Last time I landed in your inbox — way back at the beginning of September — I basically said,

“Guys… I’m out. This is too much. I’m stopping the newsletter.”

And to be honest, that really was where I was at that time.

I had a proper speed wobble.

You know those days where it’s just one thing on top of another on top of another?

Cost of living going up.
Stress going up.
Everything feeling heavier and heavier.
And suddenly you’re spiralling a bit?

Ja. That was me.

So I pulled back from everything — less writing, less community stuff, head down, just trying to get through the day without feeling like I’m going to fall off the bike.

It became, “just survive the week,” not “Think about the Bigger picture.”

Snapping Out of the Speed Wobble

Funny thing is — sometimes you snap out of a wobble because of some random little moment.

The other day I was listening to this guy talk about the future — AI, job markets, massive changes coming, all the doom-and-gloom stuff we all hear every day.

And the interviewer asked him: What advice do you give your kids about the future?

And this oke replies:

And something about that just… clicked.

It made me realise how much time I’d been spending stressing about things I absolutely cannot control.

You know how your mind goes:

• “What if AI takes over all the jobs?”

• “What if the economy crashes?”

• “What if I can’t keep up?”

• “What if this? What if that?”

It’s like a never-ending game of “worst-case scenario bingo.”

But the truth is:

There are a zillion different ways tomorrow could go.

And the odds that I’m going to guess the right one are basically zero.

So what’s the point of sitting here ruining today, trying to predict tomorrow?

That realisation genuinely pulled me out of my wobble — like someone opened the pressure valve and pssshhhht, suddenly I could breathe again.

So Why Am I Back?

Once things started settling in my head again, I realised something important:

I actually missed this.

I missed that feeling of being surrounded — even just digitally — by a lekker South African community that actually gets all my jokes.

I’ve bumped into quite a few Saffas over the last few months — some who supported The Tire Valet, some who said how disappointed they were that we canceled a few of the events, and others who just messaged to check in and say,

“How are you, bud? Hang in there.”

And honestly, that stuff hits you right in the heart.

It reminded me why we started Howzit Canada and the South African Institute of Canada in the first place.

It’s not just about information.

It’s about having a little “third place” — not home, not work — but a space where we can connect, laugh, share stories, and not feel like we’re doing this Canadian immigration thing alone.

So ja… call it a comeback, call it a speed wobble recovery arc, call it missing the people…

But I’m back in your inbox — just in a more relaxed, sustainable, community-led way this time.

Quick Life Update

Before we get into how things are going to work with the newsletter and the community side of things, a lot of people have been asking how things are going… so here’s a quick little update from our side of the world.

🚐 The Tire Valet (TheTireValet.ca)

The big news is that The Tire Valet is officially up and running.

And I’ve got to say — I love working with Connor in the van. It’s great fun.

The two of us have figured out more things about tires, machines, tools, balancing, TPMS… all the stuff I never thought I’d become an expert in. Every week we learn something new, and every week we get a little bit better at this.

And the lekker part?

We’re getting nice and busy.

A bunch of Saffas have already supported us (thank you!), and now that the season is picking up, we’re pretty much flat-out most days.

👉 We are now official tire suppliers.

We buy tires wholesale.

So if any of you Saffas want tires — whether you want us to install them, or you just want to buy them through us and have them delivered to your own shop — give me a shout.

Don’t go through the website — just message me.

I’ll give you cost price, check stock, and help you pick the best tires at the best price.

Nice and simple.

🛒 The South African Shop

To be honest… I was on the brink of shutting down TheSouthAfricanShop.ca as well. I just had too much on my plate.

But Angelique was looking for something to do — something to learn, something to take ownership of — and then I realised:

This is the perfect little business to teach her how things work.

So Angelique has officially taken over the shop.

She’s moved everything back to Shopify to make it more user-friendly, she’s learning how to manage orders, update products, handle customer messages — and she’s genuinely loving it.

And here’s the cool part:

👉 If you live in Vancouver, Angelique will be doing local deliveries.

Order something, and Angelique will rock up at your door — lekker personal touch.

So if you’re thinking of stocking up on some South African treats (especially with Christmas coming up), it would honestly mean a lot if you ran a few orders through the shop.

It helps her see the orders coming in, keeps her motivated, and teaches her the business in a real, hands-on way.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Rest of Life

Belinda is still working hard, Angelique is full-time on her shop project now, and Connor is fast becoming a proper tire guy.

Life is good — busy, but good.

Bringing It All Back (Community, Volunteers & A Fresh Start)

Alright — now let’s talk about the South African Institute of Canada, the Howzit community, and where things are going from here.

First things first… I owe a proper apology.

To everyone who was left hanging when things suddenly went quiet — I’m genuinely sorry.

Whether you were:

• one of the volunteers who put in a lot of work behind the scenes,

• someone who was excited about upcoming events we never got around to promoting,

• one of the people who relied on the community updates,

• or someone who just felt the momentum suddenly disappear…

I really want to acknowledge that.

We didn’t fade out slowly — we kind of just dropped everything. And that’s on me.

When Lois left, we lost the glue that kept the volunteer structure together. And then when my own speed wobble hit, the whole thing just… stalled. Not because people didn’t care, but because I simply didn’t have the capacity to hold it all.

So ja — from my side:

I’m sorry for the sudden stop, and I’m grateful to everyone who stuck around anyway.

But now… it’s time to revive this thing.

And this time, we’re doing it properly — as a community effort.

The truth is, this community doesn’t belong to me.

It belongs to all of us.

The whole point of Howzit Canada and the SA Institute was always to create a little “third place” — a space for South Africans across the country to connect, share, support, and feel at home.

And for that to work, it needs many hands, many ideas, and many people who feel empowered to get involved.

So here’s the new plan:

**More community-driven.

More shared responsibility.
Less pressure on any one person.**
A few people doing small things keeps the whole machine running beautifully.

👋 We Are Looking for Volunteers (Big & Small Roles)

If you want to get involved — even in the tiniest way — here are some of the things we need help with:

🟢 Email Helpers

Check the inboxes for:

• [email protected]

• [email protected]

Reply to simple messages or pass things on. No pressure.

🟢 Social Media Helpers

Keep an eye on:

• Facebook page

• Facebook group

• Instagram

• SA Institute page

• SAFFA Jobs page

Just help keep things active, friendly and tidy.

🟢 Event Scouts

If something is happening in your province — a braai, a market, a meetup, a show — send it through so we can share it.

(We are VERY BC-heavy, so help from other provinces would be amazing.)

🟢 Website Helpers

Update listings, fix details, upload events, etc.

We’ll show you how — it’s much simpler than it sounds.

🟢 Newsletter & Content Helpers

• Write the occasional article

• Share a personal immigration story

• Submit ideas for topics

• Help proofread or gather upcoming events

🟢 Community Ideas People

Even if you don’t want to “volunteer,” we still want your ideas.

If you think something could be done better — or differently — tell us.

We’re keeping this open-ended on purpose.

If you have a skill, or an idea, or a bit of time, or even just willingness — we want you involved.

🙏 A Special Shout-Out

I also want to give a special shout-out to Karmen — she quietly kept the Facebook page and group alive when everything else went quiet. No fanfare, no fuss, just steady support.

Karmen — thank you. Truly.

So… What’s Next?

We’re bringing this community back to life — but this time properly, with structure, with shared effort, and with a group of people who want to be part of something meaningful.

We’ll set up a small volunteer group.

Maybe do a monthly Zoom catch-up for direction.

And take it step by step from there.

If you’re keen to help — in any way, big or small — just hit reply and tell me what you’re interested in.

If you have suggestions — send them.
If you have ideas — send them.
If you just want to say “I’m in” — that’s enough.

We’re building this together.

That’s a Wrap

So ja — that’s us. A little speed wobble, a little regrouping, and now a fresh start with a calmer, more sustainable, more community-driven Howzit Canada.

If you’ve read this far, thank you.
If you’ve supported us through The Tire Valet or Angelique’s shop, thank you.
And if you’re still here in this community after all the ups and downs, thank you — truly.

Now it’s over to you:

👉 If you’d like to get involved in the community — in any way, big or small — just hit reply. Tell me what you’re keen on. Or if you’re not sure, just say “I’m in” and we’ll figure it out together.

👉 If you have ideas, suggestions, or things you’d love to see in the newsletter or on the site — reply. We’re rebuilding this with you, not at you.

👉 And if you just want to say hi — reply. I read every message.

It feels good to be back in your inbox again.

Here’s to building our little South African “third place” in Canada — one story, one connection, one lekker joke at a time.

Chat soon,

Callie