This newsletter was supposed to land in your inbox yesterday.

But you know how it goes — one thing leads to another, suddenly it’s Tuesday, and here we are.

Back in South Africa, I worked in the eventing world, and one thing that industry teaches you very quickly is that deadlines are not suggestions. If the show starts at 4pm, everything needs to be ready by 4pm. There’s no “we’ll finish it tomorrow.” Tomorrow is too late. The gates are open and people are already walking in.

When I eventually left that industry, I promised myself I was done with that kind of pressure. No more deadlines. No more living life by the minute hand.

Fast-forward a few years and here I am again, staring at a deadline — this time to get a newsletter written on a Monday… that’s now being written on a Tuesday 😅

Luckily, it’s not quite as serious as the eventing days. No gates opening, no crowds waiting, and no branding truck idling outside. Just me, a coffee, and a slightly late email.

The upside, though — and this is the part that really matters — is that even with the misty, rainy Vancouver weather still doing its thing, we’ve had some proper good news this week.

After more than five years of forms, waiting, more waiting, and a fair bit of patience, we’ve officially been invited to take our Canadian citizenship oath on Friday the 13th of February.

It means we’re right at the end of a long journey, and in a couple of weeks’ time, we’ll be official Canadian citizens. We’re excited, grateful, and smiling a lot more than the weather would suggest.

All that’s left now is to find another Canadian citizen who knows us well enough to vouch for us so we can apply for our passports — and then we’ll really be able to say we’re settled.

Not a bad way to start the week… even if it’s a day later than planned.

In this week’s newsletter:

• Upcoming Events 

• Saffa Thought of the Week 

• Bits & Pieces 

• That’s a Wrap 

Upcoming Events

The first event up is our North Shore Pub Night on 16 February (three days after I become a Canadian citizen — just putting that out there 😄). If you’re on the North Shore and keen for a proper catch-up, this one’s for you.

Beyond that, the calendar is starting to fill up nicely with a lot of the familiar favourites. If you know of any other events coming up — big or small — please shout. Now’s the time to get them listed so we can help spread the word.

Here’s what’s currently on the Howzit Canada events calendar:

• North Shore Pub Night — 16 February — North Shore, BC

• South African Pavilion at the West Vancouver Cultural Festival — 28 June — West Vancouver, BC

• Afrikaans Is Lekker — 24 July — Toronto, ON

• Afrikaans Is Lekker — 26 July — Edmonton, AB

• Afrikaans Is Lekker — 28 July — Kelowna, BC

• Afrikaans Is Lekker — 29 July — Saskatoon, SK

Keep an eye on the events page and bookmark it — we’ll keep adding to it as new things come in.

👉 howzitcanada.ca/event

Saffa Thought of the Week

With our Canadian citizenship ceremony coming up in the next couple of weeks, it does make you pause for a moment and think.

Was this the right decision?
Did we do the right thing for ourselves… and for our kids?
Was the risk worth it?

I reckon everyone who’s packed up their life and moved countries asks themselves those questions at some point.

It was a big commitment. A lot of time, a lot of paperwork, a fair bit of money, and plenty of patience. And when you’re sitting in Vancouver in a year like this — where it feels like it’s been raining non-stop, it’s dark by late afternoon, and you see friends back in South Africa swimming in Ballito — looking relaxed, tanned, and very happy — you do sometimes wonder.

You miss the people.
You miss the easy conversations.
You miss the sunshine, the food, the choice of biltong everywhere, and that general feeling of warmth.

Then you start doing the maths in your head. What we pay in rent here could buy a three-bedroom house on a private estate in Ballito — pools, tennis courts, ocean views — in two or three years. And ja, that definitely makes you stop and think.

But then I phone my mom in Joburg and she tells me she can’t really drive much anymore because the potholes in her area are so bad her car struggles to get through them. Or you hear about another break-in, more security issues, more things you constantly have to be aware of.

And suddenly you remember why you did this.

Is Canada perfect? No.
Is it expensive? Very.
Do we complain about the weather? All the time 😄

But are we safe? Mostly, yes.
Are the kids doing well? Yes.
Are we happy here? Honestly… most of the time, we really are.

That doesn’t mean we forget where we come from. It doesn’t mean we won’t always miss South Africa or feel that pull back home now and then. And it definitely doesn’t mean we’re closing any doors — there’s a reason we’ll be holding onto our South African passports too.

Who knows where the world’s going.

For now though, this is home. And even with the rain, we’re grateful for the journey that brought us here.

Do you ever find yourself asking the same questions?
Did you ever have that moment of “did we do the right thing?”

If you feel like sharing, hit reply and tell me — I read every response, and I know a lot of us are sitting with the same thoughts.

Bits & Pieces

• Best Chilli Bites & Droëwors in BC 🌶️

  Entries for the Best Chilli Bites & Droëwors competition are closing soon. If you’re planning to take part (or know someone who should), now’s the time to get sorted.

  👉 Order your official tasting pack here
  

• Diesel & Heavy Duty Mechanics 🛠️

  This one came up in the Howzit Canada Facebook group. There’s a big shortage of diesel and heavy-duty mechanics in Sparwood, BC, with opportunities to work on large equipment and very competitive pay.

  👉 Full details in the Howzit Canada Facebook group:

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/howzitcanada
  

• WIN a copy of The Democratic Republic of Braai 🔥

  We’ve got a proper South African classic up for grabs. If you love a good braai, this book belongs on your shelf.

  All you need to do is follow The South African Shop on Facebook — that’s it, you’re in.

  We’ll do a live draw as soon as we hit 50 followers.

  👉 https://www.facebook.com/thesouthafricanshopcanada/

  Good luck — and may your fire be hot and your wors be perfect 😄🔥
  

• SAFFA Jobs Canada 💼🇨🇦

  A quick reminder that SAFFA Jobs Canada is up and running — a space to share job opportunities, find work, and support each other.

  If you’re looking for work, hiring, or just keen to help a fellow SAFFA out, this is a good place to be.

  👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1715283452355545
  

• Tax Season Is Coming 💸🇨🇦

  With tax season around the corner, Maslow Pro Financial Services — run by Gwen, one of our SAIC Founding Members — is a great option if you need help with your taxes.

  She knows the Canadian system well and understands the South African context too (and who doesn’t like saving a bit of money, legally 😄).

  👉 https://howzitcanada.ca/sa-businesses/maslow-pro-financial-services-inc/
  

• Afrikaans-Speaking Hairdresser 💇‍♀️🇿🇦

  For those in the Lower Mainland looking for a hairdresser where you don’t have to explain yourself twice — Lize Gouws is working at a salon in Aldergrove.

  Her clients love being able to explain exactly what they want in Afrikaans and be properly understood.

  📞 778 995 2216

Got something for Bits & Pieces? 👀

If you’ve got something worth sharing — an event, job, business, or win — hit reply and let me know.

This section is exactly for that kind of thing.

That’s a Wrap

That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading, thanks for being part of this community, and thanks for all the messages, tips, and connections that keep Howzit Canada ticking along.

If you’re heading to any of the events, we’ll hopefully see you out there — and if not, keep an eye on the events page as more things get added.

And as always…
Hey, let me know how I did in today’s newsletter.
Is there anything you’d like to see more of? Less of? Something we missed?
I read and reply to every message, so hit reply and give me a shout.

Chat soon,

Carel 👋🇨🇦