by her side, I’ve experienced art gallery showings, concerts, video shoots, yoga, meditation, all-bodies yoga, fundraisers, and rollerskating topless waitresses. 

 It’s no wonder why I call her my “soul sister!”

 But ML is also one of the kindest, caring, and accepting people I’ve ever known, and I deeply respect both her and her husband, Pete. I love the journey she’s on – always evolving and growing while empowering others to do the same – and I’ll always be her #1 fan! 

 So, enjoy this chat with ML and I’m glad you’ll get to know here as I have through this podcast!

In this episode #31 of the Who in the World Podcast, I share part two of my conversation with Kay Kay, live from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

I was able to travel back to Cambodia last year – one of my favorite countries on earth and I place I lived for a few years – and had the chance to visit Kay Kay at his home for a few beers and a deep conversation about his life.

For those who didn’t get to listen to part one of our talk yet, you can listen here:

And in this part two, we start off when Kay Kay was being bounced around immigration jails in the U.S. until he was deported back to Cambodia, a country he wasn’t born in (Kay Kay was born in a refugee camp in Thailand like so many others), had never visited, knew very few people, and only spoke a little of the language.

Through his monumental struggles in his new homeland of Cambodia, Kay Kay soon adapted and found his footing by serving others, acting as a mentor and educator for poor street kids who had no other role models or opportunities.

Soon after, Tiny Toones was born, Kay Kay’s non-profit organization that helps poor, disenfranchised, and at-risk kids with education, life skills, and basic care through breakdancing, rapping, graffiti art, and other endeavors.

You can check out more about Tiny Toones and make a donation at www.tinytoones.org

And thanks for listening and sharing some time with my friend, Kay Kay!

In this episode, I travel back to Phnom Penh, Cambodia – one of my favorite places in the world – and sit down with my friend Kay Kay.

Kay Kay is one of the “Deportees,” those Cambodian nationals who grew up in the U.S. but were later deported back to Cambodia, to a country and even language they didn’t know. Raised in California in a poor neighborhood amid crime, drugs, and gangs, Kay Kay was more about the breakdancing and graffiti tagging life.

However, he did fall victim to the streets and ended up spending multiple bids in prison and then immigration jail. After years of incarceration in the U.S. system, he was shackled on an airplane and deported to Cambodia.

It’s there that Kay Kay’s true journey starts, as he soon helping poor street kids who had no one else, and then taking them in. He first taught them his break dancing skills, and then offered life guidance and mentorship.

The movement grew and eventually became Tiny Toones, an international non-profit that’s still in existence today after nearly two decades, offering formal education, life skills, and even job placement.

According to their website, “Our mission is to provide a safe, positive environment for at‐risk youth to channel their energy and creativity into the arts and education, empowering them to build self‐confidence in their daily lives, aim for better employment possibilities, and feel supported pursuing their dreams.”

Kay Kay still runs Tiny Toones all of these years later, making it his life’s mission to save kids from the same gangs, streets, and temptations that almost claimed his life.

Enjoy this part 1 of my conversation with Kay Kay and feel free to check out Tiny Toones and make a humble donation at: www.tinytoones.org

-Norm  :-)

In this podcast, I catch up with my old friend Mounika, who tells me about her trip of a lifetime to Japan.

I was friends with Mounika and her husband Rohit back when I lived in Sacramento and became good friends with them towards the tail end of my stay there before leaving to live abroad in 2011.

Last year, Mounika invited me to speak via video chat to a club with some of her girl friends from India to California. I talked about my adventures, went over a few stories from the books I’ve written about them, and my life as an expat now.

Well, Mounika took my words of words of motivation to heart and planned her own life-changing journey – to Japan!

What makes this odyssey so incredible is that Mounika visited the land of the rising sun solo, and it was her very first time traveling except for her home nations!

Even more incredibly, Mounika’s father just passed away before her whirlwind trip, so she flew back to India to honor and bury her father, with all of the emotions and turmoil that brought, and then right on to Japan from there.

Join me in chatting with Mounika about how she overcame her fears, her impressions of Japan, the serendipitous experiences she had, and the wonderful people she met (not to mention all of the great food!).

Discover what she found on the trip of a lifetime on this very heartfelt and human podcast!

-Norm 🎙️🌏