THE KEY IS SELF DISCIPLINE

Educational excellence exists in the process of learning as much as in the results. The engagement that marks excellence involves curiosity about the world, clear thinking with values, and character that keeps you anchored in the world. Every person is capable of this excellence.

FOR SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS.

Fragment (Km 40) Cesar Ortiz

After 35 years of active Karate I want to tell you my experiences and what makes me happy.

The professional activity, that passionate me most, what I mostly love, what I share every day and made me travel in the whole world, is my Karate life.

Here is how it began:

With more or less nine years of age, I started to practice Karate. Thanks to the invitation of my good friend Esteban Cuevas, I just entered the dojo and knew that this is my place to be. It was not so easy to make my family understand but with the help of my Uncle Julio Cesar I entered the training the next Monday. Just one week later I started at a competition within the dojo and I won! Being in a competition passioned me and changed my life.

I still remember like it was yesterday, my best companion an competitor Roberto Godoy and his brother Fernando, my friends of a lifetime and competitions the Paredes brothers, Estuardito and Esteban in Kata, monday, wednesday and friday afternoons, all competitions of my childhood in Guatemala city in the weekends, memories just unforgettable and till today present.

With 14 years, I was sign on in a higher lever category that I had and was injured. This competition was seen by one of the great Karate Teachers that I know, Herik Bie, he talked to my Karate teacher, explaining him, that he did not do the right thing to inscribe me higher than able, and he invited me to practice in his Dojo. When I got to his Dojo I felt like being in Japan, in a Japanese Dojo. All painted in white and the atmosphere full of positive energy where Bushido was the lay of his teaching. Gechukai. There it was, where I learned about Karate Do Shotokan. HERE IT WAS WERE I KNEW MY GOOD TEAMMATES and friends of a lifetime Andreas Cruz, his brother Bryan Cruz, Dunkan Talome, Rudy Soto, Jose Quiroa, Rudy Navas. Those are my teammates who in the moments of Karate helped me to be the Cesar Ortiz of today. Teacher of Karate Do

At the Dojo of Arturo Armas in zone 5 of Guatemala City, were I classified for the Pan-American Shito Ryu and months later there I was, sitting in a bus bringing me up north, 24 hours travel to Puebla Mexico. 64 Dollars was the price for this trip and it was hard work to convince my Family that I need to go. But no matter, I was sure to be there. In my head, my thoughts, my whole being, I knew that this competition was to be mine. And thats how it came. We were put into houses of other Karatekas. Me and my companion, I´m sorry having forgotten his name, were put together with two Mexican-Japanese students in Puebla Mexico, that really knew how to live the luxuries of Mexico. We had a great time. Apart of this our training two times a day. This marked my live. The competition came and there came the GOLD medal. It was there were everything started. I don´t forget the moment coming to Guatemala City and my cousin having forgotten to tell my Aunt that I had to be picked up. There I was alone in the Bus station of the Guatema City. Mexico was my first country to visit, the first travel ever and ist was fantastic.

Thank you my friends

There are so many memories, Anecdotes and stories, so many experiences, competitions, tears and laughter, hours of training

Karate is my life

And this was a small part of the beginning of my life of what it became today.

I am Karate Do

The most fascinating for me is being able to share all this with my daughter Moana who is growing up in the Karate Do life.

Thanks to:

Ian Sensei, Jackie Moos, Henrik Bie, Francisco Lou, Jose Miralles, Vladimir Cancio, Walter Meneses.