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I hope the following true story inspires you. Take your time with it… |
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“the impossible made possible.” |
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If led by my fears and anxieties, I had no business heading to Costa Rica with a dream in January 2025. |
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My vision is and was to build a life at the pace of wellness, splitting my time between the US and someplace warm and friendly. A place where I could launch my biggest farm yet, commune with the land, and create a retreat space for folx to reset and be rejuvenated along with me.
I wasn’t sure of anything.
But I had a lil savings, lots of fear and anxiety, and even more courage and faith.
And I went. |
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What I didn’t know is that within months, my dream would come true and I would make new family. |
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meet Floribel and Rodrigo |
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When we met in January 2025, I was one of the hundreds of AirBnBers who stay in their bungalows at Blessed House annually. |
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Blessed House bungalow reviews on AirBnB. | Story within a story: I wasn’t even supposed to be at Blessed House. I paid a whole month in advance to stay someplace 1 hour away. But the hosts were so shady, I left within 24 hours. Prayers, intuition and great AirBnb reviews led me to Blessed House. |
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Blessed House, a Black-owned haven immersed in acres of nature, was a labor of love for Flori and Rodrigo. They started from pure jungle mountain and turned it into this: |
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Within weeks, somehow, our hearts connected with one another. One moment, I’m dream-catching solo. The next, I’m being invited to breakfast, to lunch, to dinner, to their San José home, to this and that part of Costa Rica — to meet this and that person, to learn more about Costa Rica’s Black history.
What?! |
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A glimpse of the community I’ve been blessed with since the start of the year. |
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Now, I’m a New Yorker at heart, so I said yes to the invites…but I watched them. Closely. 😂 |
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And what I saw was unbelievable:
Everywhere we went, Rodrigo had complete strangers flocking to him. Turns out this man is famous for his legendary career as a futbol (soccer) player turned coach. He led the Costa Rican team to the Olympics and the World Cup. Plus, he worked for FIFA for nearly 20 years.
All while being a proud Black Costa Rican from the most marginalized part of the country.
What?!
The impossible made possible. |
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Listen. I know nothing about futbol (soccer) other than get the ball in the basket 😂. But, the amount of accolades Rodrigo has is incredible even to me! | Story within a story: Rodrigo led Costa Rica in an historic win against the USA and all of Costa Rica was on fire! A major publication ran a campaign “Si Podemos” (English: “Yes, we can!”, bottom left) featuring Rodrigo.
Even the campaign won a national award. |
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Then there is Floribel (whom I affectionately call “Mami Flori”).
She is a Grand Dame — the kind of Black woman who commands respect and love wherever she goes, because she’s so generous, outgoing, and hardworking.
The oldest of her siblings, Flori faced the kind of challenges young that could stunt most of us… but by the grace she persisted and flourished.
The impossible made possible. |
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Realized I don’t have any pictures of Mami Flori without me in it! We be runnin the Costa Rica skreets - L to R: at the Puerto Viejo Day of Black People parade, on one of the many beaches near Blessed House, in the capital. |
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One evening, I took the leap.
These are the kind of people that people who don’t trust — trust. From business advice to community issues, their counsel was sought everywhere.
So, I invited them to my bungalow and walked them through my 1 year, 3 year, 5 year plan… on sticky notes. 😂 |
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The life changing meeting. |
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They listened intently, feverishly taking notes. They didn’t crack nan one smile. For reasons I can’t quite explain, I was sick with anxiety. Sick! Ya heard me? But I persisted.
Then they responded,
“You can do all of that, Flo. Here in Costa Rica or wherever you decide. We see your spirit and the work you’ve done. It can happen. But before you spend your lil’ (#noshade #butalltheshade 😂) savings:
Why don’t you experiment with your first international farm here a Blessed House? Look at all of our land. Find a plot of our land you love and start. Why don’t you do your first retreat(s) here? We love hosting retreats at Blessed House. We will charge you, but it will be something fair — a rate that honors the land and your purpose here. What do you say?”
WHAT?! |
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I was in such a daze, I didn’t respond to their offer for a week. I literally had to ask God to help me receive the blessing and say yes because…
WHAT?!?!?!?! |
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but i took the leap and said yes. |
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And that’s how DBW has come to have our first retreat in Costa Rica on the land of my Black Costa Rican family: Flori & Rodrigo at Blessed House.
Impossible made possible.
In community. |
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From DBW’s best friend Brandi (left), to DBW’s nationally renown Chef E (right), to our Costa Rican hosts Flori & Rodrigo — we are putting our foot into this experience. |
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This retreat is the living, breathing embodiment of everything DBW stands for — connection, healing, and dreaming in community.
If your heart’s tugging at you reading this, that’s your invitation.
Come join us February 8 – 13, 2026.
If you like, you can pay over time with Klarna 💚
And if this isn’t your season to travel, we understand. Stay close. What we’re building — retreats, membership, and more — is meant for you too. |
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