SA high tea in Calgary

SA high tea in Calgary

I’ve been reading about South African get together s and seeing the pictures they share; I also attended a boeremakietie not too long ago in Saskatchewan with 150 people.  How fun it is to be surrounded by your peers and traditions. But, imagine this, a hall filled with 140 women, all South African! I wasn’t quite prepared for this – as my husband jokes: it’s hard enough sharing a room with one South African woman, let alone 140! But he’s obviously just jealous, cause one thing I was clearly reminded of is how fine we can dine and entertain. I don’t see the boys doing it on the scale us gals did. Me and 2 friends made a road trip of it and was on the road at 5am!
Estie Watson, Rene’ Watson and Andrew Holmes Cleeves, organized the first high tea in Calgary in 2019. Covid prevented another thereafter, but they made sure this one opened the floor with a bang and to be repeated every year. As Estie said “It is my dream that in every town or city in the world where there are SA woman they will meet regularly to reconnect, encourage and network”. The focus of the event:
- To remind the SA ladies we are not alone even if they live in a new country.
- To remember the rich culture (we) SA have and to be proud of it.
- To encourage the ladies to reconnect and network with other SA ladies.
- Together we are stronger, you will always miss ‘home’. Some days less and some day more.
- Each one of us can elevate and encourage another sister from Africa.
- We are so much stronger than what we think we are.
- To be creative and have fun together.

Ladies were invited to host a table and were then left to their own creativity to decorate.  Each table seated 6 to 8 ladies and were decorated to suit a queen! Fine porcelain
teacups, floral center pieces, a cake to match and if that wasn’t enough, we were
spoiled rotten with tea & scones, milktart, koeksisters and everything  deliciously unhealthy! Well, that’s not all true, we had platters with salad sandwiches and options for special dietary needs too. Each host outdid the next and spared no detail.
We not only enjoyed good company but had a panel of speakers who shared their
stories, journeys, and informative information. It was inspiring to hear how they faced their challenges with emotionally adapting and the topics like the practical aspects of schooling. We heard from Dr. Michelle Hart, Renee Coetzee, Chan Campbell, and Daphne Clark. I hope they know how much we appreciated them sharing and inspiring us.  Enjoying a high tea must be accompanied by some light shopping, wouldn’t you agree?  A selection of vendors had their stalls set up to provide much appreciated retail therapy.  Safari Meats, Baobab (that’s me!), Sozo parfum, doTerra Oils, Nespresso, Spier wyne, Bends & twists, Nerokinetix, Inspired by Lynn. I’m sure I’ve missed naming a few, I was too focused on enjoying them all.

I can not wait till the next one. I worry that the organizers will have to get a venue that can fit double the occupancy next year, because it will be one for the books and not to be missed!

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