Eish, what a rough week. As you know, I’ve been working on the equipment team for the BC elections over at the North Vancouver Lonsdale office, and let me tell you, the last few days were hectic! We were rushing around to get everything ready, making sure everyone was trained and all the tech was working. And then, on election day itself, we had these massive rainstorms—Marine Drive got closed for flooding, and a bunch of other roads were underwater too. It was just crazy.

We ended up working from 7 AM until midnight on Saturday, checking and reporting results and getting all the equipment back in. What a mission! By Sunday, I felt like I’d been hit by a bus—my body was definitely letting me know that I’m not 20 anymore… or even 30 for that matter.

And after all that? We don’t even have a final result yet! The election’s basically a tie, so it’s all coming down to the mail-in ballots now. The inside scoop is that there’s probably going to be another election soon because when things are this close, nothing gets done. Go figure…

Anyway, that’s behind me for now, and I’m back at it this week, trying to catch up on everything else that’s piled up. Wish me luck!

In This Weeks Newsletter:

• Upcoming Events

• Saffa Tips of the Week – Living in Bear Country

• Do You really need Winter Tires in Vancouver?

Upcoming Events:

We’ve got a couple of events coming up, starting with Abande Ubuntu Ezweni this Saturday. It’s a benefit for Education without Borders, and you’ll hear sounds from South Africa, Nigeria, and Ukraine. It’s a collaboration between Maju Maju, a former founding member of the Soweto Gospel Choir, and Oleksiy Meleshko, accompanied by the Ukrainian choir Kolo. For all the details, just click here.

Then, we’ve got the Vernon’s Potjie Cook-Off sponsored by Netvleish, on November 9th. This one’s always a good time! Hosted by Liza and Jeffrey Hausberger, it’s happening at 2715 Francis St, Vernon—pots on the fire at 11 AM, judging starts at 5 PM. If you want to enter a pot, make sure you book your spot—only 25 pots allowed this year, and spots are filling up fast! If you’re not entering, you can still come and taste some delicious potjies and hang out. It’s a fun, chilled day out, so bring your chairs, dress warm, and BYOB. It’s going to be a weekend full of food, laughter, and lekker vibes. We’re staying over Friday and Saturday, so come join the fun! For more info click here

And then, of course, there’s the rugby coming up with the Springboks playing three games in November. It all kicks off on the 10th against Scotland, followed by England on the 16th, and then Wales on the 23rd. You can catch all the action live at Dublin Calling in Vancouver. Join us there for some great fun, cheering on the Boks!

Lastly, don’t miss the South African Film Festival—a virtual film fest running from November 7th to the 17th. It’s a great opportunity to see some fantastic South African films from the comfort of your home. For more info, check out the festival’s program here.

If you know of any other events coming up or if you’ve got a favorite place to watch the rugby, give me a shout. Let’s make sure everyone stays in the loop!

Saffa Tips of the Week – Living in Bear Country

You know, I used to get a bit offended when people would ask me, “Oh, you’re from South Africa, do lions walk in the streets?” Like, come on, do you think we’re living in the bush where lions casually stroll through town? But now, I get it—because here in BC, bears actually do walk in the streets! We’ve had two at our house already.

Turns out, there’s a whole etiquette to dealing with bears. The folks over at the North Shore Black Bear Society have a great guide on what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. For example, don’t leave your braai scraps out—that’s basically sending the bears an invitation to join your meal!

But here’s the part that really got me. They suggest if you have a bear busy licking your Braai or working through your garbage you have to encourage it with a firm voice to leave. They say, and I quote, “Don't expect a bear to run. They're not fearful. If a bear is eating, it will be difficult to get their attention. Try with a firm tone, but be patient, you may have to wait until the bear is finished eating. Be persistent with using a firm tone, maintain eye contact, and stand tall. When the bear starts to do as you've asked, keep encouraging them with your voice, but soften your tone…” Now, I’d love to see someone try that with a lion back in SA! Personally, my first instinct would be to run for safety and film it for Youtube 😂

Anyway, it’s worth knowing what to do if you come face-to-face with one of these furry neighbors. Check out the tips from the North Shore Black Bear Society here. It’s useful stuff if you’re going to be living in this beautiful, bear-filled part of the world!

Do you really need winter tires in Vancouver?

Look, I know what you’re thinking—Vancouver barely gets snow, so why bother, right? That’s exactly what I thought too. But here’s the deal: you definitely want to consider winter tires, especially since this winter is predicted to be colder than usual, with early snow expected. Trust me, I’ve been there, skidding on ice with all-season tires, and it’s no fun at all.

Now, all-season tires are good for most of the year, but let’s be honest—they’re more like three-season tires. As soon as it dips below 7°C, they’re pretty much useless in the snow. If you hit some ice, you’ll be sliding all over the place. It’s one of the scariest feelings—when you hit the brakes, and the car just keeps going. Been there, done that, don’t recommend it!

All-weather tires are better because they’ve got that little snowflake symbol, so they’re certified for winter, but they’re not as grippy as winter tires. If you live up in the hills or plan to drive in snow and ice more often, winter tires are your best friend. They’re softer and designed to handle those icy roads way better.

And here’s a fun one—back in SA, the only time we worried about our tires was when we hit a pothole! But in Vancouver, winter tires are a whole new world. If you’re planning to head up to places like Whistler, you’ll need them anyway. Certain highways require winter tires, and you don’t want to get into trouble with the cops for not having them.

So, do you really need winter tires in Vancouver? Yeah, you do—especially with a colder winter on the way. Play it safe, get the right tires, and enjoy the peace of mind.

Check out my video on winter tires here for more info!