Howzit!

Just when I thought things were finally going to quiet down with the tires… boom — out of nowhere, we get a whole new wave of people booking in. Honestly, I was convinced that everyone would be sorted before the 1st of October, because that’s when winter tires become mandatory on the highways. But here we are, heading into the end of November, and after having zero cars lined up on Friday morning, we suddenly had five booked by the afternoon.

Not that I’m complaining — it’s lekker to be busy, and we’re grateful for every single booking. It just means I’m still running around a bit, and I’m not getting to everything I want to as quickly as I’d hoped. But we’ll get there… slowly but surely.

And in some fantastic personal news — all of us passed our citizenship tests this weekend! Another big milestone ticked off. Now we’re just waiting for the invitation to take the oath. We decided we’re going to do it in person, not online, because it’s a massive moment for our family. It’s been a long, long slog to get here, and we want to do it properly — in a room with other new Canadians, standing up proudly, and getting the official photo at the end.

In this week’s newsletter:

• Upcoming Events – What’s happening for Saffas in and around Vancouver.

• Saffa Thought of the Week: “In the end, everything will be okay.”

• Report Back on the Call for Volunteers – Thank you to everyone who put up their hand.

• Droëwors & Chilli Bite Competition – A very serious (and very tasty) community project in the making. 🍖🌶️

📅 Upcoming Events

Not much happening this time of the year on the SAFFA calendar, unfortunately. And of course — just our luck — the little hiatus when the newsletter wasn’t going out was exactly when some of the coolest events happened… the Boere Fees, the Vernon Potjie Competition, and the Kelowna Day celebrations. Sorry we missed keeping everyone in the loop on those!

But here’s what is coming up:

• Sailor Hagar’s Pub Night – Vancouver (Tonight!)

  If you’re keen for a drink and a chat, come join us. Always a lekker vibe and a good place to meet fellow Saffas.

• Hemingway’s SAFFA Pub Night – Dec 17

  I think this one is still happening, but if anyone can confirm, please let me know so I can update everyone.

Since things are a bit quiet, we’d love your help!

If you know of any events, big or small — braais, markets, potjiekos days, charity drives, even informal meetups — please let us know ASAP so we can share it with the community.

You can reply directly to this email, or message me at [email protected].

💭 Saffa Thought of the Week: In the End, Everything Will Be Okay

So just a quick follow-up from last week’s thought — you know, the whole thing of how stressing about yesterday or worrying about tomorrow doesn’t actually help anything. It just steals today’s joy.

This week I’ve chatted to quite a few people who are properly going through it… folks waiting months or even years with zero updates on PR or citizenship, people stuck in job situations they don’t like, people who feel like they’re in Canada but still kind of “in limbo.” And honestly, I know how heavy that waiting game can get. You feel powerless, like nothing is moving.

But here’s the wild thing I’ve seen over and over again: life can flip on you really quickly.

One day nothing’s happening… next day, boom — there’s the email, the approval, the job, the yes you’ve been waiting for. I’ve spoken to so many people who were right on the edge, feeling like, “Okay, I’m done, this is never going to work out,” and then suddenly something shifts.

And maybe — just maybe — it’s not happening to you. Maybe it’s happening for you. Maybe the delay is lining something up. Maybe the detour is protection. Maybe the wait is actually pushing you toward the right thing instead of the wrong one.

So if you’re in that space right now… hey, just hang in there, man. Take a breath. Keep going. Keep doing what you can with what you have today.

You don’t always know why things are happening, but you’ve got to believe that it’s all going to come together in the end.

And when it does, you’ll look back and think, “Ja, okay… now it makes sense.”

🙏 Report Back: Thank You to Everyone Who Stepped Up

After last week’s newsletter, we had so many people replying and saying, “Yep, I’m in — how can I help?” It honestly blew me away. I tried to respond to every single email, but if I missed yours, don’t stress — I’m working through them and I’ll get back to you shortly.

We’re busy organizing everything behind the scenes, and we should have clear next steps very soon. But I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who put up their hand, shared ideas, or even just sent a message of support.

This… this is what makes our community special.

You guys are special.

We’re all far from home, far from the support structures we grew up with in South Africa. That’s why this community matters. That’s why these connections matter. That’s why we have to show up for each other — because here, in this beautiful but faraway land, we are each other’s family.

Thank you for stepping up. Thank you for caring. Thank you for reminding me (and each other) why we do this.

🥩 Droëwors & Chilli Bite Competition — It’s On!

After the big success of the Best Biltong in BC competition earlier this year, we’re bringing the fun back — this time with Droëwors and Chilli Bites!

And honestly… what better time of the year to sit around the table and argue about which one is best than Christmas?

We’ve made things super simple this time. All tasting kits will be sold through The South African Shop, because Shopify Payments just works smoother and keeps everything organized.

👉 Order Your Tasting Pack:

https://thesouthafricanshop.ca/products/the-best-droewors-chilli-bites-in-bc-tasting-pack-official-howzit-canada-bc-competition-kit

How It Works

• We’re only shipping within BC (thanks, Canadian meat rules!)

• Sales close on December 15th

• After that, we place one big order from all official BC producers

• We package everything into numbered, blind-tasting packets

• You get a proper scoring sheet inside your pack

• Taste, score, send us a photo of your rating

• We tally the votes

• And we officially crown the Best Droëwors in BC and the Best Chilli Bites in BC

Who This Is For

• Families looking for a fun Christmas tasting activity

• Chilli bite addicts

• Saffas who love a lekker debate

• Anyone who wants to support local BC producers

• Anyone who misses the taste of home

Why You’ll Love It

• Blind tasting means zero bias — just flavour

• You’ll probably discover a new favourite

• It’s a fun way to support BC’s South African-owned businesses

• It’s a proper community project — we’re doing this together

• And let’s be honest… droëwors + chilli bites + Christmas? Yes, please

Current BC Suppliers in the Mix

• Netvleish

• Serengeti

• Beef Brew

• Biltong Canada

• Aikona Biltong

If you know of any other BC suppliers who legally make droëwors, chilli bites, or biltong, please hit reply and tell me about them so I can include them in the competition.

Do Us a Solid

Share this with your Saffa friends — and even your Canadian mates who love a bit of droëwors and chilli bite action. Let’s help our local producers get their flavours out there, and let’s get as many competitors (and tasters!) involved as possible.

Let’s make this big, fun, and delicious.

🎬 That’s a Wrap

And that’s a wrap, folks.

Looking forward to seeing some of you tonight at the pub night at Sailor Hagar’s in North Van — always a good time. For the rest of you, we’ll catch up again next week.

Just one last note… this time of the year can be tough for a lot of new families. It’s when we really start to miss the people we left behind back home. So maybe reach out to a friend, or another Saffa you know here in Canada, and just check in. Just say howzit.

It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference.

That’s what we do for each other.