Well, the election work is finally behind me—thank goodness! Final count happened yesterday, and the whole thing’s still basically almost a draw with the BC NDP getting exactly 47 seats to give them a majority of 1. Not the best setup for a smooth government, but hey, that’s democracy for you!

Now it’s time to dive back into everything else. And, as luck would have it, I realized with a shock that my winter tires from the old car don’t fit the new one. So now I’m scrambling to find replacements before the trip to the Potjiekos Competition in Vernon. Naturally, it’s a bit of a nightmare—every tire shop I call is either out of stock or booked solid (as usual this time of year). I’ve been calling around, trying to get a guarantee they’ll be ready by November 8th when I need to leave, but no luck so far. And with snow already on the Coquihalla, these winter tires aren’t exactly optional!

So if you have any tire connections let me know…

In This Weeks Newsletter:

• Upcoming Events

• Saffa Spotlight - Barry Scrogie

• Big News: The South African Institute of Canada is Happening!

Upcoming Events:

No new events to add to the list this week, but here’s a quick recap of what’s coming up!

First, don’t forget Vernon’s Potjie Cook-Off on November 9th, sponsored by Netvleish. Liza and Jeffrey Hausberger are hosting it at 2715 Francis St, Vernon—pots go on the fire at 11 AM, and judging starts at 5 PM. With only 25 potjie spots available, it’s filling up fast! If you’re not cooking, come along anyway for a day of tasty potjies, good company, and lekker vibes. It’s BYOB and bring your own chair, so pack accordingly! For more info, click here.

Then there’s the Rugby Internationals—the Springboks are facing off in three big games this month. It all starts on November 10th against Scotland, then England on the 16th, and Wales on the 23rd. Catch the action live at Dublin Calling in Vancouver with us, and join the fun cheering on the Boks!

And lastly, the South African Film Festival is on from November 7th to the 17th. It’s a virtual film festival, so you can enjoy amazing South African films from home. Check out the festival’s program here for all the details.

Know of any other events or favorite spots to watch the rugby? Let me know so we can keep everyone in the loop!

Saffa Spotlight: Barry Scorgie

This week, we’re chatting with Barry Scorgie—a fellow Saffa who made the move to Canada with his family back in 2015 and has since established himself as a realtor in Horseshoe Bay. Barry’s story is one that’s probably familiar to a lot of us: he came over seeking a safer life and better opportunities for the kids, but the journey to settle in wasn’t exactly easy.

When he first arrived, Barry took on the role of stay-at-home dad—quite the shift after 25 years as a quantity surveyor in South Africa. Once the kids were set up in school, he got creative and found work as a handyman and even picked up shifts at Home Depot. From putting up fences to fixing locks, he pretty much did it all, meeting people and building up a network along the way. He jokes that his “marketing strategy” started with a humble flyer at Safeway, but it worked, and word-of-mouth referrals started coming in.

Eventually, Barry felt ready for something new and threw himself into real estate. But it wasn’t a walk in the park—he had to jump through all the hoops to get his credentials in Canada, redo his English test (despite having done it for immigration!), and complete a hefty amount of training. Now, two years in, he’s building his client base, including old workmates from his Home Depot days.

Barry’s advice for newcomers? Don’t wait around for people to come to you. He’s been a regular at a monthly “dads’ pub night” in Horseshoe Bay for almost a decade now, and it’s been a cornerstone for building his network. As he puts it, “You’ve got to get off the couch and out into the community if you want to make connections.”

Catch the full interview with Barry »>here«<, where he dives deeper into his journey, with tips on navigating Canada’s real estate scene and the importance of community.

Big News: The South African Institute of Canada is Happening!

Alright, so I’ve been going on about building a stronger community and support network for South Africans in Canada, and now it’s finally taking shape! We’re launching what we’re calling (for now) the South African Institute of Canada—a non-profit that’s all about helping and connecting Saffas here in Canada. And, starting November 1st, we’ll have Lois Webber on board to help make this happen. She’ll be the central connection point, pulling together resources and keeping things running smoothly as we build this network.

We’re kicking things off with a Vancouver chapter, planning to host events, offer resources, and support South Africans with everything from settling in to finding their way around the Canadian system. The big dream is to eventually grow this across Canada so that no matter where you land, you’ll feel connected and supported. Other communities like the Welsh, Croatian, Italian, Chinese—all have established organizations here, and it’s high time we do too.

We’re getting the non-profit registration process rolling in the next few days, so this is officially happening! To make this work, we’ll need some volunteer hands on deck—especially from those with experience in fields like law, finance, graphic design, fund raising, copywriting, marketing and community building. If you’re interested in getting involved, please reach out.

Next week, we’ll do a spotlight on Lois in the newsletter, so you can learn more about the person helping to bring this initiative to life. In the meantime, if you’re keen to get involved or know someone who’d be a great fit, give us a shout. Let’s build something meaningful for our Saffa family on this side of the world!

That’s all for today - Happy Tuesday!