No sun. Just vibes… and a slight emotional chill 🥶 You wake up cold ❄️ The sky is grey like it’s going through something ☁️ Your washing? Still wet. Since yesterday. Maybe forever 🌧️ And suddenly you realize… 👀 Summer didn’t say goodbye… it just LEFT. Welcome to SA autumn: not freezing… but definitely not okay either 😅🍂 👉 Expats, what’s the weather like where you are right now? 🌍

There I am, just trying to save a few rands… minding my business in the line… Next thing—I’m lending my card to the lady next to me (because we all need those savings 😭)…AND boom 💥 my card decides to reboot the whole system 😩🤣 Like ma’am… we were just trying to survive out here 😂 But honestly… that Checkers card? It’s not just a card… it’s GOLD 🏆 SA struggles, but we laugh through it 😂SA is lekker ❤️ 👉 Check out the YouTube video to see the chaos unfold 😂🎥

Not South Africa giving us back-to-back long weekends like we don’t have responsibilities 😭😂 Be honest… Did you: A) Braai all weekend 🍖 B) Sleep like your life depends on it 😴 C) Go out and live your best life 💃 Drop your answer below 👇 Also… how was your Freedom Day? What did it mean for you this year?

Tomorrow’s Coffee Hour is cancelled — with the short week and long weekend, a lot of people are away (if that’s you… lucky you 😄). We’ll be back next week with a guest speaker, so stay tuned!

“A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” — Melinda Gates After a year of living on the coast, our family finally made time to visit Durban . On my bucket list was a return to the harbor and the Maritime Museum, a place I last visited as a little girl during a family holiday. This time, I discovered the story of Durban’s Lady in White. Meet Perla Siedle Gibson. Born in Durban in 1888, Perla studied music and art in England and the USA. She performed as a soprano in London and New York before returning home to marry and raise her children. Her father was a well‑known shipping agent, so the harbor was part of her world long before she became part of its history. During World War II, Durban became a major port, a halfway point between America and the East. Ships carrying soldiers, supplies, and wounded men passed through constantly. The Gibson family often hosted captains and soldiers in their home, and Perla would entertain them with her singing — a true example of South African hospitality. One morning, she accompanied a young Irish soldier to his ship. As it sailed out, he called to her, asking for a song. She responded with “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” That moment changed everything. It was the first of thousands. Dressed in her white outfit and red hat, Perla stood at the harbor day after day, in heat, rain, wind, or cold, singing to every departing ship. U‑boats, hospital ships, supply vessels… she sang to them all. Over five years, she sang to more than 5,000 ships and thousands of men, giving them comfort, courage, and a moment of home before they sailed into the unknown. Her bronze statue was unveiled on 15 August 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Before the unveiling, it was placed beside HMS Britannia so that Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh could view it during their state visit. A fitting tribute to a remarkable woman. 👉 Have you ever spotted Durban’s Lady in White?