POTPOURRI October 2014 by Paradise Promotions

Meet the creator of Zak; the Seychellois Super Hero

Grazing Across the Indian Ocean at the Kempinski’s

L’Indochine Restaurant

“Cancer claimed my mother’s life”

Elfrida Zoë’s story

Up your glam and your look with Portofino’s Mary Carbognin

“I love returning to La Digue”

We catch up with Sylvestre Radegonde

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

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POTPOURRI

October

The on-line shopper’s rights

The importance of child’s play

Feed the world and care for the earth

Mont Sebert Nature trail “a key biodiversity hotspot”

11 A boy among men Meet Jaden Deltel

The Team Chief Editor: (1) Marie-France Watson | M: + (248) 2512477 | E: marie-france@seychellespublications.com Marketing: (2) Ineke Camille | M: + (248) 2520937 | E: ineke@seychellespublications.com Freelance Writing: (3) Elaine Lafortune, (4) Darrel Antat, (5) Mawess Wirtz, (6) Kurt Gilbert Photography: (7) Suzanne Verlaque | POTPOURRI Photography Studio Graphics & Layout: (8) Olivia Michaud | W: www.angelcreativedesign.com

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5 Potpourri Magazine Seychelles

Potpourri Seychelles is published by Paradise Promotions Ltd Box 1539, Room 14, Docklands Building, Victoria, Seychelles Tel: + (248) 4325215 | Fax: + (248) 4325216 | www.potpourrimagazine.com Printed by: ATLAS Printing Press LLC.

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From the

EDITOR Dear Folks,

Photo credit: Suzanne Verlaque

My personal life has hardly been touched by cancer. I have had no family member or close friends who have been inflicted by this heart wrenching disease. Magazines, television and the internet however have allowed me to learn more about it and more importantly the faces of cancer – the ones who don’t make it, the ones who do and the ones who are left behind. In this issue we meet Elfrida Zoe who during her pregnancy nearly 10 years ago, lost her own mother. We thank her for sharing her story, her pain and her courage with us. When we talk of cancer we think of health; the most valuable asset every single one of us desires. Everyday we come across an opinion on how to have better health and more happiness. In this same light, we welcome Hassan Al-Meri in this issue who from this month onwards will be advising us on all health things – from exercise to diet to trainers! In this issue, for the first time we have 2 local weddings aside from our usual ‘Weddings in Paradise.’ We almost had a third one! A wedding is a beautiful moment for all those taking part in it – it signifies continuity, new beginnings and an abundance of love. We thank the couples who share their beautiful day with us. Another first for us this month is the cover concept. We launched a competition a few months ago to have photographers submit their proposals with cancer/pink as the guiding theme. A small panel decided that Elsa Barallon’s work best suited the cancer message and the style of the magazine. We are hoping to do this again next year. For those of you visiting our beautiful islands this month, may you have a memorable holiday and be blown away by the Seychellois hospitality.

Chief Editor

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Cover Model Petra Tirant, 22

L-R: Make-Up: Sophie Pool, Model: Petra Tirant, Photographer: Elsa Barallon

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

Musings of an Island Girl by Tina Houareau

Racism Starts at Home

What do you say to your child when you pick him up from school and he is utterly sad after another kid told him he will not be invited to their birthday party because he is darkskinned? Such was the case with my son. How do children learn to make such distinctions and why do they think it matters? Just as is fact that nobody can change their basic color of skin or race so is the fact that racism begins at home and within us. Usually, this occurs unconsciously. Parents, in their own behaviors - especially tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions - convey plenty that their children see, and, in turn, mimic. This can be more obvious, when parents actually talk about their biases out loud. They may pointedly tell their children they are forbidden to associate with a certain group of people. For some, sadly enough, prejudice is even considered a â&#x20AC;&#x153;family value.â&#x20AC;? To complicate matters, because family relationships are intimate relationships, this creates the perfect breeding ground for biases. Children can feel some allegiance to support destructive attitudes if these are the attitudes that even just one parent conveys. Unfortunately, when parents have dissimilar attitudes, those mixed messages can put their children in a challenging position. It is vital that parents are united about how they want their children to feel about other people and how they want them to think about differences. Perhaps the biggest challenge of humankind is the ability to accept difference. Our world and cities are becoming more pluralistic. Most kids are going to school with people from different backgrounds. And for those who are not, for those who are in segregated areas, it is even more important and practical to highlight the issue of racism and minority groups. Parents ought to not give up staying educated just because they are no longer in school. Once we make the commitment to bring up another human, we need to embrace parental education as a lifelong right and responsibility. We should not be ashamed to acknowledge that we have biases. We are all products of this amazing society; we are products of what we learned as children -before we developed critical faculties. But now that we have such critical adult faculties we should recognize that it is educationally practical and economically practical to lay a foundation for acceptance and tolerance for our children. Tina Houareau is a Seychellois living in the USA with her young son. She is an Instructional Designer for Capella University, where she is completing her PhD in the same field.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

LIFESTYLE

On love, loss and fate

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

LIFESTYLE

An incredibly bubbly and vivacious girl, Elfrida met me at the Potpourri office for what was to be one of the most touching interviews to date. She arrived, breathless – hair windswept, face flushed and with an infectious smile. Never would you guess the turmoil, trials and heart-wrenching story she was about to tell. Elfrida Zoë, 31, is from Mont Buxton and lost both her parents to cancer – only nine months apart. “My father passed away on my 23rd birthday – my mother followed nine months later,” she said. She had a sad smile then and her eyes shone a little too brightly. “I had only just reconnected with my dad at the time, you know. He had been out of our lives for a while and we had recently started to get re-acquainted with each other. I found out he had cancer in his chest – by then his voice had all but disappeared and I knew he wasn’t going to make it. The disease was aggressive and he died soon – you could say I was expecting it,” she took a deep breath, “I thought the worst was over. And then mum fell ill.” “It was a terrible time. Cancer is one of the worst things to happen to somebody you love. To watch them fade away like that is more than you can bear.” There was a slight tremor to her voice though she was smiling. “My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went to India for chemotherapy and was given the all clear. After a while, life began to return to normal – until she relapsed. The cancer had spread to her neck and by then I was 6 months pregnant with my daughter Ahillia. It was one of the hardest times of my life. The whole time though my mother was positive. Looking at her you would never tell that she was so sick. She had a boundless enthusiasm and convinced all of us (my brother Eric and I) that she would pull through. She hated people fussing over her,” Elfrida said fondly. “I remember one time there was a lady in the same ward as her who was about to undergo an operation. Mum – who was already so weak at the time – counseled the lady who was terrified she wouldn’t pull through. It was amazing to watch. I still run into her sometimes and she remembers mum with fondness. My mother was strong that way. She never complained once despite being in severe pain and I admire her so much for that.” Elfrida looked pained for a moment. “This – disease – wrenches families apart. The worst thing about cancer is seeing your loved one in that state.

“MY MOTHER WAS A STRONG WOMAN BUT WE KNEW THEN THAT SHE WOULDN’T MAKE IT TO SEE THE BIRTH OF HER GRANDDAUGHTER - AND IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL REALISATIONS.” The radiation from the chemotherapy draining the remaining life they had left in their eyes. The undignified screams of pain and resignation to their body’s natural processes – yellow, pale skin and clumps of falling hair do not even begin to describe the nightmare.” She wiped her eyes aggressively and took a deep breath as though trying to calm herself. “There is one thing I have learned from my mother is to never lose faith or hope. One of the most painful memories, yet, one that also inspires hope took place in her hospital room. I was feeling particularly miserable and she – without a word – held out her hand and beckoned me to her bedside. Then she placed her hands ever so gently on my pregnant belly – and it was a silent understanding between us. My mother was a strong woman but we knew then that she wouldn’t make it to see the birth of her granddaughter - and it was one of the most painful realisations.” She suddenly became quiet. “I was at work when I got the call. Mum had been admitted the night before for some breathing problems. They told me to come to the hospital. That my mother – was not feeling well. I don’t know what I expected, but I suppose deep down I knew. When I got to the hospital – she was gone. Another victim claimed by cancer. Not another statistic – but my mother. Gone. If I had one thing to share with the world it would be this. Life is too short! It doesn’t matter what kind of lifestyle you lead – cancer is a reality here in Seychelles. My mother was healthy and strong. She did not smoke or drink and she barely ever went out. Yet she – like many other victims of this illness – succumbed to it. So now I’m pleading. To all of you who have not given it a single thought or those who have. Those who suspect they might be ill. Do NOT neglect your health. Go for that checkup, speak to your doctor and voice your concerns. You only have one life to live, so cherish it - protect it – before it’s too late.”

By Rebecca Belle OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

PROUD WINNER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS

INDIAN OCEAN’S LEADING AIRLINE FOR BUSINESS CLASS INDIAN OCEAN’S LEADING AIRLINE FOR CABIN CREW

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

PERSONALITY SPECIAL

A boy

among men! On the links with golf prodigy Jaden Deltel

Photographer: Suzanne Verlaque | Venue: The Reef Golf Course

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

PERSONALITY SPECIAL

Close your eyes and imagine a vast green, inhale, smell that grass, you open your eyes and focus on a hole more than 100 metres away, you wrap your hands around your club and hit the ball straight on…HOLE IN ONE!!! While this is only a dream (or nightmare!) for most of us, let’s meet someone who can actually do this; at nine years of age. PRODIGY! Jaden Deltel may look like a typical nine year old boy, but the first indication that he is someone special is that his sport of choice is golf and the second is that he has skills that enable him to compete with much older males on an even keel. As he is only nine, one would expect him to be shy and inarticulate, but at one point I wondered why his dad had accompanied him to the interview since he was doing a fine job all by himself.

I’M ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN In the space of around eleven months, the boy has garnered some pretty hefty accolades; he is the youngest player by 3 years to get a handicap and the youngest player to ever win a competition (he has won 5 to date) Not bad for a boy that had started off absolutely hating golf. When his dad would go play, he would complain that the grass made him itch, despite the fact that at the time, he was an avid footballer and could be found rolling around on a football pitch. His dad would convince him to try at least putting, which Jaden did, then he moved on to fuller shots and nowadays Jaden can only be described as being obsessed with the game! I couldn’t help but wonder if Mr Deltel wasn’t regretting introducing his son to the sport, but the pride in his voice showed me that he was willing to make the sacrifices needed sensing his son was destined to achieve something great. At this point you have to wonder, exactly how are the grown men at the Seychelles Golf Club feeling about this? Not only that, how would I have felt had it been me (to be politically correct) being surpassed by a nine year old? I am sure I would be supportive and not jealous at all (I think). Thankfully, Jaden has received a lot of support from most of the senior, long standing members.

THAT SPECIAL ABILITY The Seychelles Golf handicap system for juniors (below 12 years of age) starts with 36 strokes but even for his very first competition, Jaden played off a 32 and won. He is now, eleven months later, at a handicap of 19, dropping some 13 strokes in the process. Apparently reducing your handicap that fast is quite the challenge and very rarely done! I wondered whether this athletic gene was present in his siblings as well but Jaden was quick to point out that he had one sister and quote, “Sports is not her thing.” Mr Deltel admitted that the only time his two kids could spend a long period of time in peace was when they watched cooking shows together (guess which one likes cooking and which one likes eating?). Other than that, Jaden was always way too energetic for his sister. Luckily for her, Jaden has dug holes in their home garden (it wasn’t a welcome addition to the décor) and when he gets bored he can go practice outside.

A FAMILY AFFAIR While the competitive streak is alive and well within the family, so is a mischievous sense of humour. Jaden tells that he does well considering that he has the second worst caddy on the course, with the worst being his dad’s. I was utterly confused, “So why don’t you get someone else then?” I asked. The smile on Mr Deltel’s face told me that I was going to enjoy the answer, “I can’t,” Jaden explained cheekily, “she’s my grandma.” So how does a grandmother make a bad caddy you may ask? Simply, by being a grandmother. Apparently, whenever

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

he has a good shot, his caddy (who is not supposed to be speaking aloud) will yell out, “YES! YES BOY! YES BOY!” making Jaden cringe with embarrassment, yet when his caddy forgets a club, he just orders her to go back and get it for her and poor grandma is sent running! Jaden however prefers his own caddy when his other option is his dad’s, aka his grandfather, and how does this make him a bad caddy? Grandfather is an opinionated gentleman who is well known for giving directives as to how shots are to be taken and other unsolicited advice, although never actually having played a golf shot in his life! At least with his caddy, he has all the support and love he needs. Jaden also really enjoys that he gets to play against his father. It was amusing to note that at one point when Jaden was telling me how he had reached the stage where he could win holes against his dad, dad just glossed over it.

IT TAKES COMMITMENT AND DETERMINATION To say that Jaden practices is selling him short, other than the holes in his garden which he uses for practice every day, he also heads to the golf course on Tuesdays for practice, and on Saturdays and Thursdays he has competitions. Also, usually after competitions and training, the men will gather to socialise but Jaden uses this time to practice some more, and he genuinely enjoys doing it. As his dad pointed out, Jaden practices more than anyone he knows so his improvement stands to reason! The fact that he is self-motivated also goes a long way because Jaden does not need to be monitored, he has a grasp on his development as a player and he can gauge where he needs improvement and practices until he gets it right. His awareness of his abilities has also resulted in a confidence that does not deter him from taking the difficult shots (which mostly pay-off ). When he has a bad shot (he hates those) he shows a level of maturity that is not common in children because he, quote, “Shakes it off and gets my head back in the game.” His commitment to the game was portrayed when he told me about a competition where he hurt his hand. When he saw the blood gushing out, his first thought was to just staunch the flow with a cloth and finish the game, which he tried to do, but when granny is your caddy that is not happening. Caddy went into granny mode, she cleaned the cut, plastered it then begged her grandson to quit the round, but Jaden powered through the pain to finish the game. Granny didn’t know whether she should be upset or proud!

EYE OF THE TIGER It may be cliché, but Tiger Woods has a hand in the golfer that Jaden has become. While watching a golf tournament on TV one day, Jaden saw Tiger make an absolutely unbelievable shot that inspired him to want to duplicate it. Please, if you are ever in the presence of this boy, do not make any reference to there being a golfer that might surpass Tiger because, in Jaden’s opinion, Tiger is the King of golf. Go ahead, ask the boy about Tiger’s game and be bowled over by the fact that a nine year old boy can reel off Tiger’s statistics like an ESPN sports caster.

PERSONALITY SPECIAL

It’s not just about wining…even if he really does love doing that Jaden says that when he manages to make that perfect shot, that amazing shot that he manages to sink from a far of distance…that is why he loves the game. He keeps practising; he keeps sacrificing so that the number of times that he can make those amazing shots, increase.

VALIDATION It is not only the local golfers that have had a taste of Jaden’s talent, he also has a fan in South Africa. The time came when Mr Deltel realised that the boy was serious and therefore needed his own set of clubs, so he took Jaden to a pro golf shop in South Africa and told him to pick a set. The shop attendant, who was a pro golfer himself, tried to sell Jaden the “kiddie” set, complete with cartoon characters, but Jaden was having none of it. So, to prove his point (or so he thought), he gave Jaden a club from the advanced set that he wanted and asked him to hit a ball in the in-store practice nets. One swing later and the PROFESSIONAL turns to Mr Deltel and says (read this aloud in your best South African accent), “Ohhhhh sir, that boy is going to make you lots of money!!!” Needless to say, they did not buy the “kiddie” set. COMING SOON IN A THEATRE NEAR YOU Jaden is not the only young boy making splashes at the Seychelles Golf Club. His school friend, Yohaan Rizvi, who plays off a 28 handicap is also improving rapidly. Both boys are so good at the game that the local sport authorities must seriously consider introducing a junior category to the “Best Golfer of the Year” award. Guess who is all fired up to win it? And when he grows up, guess who you might be seeing on your TV screens playing an absolutely unbelievable shot?

Jaden and his caddy, Grandma Lucy Deltel

By Mawess Wirtz

Jaden and his biggest fan; his Dad, David Deltel

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

OPEN LETTER

“DO NOT EXPECT YOUR OTHER HALF TO INSTANTLY BRING HAPPINESS INTO YOUR LIFE. IT IS NOT AN ‘ON AND OFF SWITCH’.” To those who are going through the same stage as me in their lives. Dear Girls, My three year relationship ended quite suddenly four months ago. I had never felt so much disappointment in my life before. He was everything to me, we were a team and I was happy despite having faced a few obstacles along the way. People make mistakes and some of these mistakes drive relationships to the point of no return. During this time I have learned a lot about myself. Initially, I was quite angry and bitter but I soon realised how powerful forgiveness is. Forgiveness is for you and not for those who have hurt you. As long as you stay bitter, that person will always have control over you. For example, the sight and thought of them would make you feel repulsive. Learn how to channel all of these negative emotions towards achieving something positive in your life. Perhaps something completely unrelated such as a project at work. Give yourself a break in between. This is something my mother has always told me but I have only realised the importance of it recently. The worst thing to do is to jump from one relationship to another. This is quite common amongst us young women. Take some time off, appreciate your space and clear your mind set. Then there is the misconception of ‘happiness’. I have heard so many people saying how ‘unhappy’ they feel because they do not have a person in their lives. Your happiness does not depend on a person’s presence in your life. Be happy on your own, feel good about yourself. In doing so, when you do meet someone special you will bring all of the positivity into that relationship. Do not expect your other half to instantly bring happiness into your life. It is not an ‘on and off switch’ It is important to connect with your partner on a spiritual level. This is one of the most important lessons I have learned. Sometimes we overlook the importance of God in every relationship we have. We may have our own relationship with God but we often forget to ask ourselves, does my boyfriend or girlfriend and I connect on a spiritual level or do we as a couple feel united as one? This is a prayer I would like to share for couples. A couple that prays together stays together. “Eternal Father, help us to realise that genuine love, deep and lasting, is your own gift to those who respect and reverence one another. Take from our hearts all trace of selfishness, so that in all things, we may help each other to

grow in true friendship. Convince us that true love will not hurt, use or abuse the one loved. To this end, keep ever growing in us an ardent love of your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ, by means of constant prayer and frequent Holy Communion. May the bright hope of a happy marriage make us determined to prepare well, by avoiding sin and the dangers that can so easily lead us into sin. We thank you for our love, and we desire to consecrate it to you. Keep it always pure, so that we may continue to live as your worthy children. We ask this in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.” My lessons so far for 2014: • Do not get serious too soon, there is so much out there to experience in life. • You are the most important person in your life. Learn to love yourself and understand your worth. Our lives can easily be consumed by our relationship to the point that we will put our other halves first. • Do not allow yourself to deal with problems that are beyond your age and beyond the level of stress that you need in your life. • People will disappoint you all throughout your life. This is something that we young women need to realise early on. • Every person we meet is there to teach us something, learn from these experiences. • Surround yourself with people who push you up in life and not those who act as an anchor and pull you down. • Your mother is the best shoulder to cry on. There is nothing more special than realising the depth of a mother’s love. Unfortunately, this took me a few years. • Life is beautiful; there is so much to live for and to look forward to. • Be positive and trust that God has a plan for us all. Lastly, I forgive the boy who hurt me and I wish him the best in life. A 20-year old

Do you have something you need to get off your chest? Something you desperately need to say to someone? WRITE TO US; marie-france@seychellespublications.com. All letters will remain anonymous.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS

Sylvestre Radegonde

I was born on 16th March, 1956 on La Digue. I’m told that it was a Friday, around lunch time. I’m also told that just over 330,000 other babies, across the world, came into the world that day. I was named Louis (a hereditary family name), Sylvestre (my grandmother’s choice, I’m not sure why). At my christening a few weeks later, Michel was added to the list, I’m told by the parish priest, Pere Francois. As one had to carry the name of a well-known saint in those days, the dear priest must not have had much faith in the saintly abilities of St. Louis or he otherwise felt that, as a natural child, I needed double saintly protection. Now in my 58th year, I don’t think that they’ve done too bad a job. Sylvestre became my first name although it appears as my second on all official documents. Michel does not appear anywhere except on my baptism certificate. My mother who was working on Mahe, had returned to La Digue, where her mother was living, to give birth. At six months old she left me in the care of my maternal grandmother, Louisie, to return to work. A sister subsequently joined me and for many years I just assumed that my grandmother was my mother. Nothing changed when I found out. My grandmother was and will always be my beloved “manman”. My father was not around. I did not get to meet him for the first time until I was around 6 years old – very briefly in his office at the then Queen’s Building (now Liberty House). I only recall that one visit and I gathered that it was primarily to get him to “cough up” a few rupees. I do not know whether he contributed in any way towards my upkeep or was even interested in me at all. Up

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

to this day I’ve never asked. Maybe I have not wanted to know the obvious answer. Looking back as I grew older, that visit appeared to have been forced upon the poor fellow. It was brief and formal. I think that he asked me how I was doing at school. Not that I believe he cared much whether I was the world’s genius or the dumbest. I will never forget this, nor the frosty reception we got from his secretary. I learned several years later that my father had emigrated overseas where he died. I have always wondered about him, whether he thought about or even remembered me. In an attempt to reconnect with a part of him, I traced his ageing mother (who must have been over 80 at the time) and his equally old aunt in South Mahe. He had passed away by then. These two old ladies could not have been more warm and welcoming to me and I visited them as often as I could until they passed away. My paternal grandmother thought that I resembled my father and in a way showered me with the love meant for her son who was no longer around. Not sure what my father would have thought of all this. My grandmother gave me a black and white photograph of my father; The only photo I have of him. I carry the now old and worn out photo in my wallet. Growing up on La Digue in the 1960s may have been tough but I remember primarily the great times I had as a kid: riding on the bull carts, fishing, swimming, playing marbles, and the countless other activities that kids of my age took part in. I had similar fun on Felicite where my grandmother moved to work for the Cauvain family. I hold nothing but great memories of my

childhood: very poor, nevertheless very happy. I love returning to La Digue and I try to do so as often as I can. My grandmother was a tough disciplinarian who did not show much outward emotion but I know that she loved both my sister and I very much. Towards the end of her life she did tell me how proud she was of the person I had become. I shall always regret not having told her then how much I loved her and how grateful I shall always be for all that she had selflessly done for me. Selfless, my grandmother was. She would never complain about anything even when I saw that she was clearly distressed. I watched her sweat away in the St. Ange vanilla plantations at Anse Reunion, under a shed de-husking coconuts or carrying kilos of grass for cattle from the Anse Reunion “plato” to Chateau St. Cloud, all for a pittance. I lost track of the number of times our ‘dinner’ was made up only of a mug of black tea and a piece of dry “biskwi larou saret” or that we had to go to bed at sunset because she could not afford a candle or some kerosene to light a lamp. In all this, my grandmother endlessly reminded my sister and I that we should not be jealous of other people’s possessions of success and that instead we needed to be happy for them as we worked hard to achieve (attain) our own; that whatever we became in life, we should never forget where we came from or the people who helped us along the way. I have tried to live by these values, the same ones that I’m transmitting to my own children. My 6th birthday falling in March meant that I was only able to start primary 1 in January the following year when I was almost 7. Attending

Growing my business with Barclays Teresa Vandagne has always been a hard worker. For the past 30 years, she has been an employee of Pool and Patel, but as from 2015, she will be dedicating 100% of her time to Green Palm SelfCatering Apartment, her small business located at Green Estate Anse aux Pins. Teresa’s venture into business started in 1993 when she and her husband built two small houses next to their home. However, in 2011, she decided to start her own self-catering apartments. Thanks to Barclays, the expansion of the business is well underway and Teresa is already planning ahead for yet another upgrade in the next couple of years. “I remember hearing on the news that the Government was going to issue a new licence for small tourism-oriented businesses like self-catering establishments and I thought it would be an interesting venture. There had been foreign exchange shortages at the time and we thought that a tourism-oriented business would help us in securing the required documentation. We had to adhere to a set of criteria in order to be licenced and I thought we were not going to make it,” explains the business woman. Encouraged by her family and friends, she persevered and was able to officially launch the Green Palm Self-Catering in 2011. This establishment comprises of two stylishly decorated garden apartments and two self-contained garden chalets, each with open plan kitchen diner and lounge. The torrential rains which affected the inner islands, in January 2013, forced her to take yet another major decision. The two small houses that Teresa and her husband were letting out were completely flooded. “I thought that if it happened once, it could happen again. The houses were badly damaged so

we decided to tear them down and rebuild them but with a higher ground clearance,” she recalls. After discussing with her husband, they decided that, instead of building two houses again, they would instead use the space to build one establishment which would house their self-catering business. “My husband owns a construction company, and he has always banked with Barclays. So it was natural for me to follow him in this relationship with the bank. I applied for a loan to build the house and my husband undertook the construction himself,” says Teresa. “However, the initial loan was not sufficient so we approached Barclays for assistance. Barclays has been very helpful and we expect our new loan to be disbursed very soon. This will enable us to complete the construction in the next couple of months,” adds Teresa. If everything goes according to plan, the new rooms should be ready by December. She already has a few customers eager to rent the rooms for that period. “It’s all about listening to the market. There is demand for smaller establishments as not every visitor can afford a 5-star resort. It also depends on your pricing and the value-added services that you offer. That is how I differentiate my small establishment from others on Mahé,” she explains. For the time being, Teresa only works part-time on the selfcatering with help from her daughter, Valerie. But come next year, she aspires to run her business full-time. “You need to keep planning ahead. Next year, I plan to offer transfer services from the airport for all my guests. This way, they don’t have to pay for taxis and I can drive them myself. I also want to increase the room capacity of the business to 10 rooms. It may not happen next year, but my long term plan is to expand the family business,” concludes Teresa.

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SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS

school on La Digue was what my sons will today call “a blast”. I was a decent student, consistently top of my class. I enjoyed every minute of my three or so years there and was lucky to have such devoted teachers and mentors like as Miss Yvonne, Miss Langia , Miss Lauria and Miss Johnette. Following a family tragedy, my grandmother moved to Mahe in 1967. I had just turned 11. We settled in Anse Aux Poules Bleues. I pursued my studies at Baie Lazare school up to primary 6 when, following the entrance exams, I succeeded in obtaining a very highly sought-after bursary to the highly prestigious Seychelles College in 1970. By the time that I was preparing for my O Level exams in 1974, it was evident that my grandmother’s strength and vitality had been sapped from her and that she could not continue working. I needed to cut short my education and start fending for myself. Upon completion of my exams I left college to find work. My ambition had always been to be a teacher so I enrolled on a teacher’s training programme at the then Teacher’s Training College. It did not take me long to realise that my calling was elsewhere. Within three months, I had resigned and joined the Seychelles Police Force as a constable. It was evident from the start that that was the job for me and that I was going to be happy. I can say without any doubt today that of all the jobs I’ve subsequently done, the high positions I’ve held or the prestige I’ve had, nothing has come anywhere close to the pride and happiness that I’ve had serving in the police force. I cannot explain the joy and pride I experienced when I got my first promotion as sergeant at 19 years old. I was living in Mont Fleuri at the time. On the first day I walked all the way there from Victoria so that the whole of Seychelles could notice the chevrons on my right sleeve. Getting my first appointment as Ambassador years later did not have the same effect on me! I had joined the police force about two years before the 1977 Coup d’Etat. I saw a well-organised, well-led and professional organisation, with a very strong “esprit de corps”. These same attributes continued when, after the coup, the late James Pillay took over as the Commissioner of Police – at least initially before politicians decided that they knew better and could run the force better than professional policemen. Mr. Pillay was a born leader of men who I greatly admired and respected. He had a vision, was fair and above all, a man of principle. I remember once, following an incident where I had had a massive argument with one of the British Advisers in the force at the time, and I ended up before Mr. Pillay “to be severely reprimanded”. After listening to my explanation he said: “Radegonde, the way you went about it was maybe not elegant but you should always stand up for what you believe in, no matter what…” Wise counsel which I continue to live by. I left the Force soon after Mr. Pillay resigned. I was then an Inspector and had served in the force for ten years. It was clear to me at that time that I was unlikely to progress any further. I look back at those years with much nostalgia. I was happily working as Personnel Manager with the Seychelles Hotels on Praslin when I was ‘discovered’ by the late Mrs. Danielle de St. Jorre and encouraged to join her ministry as Chief of Protocol. I had absolutely no clue what ‘Protocol’ was and perplexed as to how I could even aspire to be the “chief” of something so alien to me. I flew to Mahe for a formal interview with ‘Madame’ herself and a follow-up session with Claude Morel. From what I was briefed about

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the role and what I knew of Mrs. de St Jorre’s standards I was fully conscious what I was letting myself in for; that it was not going to be “a walk in the park”. But I was up for it and accepted the position. I enjoyed the two years I spent in the position, travelling and learning a lot. People watching a ‘simple’ event such a new ambassador presenting his credentials to the President may think that it could not get any simpler than that: send a car to pick the ambassador up, accompany him into the President’s office and introduce them,

“Mrs. de St. Jorre was probably everything that most fair-minded people thought of her and more: a hard worker, a hard task master, demanding, expected very high standards, perfectionist. There was never any half measure with her. She abhorred mediocrity, in all its forms. We had our disagreements but I respected and liked her.” have a few photos taken, see the ambassador off after the meeting and that’s was that. People are not aware of the long and, at times, delicate and complicated process that goes on behind the scenes. For starters, the country proposing to send a new Ambassador has to have the President’s approval or ‘Agreement’, which he may withhold. This is then followed by agreeing dates for the first visit, the official programme, courtesies on arrival, accommodation, transport, the Ambassador’s dietary restrictions, security, his preferred working language, menu for the official luncheon, guest list, speeches, and the list goes on. Mrs. de St. Jorre was probably everything that most fair-minded people thought of her and more: a hard worker, a hard task master, demanding, expected very high standards, perfectionist. There was never any half measure with her. She abhorred mediocrity, in all its forms. We had our disagreements but I respected and liked her. She was one of the best Foreign Ministers that Seychelles had ever had. I would comfortably say that she was up there amongst the best in Africa and beyond. I’ve

accompanied her to many bilateral meetings in several countries and I’ve witnessed the high respect in which she was held . The lady was uncompromising and made no concessions where Seychelles’ interests were concerned, even on contentious issues such as the one-party state, EDA, etc. She also had that rare gift of being able to tell her interlocutor to go and jump under a train where they appeared to actually consider that possibility with much joy. I will never forget an incident in London when a member of the royal family, in trying to be funny when Mrs. de St. Jorre was introduced to him, referred to Seychelles as “those little islands that are always having coups and counter-coups”. Mrs. de St. Jorre, ‘qui n’avait pas sa langue dans sa poche’, without batting an eye lid promptly reminded him about Northern Ireland and that was the end of the conversation! Getting my first overseas posting to London in 1989 came as surprise. It was a huge honour. I was to replace the outgoing High Commissioner in the capacity of Acting High Commissioner and “hold the fort” until a replacement was appointed. In my hands and those of the everdedicated Susie (the secretary) and Shaki (the driver), rested the fate of Seychelles’ interests in the ‘Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’. The three of us all ended up being ‘Jacks of all trades’. When I needed to entertain officially at home (something which Mrs. de St. Jorre rightly encouraged), I was the cook, Susie the Chief of Protocol- cum- waitress and Shakie the butler. After the guests had left we all ended up doing the washing up and the cleaning. That was my “high life” and that of most of my other colleagues at that time who were called upon to represent our country overseas. I’m glad to note that we have somewhat moved on and our numerous embassies are more adequately staffed. As the months went by, it became clear that a new High Commissioner was not going to be appointed. That suited me perfectly as I was enjoying the work and life as a bachelor in London. More importantly, I had met a beautiful girl who was later to become my wife. Mrs. de St. Jorre informed me that, provided I pursued further studies and had a certificate to show for it, I may be considered for the position. I immediately enrolled on a Diplomatic Studies Masters Programme with the Polytechnic of Central London, now University of Central London. Most of my evenings (when I did not have official engagements) were spent in tutorials, lectures and practicals). After my graduation (and I did produce a certificate!) Mrs. de St. Jorre did keep her promise and I was appointed High Commissioner. The new position did not change much for me as I had already been doing the job but it allowed me to present my credentials to the Queen and be formally recognized as the President’s official representative whilst also taking my place in the pecking order of the huge London Diplomatic Corps. I had meanwhile proposed to Dorothee and a wedding date had been agreed. My new appointment and upcoming wedding caused a lot of excitement. It really felt like two Christmases at once! At around that time, Seychelles was becoming more conscious of its interests – mostly in fisheries, within the European Union, and the government was looking at setting up a permanent diplomatic representation in Brussels. My wife being Belgian, Mrs. de St Jorre viewed this as an asset and proposed me for the position. She was of the view that a posting in Belgium

SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS

would be better for my career development and progression. I cannot say that I was convinced by her explanation nor happy with that proposal. Both Doty and I loved our life in London and I certainly did not fancy the prospect of living in dull grey Brussels. Mrs. de St. Jorre was adamant and by the beginning of 1993 we found ourselves, freshly married, setting up house in Brussels. I subsequently grew to love the city and Belgium generally. My new role, also covering Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg was both

“The good thing that came out of all this is that it has allowed Doty and I to know who our real friends are, who would be around no matter what. I am happy that today we have quality over quantity. We are surrounded by a small, tight group of solid friends – I hasten to add across all of Seychelles’ political spectrum.” challenging and interesting. Our first two sons were born, barely 14 months apart, in Brussels, and it was great to have the support of my in-laws an hour’s drive down the road. We spent six happy years in Brussels before we moved to Malaysia. Today, from our new home in UK, every excuse is a good one to return to Belgium and we do so as often as we can. I always very much look forward to these trips. The new Foreign Minister, Jeremy Bonnelame, was the driving force behind the “economic diplomacy” concept and the foreign policy strategy that resulted in the establishment of a permanent diplomatic mission in the AsiaPacific region based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I was privileged to be appointed as the first Ambassador with concurrent accreditations to Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea. That was a very challenging posting which I thoroughly enjoyed. We left Malaysia after six years with a new addition to our small family – Loic, born in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. He regularly tells us that he was a very “confused young man” and that his school friends were equally confused. I can understand that a child born in Malaysia of an Italian mother (who holds Belgian nationality) and a Seychellois father (who

Sylvestre with Dorothy and their son, Nick happens to be of European and African origins) could indeed be confusing.

You returned to Seychelles in 2003. What was it like to be back home after years of living abroad? The infamous Macro Economic Reform Programme (MERP) resulted in the closure of all but two of Seychelles’ small network of overseas diplomatic missions. After six years in Malaysia, you do not leave without mixed feelings. My wife was probably the saddest to leave. Asia generally, but certainly beautiful Malaysia had “grown on her”. She had made many great friends whom she has kept to this day. Our sons had also immersed in Malaysia’s multiculturalism and were learning Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia at school. They were sad to leave but were excited about their new life on the islands I had so often spoken to them about. As they had been on the move from a very early age I was keen for them to finally settle and grow some roots. There was no better place than Seychelles. I wanted them to especially know and hopefully love La Digue as I do. I had been away from Seychelles for 14 years by the time we returned late 2003. Friends had either been married or moved on, my family was different. They had their own interests, shared jokes I had no clue about. I felt like a stranger, excluded. It was worse for Doty and the kids, especially initially, as they had not yet picked up creole. Settling back in, especially at the height of the endless commodity shortages, was therefore not easy. If I found it difficult, Doty found it a real struggle having to fight for a loaf of bread or some yogurt in Victoria and then coming home to wash in a basin because there was no running water. We particularly struggled getting running water as our house was located on a little hill in one of the worst affected areas of Mahe, North East Point. There were times when, very late in the evening, I would drive the boys to the Foreign Ministry so that they could have a “proper” wash from the hose used to wash the VIP cars. Having experienced worse and actually enjoying the days when I went to the river to wash, that did not bother me too much. However

for the boys this was way off the picture I had painted of life in Seychelles. I preferred not to ask what my wife wrote to her parents and friends about her new life in paradise! We however both enjoyed our jobs and the boys their new school and their new friends, despite the initial language barrier. I believe that Doty genuinely tried to “donn Sesel en sans”. She very quickly picked up creole. The boys did as well although I think that they understood it much more than they let out.

During your time here, you headed the marketing arm of the country in your role as CEO of STB. This must have been a huge responsibility. What mark would you say you left there? Moving to the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) as its first Executive Chairman was not my choice. In fact, I made it known very clearly to the powers that be that I did not want the new position. I was very lucky, however, to be surrounded by many hard-working, supportive, enthusiastic and dedicated colleagues (inherited from the previous Ministry of tourism and STMA or whom I had personally recruited). We forged ahead, despite many challenges. In the very short nine months that I headed the STB, we built on the work previously done by STMA, and set the grounds for many new initiatives. I think that we achieved a lot: • We moved away from the perceived “elitist” black and white marketing of the destination and brought back colour into our marketing materials • We localized most of the senior positions that were being held by non-Seychellois, thereby making significant savings that were put back into the marketing budget • We reviewed the composition of our overseas marketing partners, bringing in Seychellois and Seychellois ‘flavour’ to all our marketing activities • I initiated discussions with ISPC to set up a hotel shop in Seychelles. I’m happy that they are still there. • We launched the Seychelles Sailing Cup. I regret that it has been discontinued

SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS

• •

We launched the Bazar Labrin as a mid-week activity for visitors and also an opportunity for local farmers and artisans to sell their products. We set very strict guidelines for this so that it did not end up being another fancy fair and an opportunity for debauchery. It was a great success. On a visit to the bazar on my last visit to Seychelles a few years ago I was sad to see the level it had degenerated to. We enhanced STB’s support provided to small Seychellois-owned tourism establishments including their marketing under the “Seychelles Secrets” label. This was an excellent initiative started by STMA which I was delighted to continue supporting and develop further. STB consistently paid for the participation of a representative of the small establishments at all the main tourism fairs.

“Growing up on La Digue in the 1960s may have been tough but I remember primarily the great times I had as a kid: riding on the bull carts, fishing, swimming, playing marbles, and the countless other activities that kids of my age took part in.” By the time I left STB, through the combined effort of everyone, we had achieved a tourism arrival growth of around 5%, the first in five years. We were developing several other projects to encourage visitors to spend more locally. I believe that, given time, resources and the space to discharge our mandate, STB could have achieved a lot more.

Tell us about your decision to leave. After I declined government’s offer to return to Belgium as Ambassador and resigned from government early in 2006, some people took it as their mission to make my life as miserable as they possibly could. Few knew the circumstances of my resignation and therefore made their own assumptions, drew their own conclusions. Few knew that I had had a personal discussion with the President to explain why I could not accept the new posting in Belgium nor stay longer in government. I think that he understood and respected my decision. I had no intention of going anywhere, certainly not after barely three years of returning to Seychelles and trying to settle my family down. Several things subsequently happened that showed me another side of our people that I had not seen before and it saddened me that some senior individuals seemed happy to be part of them.

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L-R: Loic, Nick and Jeremy Radegonde But my greatest disappointment, not to say hurt, is the attitude of certain so-called friends and family. People we had been close to, at times for many years, had stayed in our house when we were living overseas and that we had at times helped. Suddenly, they could not disassociate themselves from us fast enough. It was as if we had caught the plague. They needed to save their skin. I no longer held a senior position in government, I no longer had any influence or prestige to be brushed off on them. Furthermore, associating with us was risky. The good thing that came out of all this is that it has allowed Doty and I to know who our real friends are, who would be around no matter what. I am happy that today we have quality over quantity. We are surrounded by a small, tight group of solid friends – I hasten to add across all of Seychelles’ political spectrum. This is one of our many blessings. After the 2006 Presidential elections and everything that followed, it was better, for my family’s sake, to leave – if only to allow the dust to settle. We made that decision very quickly and within two months we had packed our clothes and a few personal effects and were on flight to UK. Neither of us had a job, nor had we found a school for the boys. A friend kindly offered us the use of her house in Oxfordshire until we could find our own accommodation and that was where we laid anchor. Leaving Seychelles was a heart-tearing moment, especially for the boys. Our eldest, who was just over 12 at the time took it particularly hard. It was a combination of leaving an environment they were growing used to and at home in and their beloved dog – Polly. Eight years later, any mention of Polly and Seychelles remains a sore point. It has not helped that Polly, which we had left in one of my sister’s care, was poisoned and killed. I hope that time being the great healer, like me my sons will put the past behind them and re-embrace Seychelles. As I always tell them, the country and the majority of the people have done nothing to hurt them. Whilst in the diplomatic service in the early 80s, I had served in London for about three years. Whilst we had visited Stratford- Upon –Avon, Oxford, etc, our knowledge of life outside London

was limited. We however found our new little town, Banbury – just a few miles outside Oxford – warm and welcoming. Despite over-subscription and a visit to our parish priest – very dear Father Mervin, we quickly found places in the catholic school. My wife and I took a few temporary jobs before we both found permanent employment – she with the County Council and I with an international logistics company. I suppose that few 50 year olds land in Europe and expect to find permanent employment. I have been lucky in many ways. I love my job. Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have thought that I would one day be a Clinical Trials Study Manager, working with several well-known pharmaceutical companies and managing the storage and distribution of their clinical trials drugs across the world. Police, diplomacy, tourism maybe. Life science logistics????

Do you miss Seychelles? Anything in particular you miss the most?

Home is where the heart is. In that respect, I’m lucky to have more than one – home I mean! UK has been good to us and we love our life here. Belgium, my wife’s country, is now also mine and being barely six hours away by car, we try to get there as often as we can. My mother-in-law’s cooking is as good a reason as any to go there! Seychelles – especially my beloved La Digue will always have a special place in my heart. Every year I sorely miss the New Year celebrations. These celebrations evoke countless memories dating back to my early childhood on La Digue. I suppose that I really feel homesick around that time and sorely miss people who are dearest to me alive or departed. I miss “karang griye” and “satini frisiter”. I miss gato kreol and papay tournen. With our sons at or off to university, returning to Seychelles at this stage to live is not an option. I know that Doty would want to be as close as possible to “her babies” – even when they’ll be married and grey so, returning to live may not happen for a little while yet. I would personally like to return one day, if only to spend my final days……on La Digue

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was recently back home sweet home in Sesel! My sojourn began with my godson, Theo’s, baptism. Arriving just in time for the main event my heart almost burst with joy at seeing little Theo’s wide, dimply grin. He was well behaved throughout the entire mass, as was his proud big brother, Reece – full credit to their parents. Afterwards we celebrated with gigantic servings of Chinese food, more cakes than a Parisian patisserie and a bouncy castle about which I was more excited than the kids! My good friends, Barry (Irish) and Sarah (British-Seychelloise), were renée martin designs getting married. Their guests had flown in from the British Isles for a week of merriment and good humoured debauchery. We kicked it off with a sunset dinner under the stars on Beau Vallon beach, courtesy of the Boathouse. Then came a day trip to Anse Major on board the Anahita, a sten (stag and hen) night at the Savoy and Havana’s Lounge on Eden Island, culminating with the wedding itself - an 18 hour affair which commenced at the stunning Église de Saint Roch, continued with dinner and dancing at the Fisherman’s Cove hotel and ended with more partying at a private villa in Glacis. Let’s just say that the Irish know how dance…on tables. Led by the Groom they made themselves known to most of Mahé – so much so that they had already met my friends and relatives before I had the chance to! I did try to catch up with as many of my accomplices as possible. Vesna, Alice and I got our glow paint on for a night of epic proportions at Tequila Boom. Luckily John and Ashley had lined our stomachs with - get this - homemade squid ink pasta, infused with the ink of squids caught by John’s own hands, and served with a squid marinara sauce. Even the menu was written in squid ink, on aged parchment, with the “pen” (the internal shell - squids don’t have spines) of the squid itself. We washed it down with delectable Starfruit Bellinis. Only in Seychelles!

Somewhere in between all that partying, my sister, Carolyn, and I managed to complete our Open Water Diver course with Dive Seychelles, which is based at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel (highly recommended). That’s right people, I’m licenced to dive. Be very afraid! Find out how I spent my birthday in next month’s issue. Until next time, if you can’t be good, be good at it.

Starfruit Bellini You will need...

15ml Cognac 25ml Starfruit nectar* 1 sugar cube Champagne, Prosecco or other dry, sparkling white wine 1 slice of starfruit, for garnish

What to do...

Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne flute. Pour the Cognac over it. Add the starfruit nectar. Slowly top with Champagne. Garnish the rim of the glass with a slice of starfruit, sit back and relax. *To make the starfruit nectar simply chop, blend and puree ripe starfruits with a small amount of water until smooth and then strain through a sieve. Brigitte Monchouguy is a Seychelloise legal practitioner with a passion for social journalism. She is happiest when travelling, with interests in music, art, theatre and architecture. She also dabbles in mixology and will be sharing cocktail recipes along with her monthly escapades.

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WEEK-END DISCOVERY FOR SEYCHELLES RESIDENTS SCR 10,000 per couple for 2 nights including Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE - Delicious buffet at the main restaurant (A la Carte menu available in all restaurants with a supplement) - Water and land activities including nature treks to explore the island - Access to all the facilities of the kid’s club for children - Free boat shuttle service N.B. CheCk-in Time AT 2 p.m. & CheCk-ouT Time AT noon Children sharing parents room (maximum of 2) from 5 to 17 years old: SCR 2,500 per child for the 2 days Children under 5 years old stay for free The price includes tax T H I S O F F E R I S S U B J E C T T O A VA I L A B I L I T Y For reservation and further details please e-mail us on sainteanne@bchot.com

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

ckage This pa ailable for av is also utive days ec 2 cons e week th g in r du

A Fresh Start - London to Mahé By Daniel Balkwill

BY STRANGE COINCIDENCE, IT TRANSPIRED THAT ONE OF MY RECENT CUSTOMERS WENT TO SCHOOL OPPOSITE WHERE I OWNED A FLAT IN MY FORMER HOME TOWN OF BEDFORD. ANOTHER BRIT I MET HAS A SON THERE WHO IS AN ESTATE AGENT THAT ONCE DID A VALUATION ON OUR HOME. NEVER HAS THE PHRASE ‘IT’S A SMALL WORLD’ SEEMED MORE APPROPRIATE.

Dan works for Kreol Wines - a new wine shop located at Eden Plaza on Eden Island, specialising in Argentinian, Australian, French and South African products. Opening hours are 9-6.30 Mon-Fri, 10-6 Sat & 10-4 Sun.

O 21

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ver the past months I have made several interesting and invaluable discoveries. These include vegetable samosas (an excellent snack although perhaps not so beneficial from a health perspective), a reliable, aromatic deodorant (essential in these swelteringly hot, sultry climes), the best avocadoes I’ve ever tasted, aubergine fritters, vanilla tea and some delicious local baguettes (the dog refuses to eat any other type although he is starting to show worrying signs of leaving the crusts). I draw the line at the prospect of eating curried bat though! I have come to adore Takamaka rum, especially the dark variant. I have also found a few familiar favourite items from back home. These include garlic peri peri sauce, Dijon mustard, tomato ketchup and an assortment of cheeses such as pecorino, feta, brie and camembert. I haven’t found anywhere that provides decent, mature British cheddar as yet but hope springs eternal.

My Seychellois Creole continues to progress. I can now say ‘my dog is over there’ (to a rather bemused neighbour very early in the morning who was doubtless wondering why Ossie was romping around in his garden), ‘I need some salty sausages’ and ‘I would like 2 vegetable samosas please’ (3 would be greedy). Working in a shop can be a very sociable job. In a relatively short period I’ve met so many people from all over the world from numerous nations including South Africa, Russia, France and Germany to lesser-known countries such as Uruguay, Bolivia and Slovakia. I particularly enjoy having Seychellois customers who clearly love wine and enjoy a good chat. Everyone has been interesting and pleasant to meet in their own individual way. It’s always comforting to meet a fellow Briton though. By strange coincidence, it transpired that one of my recent customers went to school opposite where I owned a flat in my former home town of Bedford. Another Brit I met has a son there who is an estate agent that once did a valuation on our home. Never has the phrase ‘it’s a small world’ seemed more appropriate. I enjoy my frequent trips into Victoria. I’ve heard somewhere that it is officially the smallest capital city in the world. Personally, I find its compactness convenient as there is never far to walk in order to reach your objective and therefore the chances of getting lost are minimal. In the unlikely event that this does happen it’s easy to re-orientate oneself and swiftly get back on track. Once all of my various tasks have been completed I like to sit down just for a few moments to collect my thoughts. I’ve found the perfect spot under the shade of a palm tree to escape from the ferocity of the sun’s relentless rays and appreciate a few fleeting moments of solitude whilst indulging myself in the ancient art of people-watching before heading into work.

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a metaphor for conquering fear but that it’s also about acceptance – accepting the mile, accepting the challenges, accepting the summer and accepting the facts of her life, and that if she can do that then everything else sort of gave way. Here are some quotes from the book that got me thinking deeply. ‘Radical aloneness. Alone had always felt like an actual place to me, as if it were a state of being, but rather a room where I could retreat to be who I really was. The radical aloneness of the pacific crest trail had altered that sense. Alone wasn’t a room anymore, but the whole wide world. And now I was alone in that world, occupying it in a way I never had before. Living

Acceptance By Alexandria Faure I recently finished reading a thought-provoking book called Wild: A Journey From Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed. The book is a memoir of how the writer’s life is turned upside down after losing her mother at the age of 22 and as a means of self-discovery, she embarks on a strenuous 3 month long hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in the United States. At the time that she went on the hike, which was in 1995 there were no iPods and no mobile phones! The sense of isolation and aloneness struck me. Just imagine being in the wilderness, and hiking on your own for 3 whole months! She didn’t see another human being for the first 8 days of her 1,100 mile journey. That’s astounding! I don’t think I’ve ever gone one whole day without seeing another person. The idea of being completely alone in the wilderness is so profound and the experience itself would be so life changing. The author herself says that she was never more alone than she was on the trail and she sums up the book as not only

“SOMETIMES YOU’LL HOLD ON REALLY HARD AND REALISE THERE IS NO CHOICE BUT TO LET GO. ACCEPTANCE IS A SMALL, QUIET ROOM.” at large like this, without even a roof over my head made the world feel both bigger and smaller to me.’ ‘No escape or denial. The thing about hiking the Pacific crest trail, the thing that was so profound to me that summer, and yet also like most things so very simple, was how few choices I had and how often I had to do the thing I least wanted to do. How there was no escape or denial, no numbing it down with a martini or covering it up with a roll in the hay. It was relentless.’ ‘Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realise there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.’ At the end of the day we all suffer and we all have difficult things and this book teaches us to accept the things that we might have to bear.

Alexandria Faure is a freelance writer and has a degree in Drama & Theatre Arts and hopes to pursue a masters in the near future. She is passionate about preserving the unique Kreol culture and heritage of Seychelles, and her hobby is researching different cultural aspects of Seychelles and the historical stories behind them. She hopes to share ideas and thoughts drawn from her life experiences in her articles.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

Une course d’étapes !(par Georges Gravé) C’est le Docteur Elisabeth Kubler-Rosse, pionnière de l’approche des soins palliatifs pour la personne en fin de vie, qui déjà dans les années 1970 avait mis en lumière les différentes étapes émotionnelles que les patients traversaient lorsqu’ils étaient confrontés à une maladie grave. Bien des années plus tard, j’ai eu l’honneur de pouvoir accompagner de nombreuses personnes qui traversaient l’épreuve de la maladie, et je dois dire que tous et toutes étaient confronté a cette course d’étapes émotionnelles. Tout commence toujours par le choc ! Il est énorme et violent, c’est un véritable coup de marteau sur la tête … et même si au plus profond de soi même on le savait, lorsque le diagnostique tombe et que le mot – Cancer – est

“IL N’EST PAS RARE DE RENTRER DANS LA CHAMBRE D’UN MALADE ET DE SE FAIRE INSULTER OU MÊME DE RECEVOIR UN POT DE FLEUR EN PLEINE TÊTE. CELA DEMANDE UNE GRANDE COMPRÉHENSION POUR CELUI QUI ACCOMPAGNE. IL FAUT ÊTRE CAPABLE DE SE METTRE DANS LA PEAU DE L’AUTRE ET DE BIEN RECONNAITRE LA COLÈRE.”. prononcé pour la première fois… tout s’écroule et l’on est seul au monde. Le choc est énorme car le mot cancer est encore et toujours associé a la mort même si aujourd’hui grands nombres de cancers sont guérissables. Le choc en général ne

dure pas très longtemps, car il est vite remplacé par quelque chose de très subtil qui permet de masquer la réalité : le refus ! Le refus ! En effet, la négation d’un tel diagnostique est un mécanisme normal qui se retrouve dans n’importe quel événement qui nous bouleverse. Je n’ai jamais vu un malade qui en apprenant la nouvelle de sa maladie, dira au docteur « merci docteur, j’ai le cancer et je vais me soigner ». Cela viendra bien plus tard. Le malade pour s’en sortir au moment présent ne peut que nier ce qui lui arrive en ces termes ; « pourquoi moi ? » « Ce n’est pas vrai ! », « le médecin s’est trompé, d’ailleurs ils se trompent souvent » etc.… Certains enfouissent même la nouvelle tellement profondément qu’il faudra attendre très longtemps avant une nouvelle visite chez un autre médecin. Mais cette attitude ne peut qu’être temporaire car, peu a peu, devant l’évidence des faits, il est amené à faire face a la réalité, si dure soit-elle. Cette réalité prendra un sens différent selon qu’il la vivra dans le désespoir ou dans l’abandon. Et pour passer à l’étape suivante il faudra bien la regarder en face, cette chose que l’on a encore du mal à nommer et pourtant elle a un nom : le Cancer ! L’étape suivante est violente, c’est La colère ! On en veut au monde entier, et c’est bien normal d’avoir des mouvements de révoltes et de colère devant un événement qui vient changer toutes nos prévisions de vie. Ce n’est en effet pas le plus beau jour de notre vie que de faire connaissance de prêt avec Monsieur Cancer. « Je n’avais rien fait de mal a personne et pourtant c’est a moi que cela arrive !!! » Cette nouvelle bouleverse de font en comble une vie que rien ne préparait a cette épreuve. Et pourtant il va falloir faire avec. Nous avons beau crier à l’injustice et nous en prendre au destin, Monsieur Cancer est bien là maintenant. Cette colère a besoin d’être exprimée et si elle est refoulée, elle réapparaitra tôt ou tard. Il n’est pas rare de rentrer dans la chambre d’un malade et de se faire insulter ou même de recevoir un pot de fleur en pleine tête. Cela demande une grande compréhension pour celui qui accompagne. Il faut être capable de se mettre dans la peau de l’autre et de bien reconnaitre la colère. Elle ne nous est bien sur pas destinée… Une fois la colère passée, le malade passera à une autre étape… Le marchandage. Dans cette étape, l’émotion fait place à la rationalisation et tend à changer la réalité. « Ca ne se peut pas » « le diagnostique

est surement erroné », »je suis trop jeune », « si je guéri, j’arrête de fumer ou je fais un don a la recherche ». Cette étape est vraiment vécue dans la lutte et nous nous accrochons pour un temps, au miracle qui tarde à venir. Nous sommes prêts à tout pour la prolongation de notre existence et pour retrouver la santé. Attention danger, c’est le moment où les gourous en tout genre, sous prétexte de guérison peuvent vous extorquer tout ce qu’ils veulent. Nous sommes à ce moment tellement fragile. Apres avoir épuisé tous les moyens, le malade et son entourage sont bien forcé de regarder la vérité en face. L’évidence est la dans toute sa brutalité : J’ai le cancer ! Alors puisqu’il en est ainsi, passons à l’étape suivante : la dépression ! La dépression ! Devant l’impondérable, puisque tout est foutu, puisque je ne peux rien faire, le malade ferme alors la porte a tout son environnement. C’est une période douloureuse mais de murissement. Il n’y a rien d’autre à faire que de se vautrer dans la dépression. Je suis seul au monde et le monde m’a abandonné. Le malade a besoin alors d’une présence constante et aimante pour sortir de cet état de torpeur et passer à l’étape suivante. L’acceptation ! Et son énergie de reconstruction…L’histoire personnelle du malade influencera considérablement son attitude devant la maladie. Il est reconnu qu’une foi religieuse, peu importe laquelle, est une aide précieuse pour accepter les événements difficiles de la vie et de la mort. C’est au moment de l’acceptation que le malade reprendra les rennes de son destin et deviendra l’acteur de sa guérison ou d’un autre voyage. Tous les individus ne passent pas nécessairement par toutes ces étapes, ni toujours dans le même ordre, mais nous devons cependant ne pas avoir peur de nos émotions et les considérer comme un processus normal et aider le malade à les vivre pleinement. Malades et accompagnants, nous devons être conscients de toutes ces étapes afin de pouvoir mieux dialoguer avec notre maladie.

Georges Gravé is the Personal Development & Training Manager at the Maia Luxury Resort and Spa

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WITH

BE RNA R D GE ORGE S

When we shop online, who’s liable for the items reaching our home safely? I recently ordered some things from a company in the UK and I never received the goods. The company has been unresponsive to my queries. This question is one which will interest readers, given the rapid growth of online purchases by Seychellois and residents of our islands. Practically everyone I know buys stuff online nowadays. I do too. Occasionally – as happened to me a few months ago – the goods never arrive. In my case, this was sorted out. The shipper had sent my parcel to Victoria, South Carolina (which probably doesn’t exist) and it was returned. But there is not always a happy ending. What happens if the goods do not arrive and the shipper doesn’t do anything about it? What if the shipper doesn’t even acknowledge your query? Once again, there are multiple possible answers to the questions. Not buying from that particular company again is one option. That will work for future purchases, but what about the one that wasn’t delivered? The answer lies in the law of contract. A contract is an agreement between two or more people in which one person offers to do something (or to refrain from doing something) and the other agrees to pay the first person for the doing, or the refraining from doing, that thing. Thus, whether we think about it or not, whenever we enter a shop to buy something we are entering into a contract with the owner of the shop. We offer to purchase the box of tissues or the packet of biscuits at the price on it, and the shopkeeper accepts our offer by taking our money. The contract is thus sealed and obligations arising from the transaction automatically click in. On behalf of the seller there are two principal obligations – the obligation to deliver the thing, and the obligation to guarantee that it is not defective. To continue with our example, if having paid for the box of tissues the shopkeeper asks you, ‘Where do you think you are going with that box of tissues?’ and prevents you from taking it away, the shopkeeper breaks the contractual obligation to deliver. The same applies if you purchase a large item, say a refrigerator, and the shop undertakes to deliver it at your home, and then doesn’t. You can enforce the contract. You do this in one of two ways, the choice being yours: you force delivery of the item, or you ask for your money back. Just for the record, these two options are called ‘specific performance’ and ‘recission’ in legalese. So much for the law. Now, back to the contract itself. The words ‘small print’ automatically spring to mind when contracts are mentioned. This refers to the series of conditions which sometimes are attached to a contract and which normally nobody pays any attention to until something

happens. A common example can be seen on the back of a car-hire agreement. Usually when you hire a vehicle, you are in a hurry to take it and go, so you sign the paper given to you by the agent, collect the keys, and drive away. Well, when you signed, you signed a statement at the bottom of the page saying you had read all the conditions on the back of the agreement and that you agreed to them. That is the small print. Nobody reads it, but it binds you. Who ever reads the pages of print that appear on our computer screen when we download a new programme? We just scroll to the bottom and click the box that says ‘I agree’, impatient to start downloading. That small print includes conditions which we have just agreed to as part of the contract – to hire the vehicle or to use the programme. The same usually applies with online orders. There is usually some small print somewhere in the transaction that says that the shipper will use their best endeavours to get the goods to your address, but that they are not responsible if for whatever reason the goods never arrive. Just think about it. Would you as a shipper want to run the risk of having to send goods again if the first time round the goods shipped are lost or stolen en route? So many things can go wrong in transit when goods are despatched. What about if the purchaser simply pretends that the goods never arrived, just to get a second order? That is why shippers usually insert a clause saying they are not responsible for the non-delivery of the goods. Shippers also insure themselves against non-delivery, and they have arrangements regarding responsibility with the carriers – the postal or courier companies – which actually do the carrying, so they get refunded. But what can you, the customer do? The answer, sadly, is not a lot. Some companies – Amazon, for example – have a refund policy. If you do not receive the goods, then all you have to do is say so and they will replace them by a new order. But not everyone does that. Usually, when you complain, the company will refer you to the small print saying they have no responsibility, and that is the end of the matter. Or, as happened to the person asking the question, they simply

“The words ‘small print’ automatically spring to mind when contracts are mentioned. This refers to the series of conditions which sometimes are attached to a contract and which normally nobody pays any attention to until something happens”. don’t answer. The only remedy here is to sue. This again is not always a viable remedy. If your order is small – a few hundred rupees – you are hardly going to engage lawyers and courts to recover that. Plus, where do you sue? This is a complex question concerning the place where the contract was entered into and the conflict of laws. It will be worth doing only in respect of very large orders. So, the advice left to give to the dissatisfied customer asking the question here is simply this: never use that company again, and tell all your friends about your experience. Let everyone know of your treatment through social media. These companies are very sensitive to adverse publicity. They rely on trust to carry on their business effectively. You may just get what you are seeking by acting outside of the traditional legal methods. But, just for the record, if you don’t, and you want to sue to show the shipper that you are not going to accept their attitude, you can do so. Our law of contract puts an obligation on the seller to deliver the goods paid for. You are already halfway there...

Educated at Seychelles College and Cambridge University, Bernard Georges has two Masters Degrees – in the law of divorce and in canon law, the law of the church. He is best known as a lawyer, having been in private practice for over 30 years. Over the past ten years, he has also been a member of the National Assembly. He is currently a part-time lecturer in law at the University of Seychelles, where he teaches Constitutional Law. And, he is a budding writer. He has written and published two novels to date and he promises many more books on history, law and Seychelles.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

I N S P I R E D B Y PA S S I O N

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OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

CONSUMER AWARENESS

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OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

CONSUMER AWARENESS

Know Your Wine by Kreol Wines (Eden Plaza) Vinalba Chardonnay Chardonnay is one of the most universally popular grape varieties, partly because of its hardy qualities which enable it to grow and ripen everywhere in the wine-growing world apart from areas with the most extreme and volatile climatic conditions. The very best examples are found in the Burgundy region in France and it is one of the traditional triumvirate of grape varieties, alongside pinot noir and pinot meunier, used in the production of champagne. The winery, Vinalba, is located in the Mendoza Valley, the most renowned wine growing area in the country. It is owned by Herve Joyaux Fabre and his wife Diane, who originally hail from Bordeaux in France. Since 2008, Vinalba has produced outstanding quality, well-priced wines that consistently win a host of prestigious international awards across the full spectrum of their range – a sure-fire sign of a class outfit. This particular chardonnay has great aromas of tropical and citrus fruits, is complex in the mouth with a long and fresh finish. Fruit; Green apple on the nose followed by a delicate hint of white peach on the palate. Oak; N/A Tannin; Low Acidity; Medium Ageability; Best consumed early whilst crisp, fresh and vibrant. Recommended dishes; Chardonnay is a versatile grape variety and pairs well with most white meat and fish dishes. Try it with fish pie or with chicken, pork or pasta in a cream-based sauce. Tip; Enthusiasts of the more full-bodied style of white wine should also try pinot gris/grigio and viognier. Price; RS245 – Kreol Wines

A lot of hype has been going on about smart watches and other smart accessories for the past few years. One of them was the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy smart watch but still not many people have caught on since many of these watches work with only a specific set of mobile devices, look too futuristic or are too expensive. Motorola is trying to appeal to the general public with its fashionable smart watch which also works with a range of android smartphones. The Moto 360 stands out from others like it on the market first of all because its sleek, classic design and its premium build quality. It has a stainless steel frame, 1 meter water resistance and genuine leather straps- with the first available color being gray leather and black leather. This means that you can actually wear the watch with your suit for that special occasion or anywhere else you go and will still look good. What makes the Moto 360 tick is a OMAP 3 processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. It connects to Android smartphones running Android 4.3 or Android 4.4. It has one physical button on the side of the watch that turns the display on and off. You can also achieve the same by tapping on the screen to turn it on and cover the screen with your palm to turn it off. The watch also sports healthmotivating features like a pedometer and an optical heart-rate monitor on its back which make the watch quite useful for everyday use and not just another fashion statement. The watch also comes with its own charging dock to charge the 320mAh battery. So if you always wanted to try a smart watch and could never find one that suited your style or thinking ahead for a cool Christmas present, then maybe the Moto 360 might be the one for you.

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OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

EXPLORING EDEN

Seychelles White Eye Gilberte

Gendron

trail e r u t a N t r e b Mont Se spotâ&#x20AC;? t o h y it s r e iv d â&#x20AC;&#x153;a key bio helles By The Wildlife

Club of Seyc

lles which has aces in Seyche pl e th of e , the huge on strict is and in this case The Cascade di tural features . It has a na er its riv e m ad fro sc e m through the Ca inherited its na ce us. The on no ed ai w nt flo which it is mostly mou which is found d an water streams nd la of 12 hectares Sebert trail il called Mont landmark of 10 astic nature tra nt fa a s ha t distric Sebert trail is n top. ent, the Mont at the mountai ogical assessm ol e may find bi on nt e, ce er re th a y hotspot and According to sit er iv and pristine od r la bi y pu be a ke ith its very po w , ns considered to io at ch as the Bois rm anite rock fo mic species su de en re ra ychelles of magnificent gr e m lia) and the Se It is also the ho yne oppositifo ag rest and ra us environment. e ed th (M is ee ea lly Fish Tr found in the ar s ie ec asett who sp Meduse, the Je om r Th he r as named afte azo linet). Anot w w (z ch e hi Ey w te ti) hi et W as esomantis thom Cascade Area. ayed tiniest frogs (N the past has pl e upper th in n tio ta an river which, in e ge ad sc hu a Ca e of had a rich pl e th s y, was the us ntain top flow llagers. Notabl ch as ropes From the mou e lives of the vi to products su th in in ir le co ro d t an an er fib ever, it was t w nu a signific Ho co e. co after sometim ch converted e hi nc w ill rta m po er en im at w um t. st its national mon . The wheel lo as declared a w e hich was and mattresses w sit al ch in ur ig and its or ew Catholic ch dr An St g ng village rebuilt in 1992 in hi rik ered to be a fis otten is the st s been consid Not to be forg ay w . al s an ha rm t he ric The dist was a fis built in 1913. saint, St Andrew ntly its patron and conseque

View over St Anne Marine Park from Mont Sebert. Picture by Don.

Old Cinna

mon Disti

llery

in the area is Another species found frogs (Nesomantis the rarest and tiniest named after thomasetti) which was a rich plantation in Thomasett who had rea. the upper Cascade A

Power W heel

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

at Cascad

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

La musique métissée…

ou plaidoyer pour la conservation de notre culture musicale… Nous savons tous que la musique est un vecteur de culture…elle permet d’exister voire de manifester sa différence…elle permet de transcender les aléas de la vie quotidienne… Le Ministère du Tourisme et de la Culture remplit ce rôle…Pour preuve le maintien et le renforcement du « Festival Kreol », initié il y a 28 ans par Madame Danielle de St Jorre… Les Seychelles sont un pays cosmopolite, qui manifeste avec fierté son mélange coloré de peuple de différentes races, cultures et religions…Chacun a pu apporter ses traditions, ses coutumes et contribuer ainsi à notre mode de vie et à la culture seychelloise. Que dire aussi de notre culture culinaire et ses saveurs… ! La musique folklorique intègre de multiples influences d’une manière syncrétique, y compris les rythmes africains…Il suffit que nous écoutions le « kanmtolé », « le Sega », « le moutya »… Nous ne pouvons faire autrement que d’entrer dans la danse… ! Le « SEYMAS », Seychelles Musician Association, créé récemment par un groupe d’artistes locaux, amoureux de notre culture, avec le soutien du Ministère du Tourisme et de la Culture, a organisé le 10 Janvier 2014 sa première « Nuit Moutya »…Les musiciens connus et appréciés comme Jean Marc VOLCY, Patrick VICTOR, Joseph SINON, et d’autres, ont apporté leur savoir-faire et ont pu montrer leur attachement à notre culture musicale. Nous devons les encourager… ! Alors ne méritons nous pas de solliciter, par exemple, l’inscription de notre « Festival KREOL » au Patrimoine Immatériel de l’UNESCO… ? « Le Maloya », l’un des deux genres musicaux majeurs de la Réunion, y figure bien depuis 2009 …

Toujours en France, nous avons bien « le Festival de Gannat » en Auvergne, ayant pour thème « Les Cultures du Monde », inscrit lui aussi à ce Patrimoine de l’UNESCO, comme le repas gastronomique français, et d’autres aspects de sa culture… Ne pourrions-nous pas prétendre aussi à cette reconnaissance qui graverait dans le marbre notre richesse culturelle pour les générations à venir… pour notre jeunesse d’aujourd’hui… ?

“LES MUSICIENS CONNUS ET APPRÉCIÉS COMME JEAN MARC VOLCY, PATRICK VICTOR, JOSEPH SINON, ET D’AUTRES, ONT APPORTÉ LEUR SAVOIR-FAIRE ET ONT PU MONTRER LEUR ATTACHEMENT À NOTRE CULTURE MUSICALE. NOUS DEVONS LES ENCOURAGER… !”. Président James Alix MICHEL, dans son discours d’ouverture du « Festival KREOL » en Octobre 2013, disait bien : « Un peuple sans culture est un peuple sans avenir… ». Alors qu’attendons-nous pour garantir son avenir à ce pan de notre culture, riche de son histoire, de sa diversité et de ses souffrances… ? Frank UNDERWOOD franck.underwood@wanadoo.fr

Sega Dancer

Evènements culturels culturels

Cours de français

Ateliers créatifs

AllianceFrançaise de Victoria Toutes les informations sur les évènements culturels à l’Alliance sur notre site internet www.allianceseychelles.org

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Jewellery that makes an impression! Up your glam and your look with Mary Carbognin 32

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

Clothes & Jewelry: PORTOFINO, Eden Island Hair: Exotica, Eden Island Venue: Le Meridien Fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cove Photographer: Suzanne Verlaque

It is not hard to believe that she found her way into jewellery making through her late husband, Ricardo Carbognin, a jeweler and designer himself. After living seven years of her life in Italy, she enrolled herself in the jewellery making enterprise which marked the start of a journey that today spans 20 years, with many accolades earned along way. Mary’s journey took another momentous turn recently with the opening of a new outlet - Portofino, at the Eden Plaza headed by her son. Spread over a large area, it is a visual delight, with jewellery amidst other things interesting products. The outlet is designed to create an emotional connection with the customer, making them curious to find out more. In an exclusive interview with POTPOURRI, Mary Carbognin speaks about her decades-spanning career and passion for jewellery design. With a free hand to create her own design, Mary combines this approach with an exquisite use of materials resulting in a body of work which is a synthesis of craft and imagination. When did you first launch your jewellery making business? The business was officially founded in 1994 where we opened our outlet at Camion Hall Building. However, even before that, we had already started unofficially in the trade. When we first kicked off, my husband and I moved to Praslin with all our machinery which he brought back from Italy, for us to open a small outlet there. Alas, business there was not as fruitful as we had anticipated so we eventually had to move back to Mahe. We will, as a matter of fact, be celebrating our 20 year anniversary this November.

even when we had to make payment afterwards. Another challenge is that a lot of people have no sense of business these days and it has become hard to find consistent and dedicated workers. But I am someone who is always fixated on what I’m doing and I do not allow challenges to bring me down. I enjoy reading about the philosophy of life and this is what keeps me persevering in life, even when things are not always in my favour.

Portofino, contrary to your outlet at Camion Hall, consists of more than just jewellery. Why did you decide to do this?

At Camion Hall, we have been restricted to selling only jewellery. We do craft 18 carat gold but our dealership is mostly in silver jewellery, so we tend to maintain the standard there and keep to our licensing agreement. At Eden Plaza, with a much larger space, we found it idyllic to not only sell our custom made jewellery, but to also include clothing, shoes and handbags which we believe go along perfectly with a nice set of trinkets.

Since you have been into jewellery design for almost two decades, what advice would you give to young entrepreneurs wanting to get into the trade?

I have been taught so much about the industry and it has made me who I am. The problem here is that we do not have an educational system that caters for this domain, and there is a lack in qualified salespersons dealing in businesses today. To be successful in business, you need to work very hard, be persistent but not stubborn and get a thick hide. The jewellery industry here is also tiny and everyone knows everyone, so you have to be sure of the services you provide as much as the products you deliver.

How affordable are your prices and which produce do you deem as the most popular?

I feel that our prices are affordable to most people. I do not do business with the intention of killing our valued clients. I make sure that my prices are affordable to locals as well as tourists, so both can benefit from what we are offering since we have a balanced clientele.

Did the whole idea of opening a jewellery making business come from you or your husband?

I will say that it was a mutual decision. He had the hand for making gold jewellery and I had the designing ideas. I actually come from an artistic background. My mother was more focused in the art of hat-making and she would craft, I would say, some of the best looking hats during her time. But when it comes to jewellery, it was a combination of my husband’s as much as my own ideas.

Are your husband’s designs still up for sale?

We still craft many of the things he used to make but there are others still that we have not been able to undertake until now. My son Gianmaria also has his own creation which is basically focused on the coco-de-mer. He often times models many of his own waxwork. In effect, we have recently launched a new design - animal print - which is imprinted in some of our jewellery pieces.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I will never get tired of a client seeing one of our jewellery pieces for the first time and loving it. Business has been quite good up till now and I have recurring clients and loyal friends who whenever they are in need of something particular, they know they can come to me for it. That tells me that we are on the right track and it keeps me feeling encouraged.

And the most challenging?

It’s all challenging but the most challenging aspect was when we had the foreign exchange issue in the country. Nonetheless, we have a very good supplier in Italy who would supply us with the necessary raw materials,

Clothes & Jewelry: PORTOFINO, Eden Island Hair: Exotica, Eden Island Venue: Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove Photographer: Suzanne Verlaque

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

There is nothing that brings a smile to our faces like a pretty ring, a jangly necklace or some sparkly earrings. Big or small, jewellery lifts the spirits. It also lifts a look. Mary Carbognin’s fine jewellery is unique, and like her flamboyant personality, it is intricate yet striking, bold yet feminine. The philanthropist’s style incorporates our majestic coco-de-mer amongst others, which are sometimes encrusted with stones. Mary insists that every single design should be a masterpiece.

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

The most popular piece is the coco-de-mer jewellery which locals and tourists equally, love to purchase.

How do you make your products known to people?

I advertise anywhere and in any manner I can. I make a lot of donations to important events in the country, one of which is the Miss Seychelles contest, where we sponsored one evening gown and one pair of shoes to the ex-Miss Seychelles 2013. We also provided our jewellery as prizes for the other contestants.

Are you still motivated to continue in the trade?

Of course! I am still very much interested in continuing my business and I will keep at it until I feel I am no longer able to. Eventually I will pass it on to my son as I want it to remain a business that stays in the family.

What are the plans for the future?

I do not like to make huge plans; I just allow things to flow. Everything is bound to happen the way it is meant to, eventually.

With business flourishing, have you considered opening another outlet apart from the two you already have?

Actually we thought of opening one at the Duty Free about a year ago, but up till now we have not received any approval or response from those responsible at the SCAA. We do not despair even so; we remain tenacious and keep persevering.

When are you usually the busiest?

In December, especially during the Christmas season. There is a saying which states: “To receive everything, one must open one’s hands and give.” People often consider you a philanthropist. How much do you give away to charity? Since we started in the business, my late husband and I have always given away to charity. I consider myself as a bountiful person and it gives me great pleasure to give to charity when I can afford to. It is not every day that I can make donations, but I always do so when I find that there is a need to. At the end of the day it is not about how much you give, but how much love you put into giving. By Elaine LaFortune Mary and her late husband Ricardo

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

A younger Mary posing

BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Clothes & Jewelry: PORTOFINO, Eden Island Hair: Exotica, Eden Island Venue: Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove Photographer: Suzanne Verlaque

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

FEATURED ARTIST

Peter Lalande

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

Artists are different. It is a trademark that I feel most, if not all artists stands by with pride. As they manifest their differences, many of us stand in awe, and even envy, at their powers of creation. But artist are people too, and by that definition; go through life just like the rest of us and face the same realities we do. They just have a different take on the world as we know it, as I got to find out with Peter Lalande.

How it all started It all started with comics, they were there from the start. I grew up in Bel Air district where I had a neighbor and very good friend, who had a collection of comics with which I’d spend hours reading. It was just a fascinating universe where you could travel to the moon in an instant or go under the sea or visit other countries in the blink of an eye, so it was a fascinating art form that could take you places. My family did not have many possessions and I could not physically go to these places, so for me it was the comics that took me there. I guess my love of comics was there since I was really young. And then when I was a little older I used to frequent the Centre Culturel Française that was then above the Pirates Arms restaurant. They had a comic books section and it was like I used to live there just looking at comics and that for me was all part of growing up.

Family I grew up with five siblings, two sisters and three brothers. For the most part it was like competing with everyone else, and we had our struggles. But it was also a fun childhood where we could do fun things like hiking up the mountains and swimming in rivers. It was a very fun neighborhood and this made up for the things we didn’t have, and got us to focus more on what we do have, have fun and be kids. Now I have a wife to whom I’ve been married for about 10 years, a son and a daughter. I’m very much a family man who likes to invest and learn because for me, family is everything.

Career I have previously worked at the National Archives and then the Heritage Foundation. After completing my degree in history and sociology, I came back to doing archival work which I think was the closest thing to history; the documents, primary sources and so on. It was a fun way of still being in that field. I didn’t want to go into teaching, so for me this was it in the sense that it was the place where I could interact with documents, do research and assist people in research. I worked there for about 7 years and then, remaining in the field of history, culture and heritage, I joined the heritage foundation when it was still in the early stages of its inception to help it grow and cultivate its own identity. I worked there for about 3 years. I really had an appreciation for heritage and its potential as an industry. It was a totally new ball game from the archives but it was a fun and learning stage for me. Although at the end of it, one of the things I liked the least about management is managing a big number of people, which I think, was one of my weaknesses. It took a lot out of me and I was trying to find a way that I could still contribute but without the burden of managing a big number of people.

Basketball I was a basketball player; I’ve been retired for ten years now in order to focus on other things. Basketball stared really early for me because when I was a kid, sports was a big way of getting kids together in the neighborhood. We played football and basketball together and for us it was just keeping fit, enjoying the camaraderie and friendship while at the same time doing something fun. I was not the best basketball player, but I loved the sport and I’m still very passionate about it. I coached the basketball youth team at Bel Air for about 2-3 years and I felt that it was my way of contributing towards the development of the sport and bringing young kids together. Nowadays I’m not as involved with basketball but I still like to go watch the occasional game, especially when BAYA is playing because that was the team that I grew up and played with.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

FEATURED ARTIST

By Darrel Antat

FEATURED ARTIST

Inspiration My idea is to make people think outside that box. I think we allow ourselves to be squeezed between four walls too much. We need to allow our kids to dream real big, beyond what other people have set as boundaries. I’d like us dream about stars or reaching the moon, and for me comics are the way to do that. Looking at ZAK, he’s not someone who just sits on the fence, if there are issues; he’s not indifferent to them. Even if he doesn’t have weapons, gadgets or the strongest voice in parliament, he will do what he can to deal with these situations. So maybe it’s twofold; yes I’m inspired to address and respond to societal ills where I’ll have ZAK react to what’s happening in terms of drug abuse, illegal dumping of garbage and stuff like that, but it’s not just that knee jerk reaction to address these things that inspires me; It’s actually more the fact that I want to help children think beyond what we tell them is there, to have them dream big and aspire to things greater than what people tell them they can become. To me that’s something bigger than this room, bigger than this country, bigger than this world! Some of the greatest people who ever lived are those who thought beyond what people told them were boundaries and if we can get our kids to think like that, it will be amazing.

Comics, brining my own characters to life What stated it off was one of my experiences when I was at university, I remember doing a paper on the history of Tutankhamen, an Egyptian Pharaoh. My professor, who was also a practicing anthropologist that was going out on the field to do research, would relate stories to us based on his on-the-ground experience. I remember I was just doodling on paper, little Pharaohs and Egyptians, and He saw that and suggested that I produce a historical paper on Tutankhamen using a comic format. For me that was an interesting approach to the academics, the sources and everything because I was relaying the information via comics. The project itself was really interesting and my professor loved it and accepted it as an academic paper, even if it was drawn out. So for me this made me realize that I could use comics to relay information. I had started drawing from way back but it was at that point that I realized the power of comics as a medium to educate people. Therefore when I came back, I created the ZAK character for comic books. ZAK is a Seychellois kid who I’m trying to develop to be like a Seychellois Superhero. I’ve already done three comics featuring him, the first one was ‘Garbage Affair’, the second was ‘Operation Black Parrot’ and the most recent one was ‘The Zombie Maker’. I use the character to bring forward positive messages but in a comic book format with illustrations and colors. Personally I feel that Seychelles doesn’t have a strong culture of reading, even in schools. I think we’re more of an oral culture and that people relate information based on what other people say or what they see. So I thought, why not used visuals as a way to bring forward important messages? For example, ‘The Zombie Maker’ tackles drugs and hepatitis C, and I was thinking that it would be a good idea to take these very important messages where in this day and age that we are overwhelmed by so much information, and put them in a comic book format so that they can reach different age groups because it’s very visual. So this is generally what my idea for it is and one of the projects I’m about to work on is the history of Seychelles in comics. So since we don’t have a strong reading culture then I feel we can at least use visuals to relay information about the history of Seychelles. The idea is to educate using the comic format; which is not just about humor and laughing, it’s using images to tell a story and that’s where I would like go with my comics.

ZAK ZAK for me is a medium to communicate. I feel that I’m not a good storyteller, but finding a Seychellois character; who walks barefoot on the beach; who climbs mountains and trees like I did as a kid; who grew up only with his mum; I think these are all things that people can relate to. So for me ZAK was my medium that could reach Seychellois kids. My idea is that eventually kids can see him as a spokesperson, someone who understands them and goes through what they are going through and therefore be able to relate information that they need to know. I grew up with Tintin and Asterix, and every time and episode would come out and I could afford it, or Centre Culturel Française would obtain a copy, I would go to read them because for me it was important to know what was happening. So my idea is that if we can make this character part of the psyche of children while they’re growing up, even when someone will be twenty years old, they would still want to check in with ZAK and see what he’s talking about and what message he wants to relay to us. I want to allow this character to develop so that it can serve as a medium where I can use my ability to draw to get to an audience. So he came about through a rather natural process.

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“I HAD STARTED DRAWING FROM WAY BACK BUT IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT I REALIZED THE POWER OF COMICS AS A MEDIUM TO EDUCATE PEOPLE. THEREFORE WHEN I CAME BACK, I CREATED THE ZAK CHARACTER FOR COMIC BOOKS. ZAK IS A SEYCHELLOIS KID WHO I’M TRYING TO DEVELOP TO BE LIKE A SEYCHELLOIS SUPERHERO.” Most notable historical character You’d be surprised because actually my most notable historical character is Jesus Christ. I think that when you look at the bible from the perspective of its historical facts and data and not solely as a spiritual book, you would understand that; to look at Jesus and approach him the same way you would other historical figures like Napoleon or Alexander the great, applying the same historical measures, you would come to the same conclusion. He was a historical figure who was documented and actually lived during a time period. If you apply the same litmus test as you would any other historical figure you will find that, he will weigh as much as any historical figure you know. But then the question would be whether of not he was who he really said he was or a charlatan. Either way you can’t discount him as a historical figure; he lived, he was killed, there were witnesses and accounts of it, there are extra biblical historians like Josephus and others who wrote about his walk on this earth, so no one can contest the fact that he existed.

The book that speaks to me I think it’s the bible because of the stories; the coherence of the stories; the richness of the geography and the geopolitical events; the accuracy of the historical mentions; and how all of it seamlessly falls into place. I am a spiritual person but I think it’s a shame that most people only look at the bible from a spiritual point of view, which is not necessarily bad, but it’s as much a historical book with all of these things included, as it is a spiritual one.

A common Misconception about me I think there is a disparity between what I draw, the artistic, comical, humorous world I live in and what I look like. When people see me, this pretty big guy, they probably think I’m a really serious person. My physicality might give people the wrong impression, because to me, it’s the complete opposite. I’m very much in this comical world that I draw, I’m a big dreamer and maybe my wife can attest to that, but I’m much lighter than I am.

Would you say you’re a humorous person?

FEATURED ARTIST

“IT’S ACTUALLY MORE THE FACT THAT I WANT TO HELP CHILDREN THINK BEYOND WHAT WE TELL THEM IS THERE, TO HAVE THEM DREAM BIG AND ASPIRE TO THINGS GREATER THAN WHAT PEOPLE TELL THEM THEY CAN BECOME.”

Preferred art form My preferred art form would be comics and illustrations. Maybe next to that would be Jazz music. I can’t play any instruments but I like the beautiful noise that is Jazz and blues

Perfect Sunday It would start with a worship service with my family and then just enjoying the fellowship with friends and relaxing with the family. It wouldn’t involve anything too loud or disturbing.

If I could learn another language

I might sound weird but I’d really like to learn gibberish. I love spending time with small children and I love the ways that they try to converse with you. I’m passionate about the purity and innocence of little kids, and how much they see in us. Just sitting down and having a conversation with a child, knowing their language and being able to understand and communicate with them. It’s a good world to be in.

In Five years… I’d like to have grown up to be much more of a whole person so that I can give much more. Taking a lot of time to learn and listen, so that I can give much more than I am giving now first of all to my family and eventually to society. Be much more mature mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and be a whole person so that I can learn to give more and being happy doing it. A different take on our world indeed! My interview with Peter, seeing what he’s managed to achieve and what he plans, shows me that everyone can help create a better society by applying their forms of creativity to the betterment of current and future generations. Let’s all dream big, reach for the starts and make this world amazing.

I think my works are, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that about myself.

Taste the Sweetness of Paradise

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

FASHION 40

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

FASHION

Natalie Herminie (21) Primary 5, which I still wear at home. Its fabric is wool-like and as I expanded so did the skirt. My mother calls it ‘The Faithful’.

What colour is dominant in your wardrobe?

No single colour reigns supreme in my wardrobe. However, I do have more blue, black, pink and purple.

Your favourite place to shop?

They are Forever21, H&M and Top Shop.

Are you a high heels, flats or sneakers girl?

I was a sneakers girl until around 15. Then the architecture of skyscraper heels started to fascinate me and I was immersed. Now I shift from heels to flats depending upon the occasion and venue of the event.

Your favourite designer?

It has to be the Black-Up makeup line. It is a line which caters for people of colour. I am not much of a makeup girl but I am rapidly warming up to this other dimension of fashion because of Black Up. I have finally found the perfect shade for my skin tone and I’m having fun creating new looks for myself.

A definite NO-NO: What’s your number one fashion rule?

Never look sloppy. It shows that you have ceased to care for yourself in the most basic sense, and to me, that is unappealing.

Crocs. I detest Crocs with a passion. No offence to Crocs fans.

Which celebrity would top your best dressed list?

Rihanna, because of her creativity. It is apparent that she puts some thought in each attire she chooses to wear. Her choices reflect her varying moods which makes her appear very real.

What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?

I’m quite versatile in my dressing, thus I do not have one favourite item but a few favourites. I have picked three though: my blue washed denim short, my multi-colour floral summer dress and my black bodycon mini dress. The short is for hot sunny days, the ones where I wish to compete with the weather. The summer dress is for days I’m feeling light-hearted and bubbly. The soft open bottom of the dress flows in the rhythm I move, and I think there is beauty in that liveliness. My black bodycon dress is amongst the top 3 for the allure it brings.

Do you have something from when you were 15 in your wardrobe?

Yes I do. I hold on to some of my clothes because of the memories they bear. Further, I am not sure whether I should be embarrassed or proud to say that I still have a skirt from

A brief description of your fashion style would be: Elegant, extravagant, and sometimes even quirky. As I’ve said, I’m versatile.

A good fashion sense means:

To be able work with the fashion items you have and make something impressionable for yourself. Have fun.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

BEAUTY

Cancer Care

Whilst beauty and pampering treatments may be considered trivial and of secondary importance when undergoing the ordeal of cancer treatment, taking care of yourself will help to boost your confidence and lift your spirits. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation designed to kill off rapidly growing cancer cells may damage the growth of other cells which maintain healthy skin, hair and nails.

SKIN

Skin is particularly sensitive when undergoing cancer treatment, switch to mild, natural, fragrance free soaps and skin products. Your weakened immune system will also make you more susceptible to sunburn so stay out of the sun! Use at least SPF30, wear sunglasses and a hat and cover up! If you have fair skin, an extra pale complexion caused by chemotherapy can make you look even sicker. If you wish for a healthy glow that a light suntan offers use a mild self tanning product on the face and body instead. For facial care, look for mild, non stimulating alcohol and fragrance free products and avoid those containing abrasive ingredients designed to exfoliate. If your skin is looking sallow or blotchy during treatment, use a tinted moisturiser to even out the complexion, preferably one with a high SPF to help protect against the harmful rays of the sun as well as supplying much needed moisture. Consider updating your make-up with newer and more up to date products. Invest in a brightening concealer to hide those dark circles which make you look even more tired than you are, a rich moisturising lip balm for dry, cracked lips and a rosy blusher to give you a healthy glow. Revising the contents of your make up bag will also give you a chance to throw out any old, expired make up which may well be harbouring germs and bacteria. Preventing infection is paramount for cancer patients so use disposable applicators wherever possible and disinfect brushes regularly. Now is the time to buy a new mascara and replace it every 2-3 months and never ever share your make up to minimise contamination. If you do wish to visit a spa or salon, get your doctor’s advice on treatments which may not be recommended for you but generally gentle facials or relaxing aromatherapy massages are considered to be beneficial to both mind and body. However do check on the cleanliness of the spa / salon area and ensure your therapist uses clean and disposable sponges and applicators.

HAIR

Our crowning glory – the loss of which is often considered one of the most traumatic ordeals of a cancer journey. Although the degree of hair loss may be individual and dependent on the type and length of the cancer treatment, it is inevitable that most patients will have to cope with some changes. If you have long hair, consider a bold, new short hair cut before hair falls out. You may love it and choose to continue with your new dramatic look when your hair does grow back and in the meantime will minimise messy floors and blocked drains. Hair – don’t have any colour or highlights or other treatments in your hair during the treatment period and up to six months after. Options during the hair loss period include wigs, scarves & turbans or going bare. This is very much a personal choice but sometimes a wig can be painful on a sensitive scalp so a stylish scarf or hat may be more comfortable. If you choose to wear nothing at all, take extra care of the exposed scalp by wearing a hat or sun protection outdoors. Total or partial hair loss can also affect the eyebrows and eyelashes. Using a brow pencil to pencil in new brows has to be practised as it can sometimes look too heavy handed and severe. An angled brush with an eyeshadow shade

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

slightly lighter than your natural hair colour to fill in the gaps will look softer and more natural. There are several eyebrow kits and even stencils on the market if you wish to experiment further. Losing eyelashes means lack of definition around the eyes. Use a fine eyeliner brush and gel to define the rims of the upper and lower lash lines. If you have a really special occasion to attend, false lashes are a bonus but this is not a regular recommendation as you may risk losing the few lashes you are holding onto and/ or irritation from the glue. Do not use waterproof mascara as this will be harder to remove and may lead to more lash loss.

NAILS

Chemotherapy drugs can make the nails drier, brittle and cause discolouration. Keep your nail care routine simple and easy to maintain, regular and gentle manicures should help to improve the health and condition of your nails. If you opt for professional manicures, again make sure of the cleanliness and hygiene procedures of the salon. Nail tools should be sterilised to avoid cross contamination. Avoid trimming the cuticles to prevent nicks and cuts, dry cuticles should be soaked and pushed back gently and treated with conditioning oils instead. Don’t use artificial nails. If your nails are discoloured a colourful, regular nail polish can be applied and removed with acetone free polish remover. Use hand cream generously to keep hands and nails moisturised and always carry a hand sanitiser in your handbag. Taking care of how you look whilst undergoing cancer treatment is one area that you can take control of and maintaining or improving your physical appearance can be of psychological benefit. If you look better, you will feel better!

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

Cynthia Nixon

The name Cynthia Nixon most likely does not ring as many bells as Miranda Hobbes – one of the four main characters in the series Sex & The City. While Miranda may not have been the most popular of the four women, she is certainly the one many women are able to relate to; juggling motherhood and a career. Die-hard fans of the series will recall Season 5 when Miranda gave birth to her son, the season a new Miranda was born. She grew out her severe crop to a more feminine chin length and her fashion softened up with breezy blouses and dresses. She also ventured into more lush colours and experimented with greens and blues – hence why we love this photo of her! In 2008, Cynthia was diagnosed with breast cancer. She battled it quietly and only made the announcement once the ordeal was over. She is the perfect choice for this month’s ‘Get Her Look.’ Tunic: Petites Folies | Eden Plaza - Earrings: Turia’s Fashion | OJ Mall - Shoes: Rodyann’s Fashion - Bag: Petites Folies | Eden Plaza

with Ms Jules

JEWELED HEADBAND Gone are the days where headbands could only be worn by little girls and sports folks and were made only out of ‘material’. More and more, they are becoming crucial in completing a woman’s look and designers love to embed them in stones and metals alike. Yes, headbands are not for everyone, but if you’re keeping away from them solely because you’re not so sure, here are some suggestions to take note of;

1. Wear your hair ‘loose’ and if your hair is curly, keep it that way. Headbands and

cascading curls are a match made in heaven.

2. If you’re wearing your hair in a ponytail, try and add volume by ‘teasing’ some bits

out of their place before sticking on a headband.

3. A great way

to keep hair off your face! Pull hair back with a tight headband. Pay attention to your make-up and earrings when you do this.

Photo credit: http://juegoskizi2.com

4. Anything floral,

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pearl or diamanté adds an element of elegance to a look and headbands are no exceptions – so make sure the rest of your clothes are speaking the same language. The key point to remember is that minimal is safe and most people will argue it’s also best. Have fun with them but also listen to what your mirror says!

Photo Credit: www.minxsociety.com

Get Her Look

MAKE-OVER

Martin Hoarau’s Hairdressing

Maya Biong (26)

Occupation: Accounts Technician at MLUH Family: I have one daughter. Hair routine: I always keep it in a ponytail. When was the last time you went to a hairdresser? A month before this make-over. General make-up routine: I keep it simple with eye liner and lip gloss. Why I need a make-over: When I sent the message to POTPOURRI, I was feeling a bit down and I felt I needed some change. I had wanted a haircut for a while but I could never pluck up the courage. But, last month I faced the fear and got my hair cut!

BEFORE

What I am expecting from it: It would be fun to see myself differently for a change. I have worn more than eyeliner only twice in my life so I can’t wait to see what the professional touch will do.

Hair (with Martin) “Relaxer lightens hair and you can see that in Maya’s hair. Her roots are way darker than the rest of her hair. I will lighten her roots one shade lighter than her natural hair. A golden brown should do the trick.”

For booking, call Martin Hoarau Hairdressing on 4325186

Make up (with Sophie) “A swipe of some Black Up foundation evened out Maya’s skin. I played with two colours on her eyes which suited her skin tone; a light brown with a blue touch.”

For booking, call Sophi on 2793300

for AFTER photo go to page 46

The Team

1. Hair: Martin Hoarau | 2. Make Up: Sophie Pool | 3. Photography: Alvin Abel OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

MAKE-OVER

R E T F A

Maya says, “I’ve never seen myself look like this! My daughter will be happy to see me tonight. I love it!”

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

HEALTH

VIEW FROM THE STATION

THE END MARKS THE BEGINNING ....reflecting on a day of living in Virtue By Jenny Gilbert It has now been 8 months of writing about the Virtues system in this magazine – the first article giving an introduction and 7 months going through each Virtue (there are 7 – can you name them?). It is Tuesday and it is the end of the day. In the Virtues system it is also the day of Grace. And I’m asking myself exactly what I did today to remember to be in ‘Grace’. My day started with a young, inexperienced painter arriving late for work, not having presented himself for 2 days as promised. The past 2 days have been beautifully hot and dry. Today he arrived in the rain and of course all our preparation work over the last week needs urgent completion – but not in the rain.

“I have not snapped or broken under the strain of what has definitely been an incredibly stressful, challenging day and I’m realising that the Virtues indeed has an effect on my life. The more I allow it to gently soak into my consciousness the more I become a better, more graceful individual. Most frustrating. He’d hardly got started before I watched him light up a cigarette directly outside our health shop. Not a great way to start a day’s work especially considering he hadn’t shown up when he should have. What’s happened to respect? I then got a call from our very trusted clearing agent to say I’d forgotten to sign a cheque. ‘No problem, I’d pop in later to sign it and sorry for the inconvenience’. By 9:30 I was heading into a nightmare with phones ringing madly announcing the news that some very critical raw materials are stuck somewhere at sea between Mauritius and Seychelles. This means our factory’s production will be severely affected and we’ll be doing somersaults to urgently fly in what’s missing in order not to let our loyal clients down. While this is happening our new hotel team members are anxious for my time – they need instructions on how to handle the internet for the new arrival – an Italian businessman who’s also tapping his foot impatiently, desperate to get connected – and he’s only just landed on terra firma! The phone rings and I’m thrown into a delicate issue that has us up late at night involving neighbours and rubbish bins. Today is starting off badly. No sooner have I replaced the receiver of the phone that my staff are complaining that the internet isn’t working – so I get onto that too. Oh, we’re also trying to urgently get 2 new internet lines installed in our ex-pat apartment and out-of-range office and I am having no luck getting this moving. Concerned about the welfare of our new people I quickly send off an email to our service provider to ask for a progress report. The clock is ticking – I need to get ‘on my bicycle’ in order to get the unsigned check signed and some needed odds and ends for the estate and I must collect the post that is piling up because our usual ‘collector’ is on leave. An important parcel appears missing so I cannot delay this any longer. Not to mention I awoke this morning to yelps from our new little puppy, Tracy, who has ripped herself open (don’t ask how) no doubt over some

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

silly manoeuvre with our kitten Tsuzi. So I’ll need to quickly give her further doses of Hypericum, Arnica and Silica, redress her wound with Turmeric and bandage her up before setting off. It’s like having a new baby around and anyone who knows me understands that I’m way over the hill in that regard! I hear the high pressure hose on my way down to our villa just before heading off and wonder what is going on. I’m quite thrilled to know it is being put to good use until I discover my Love, up to his eyeballs in muck, working on unblocking our drain. He’s not enamoured and I’m hardly in a position to help which makes me feel like I’m getting away with murder. I know that he has so many problems to deal with at the moment, one of which is to replace our movie screen which gave up the ghost a few nights ago. We don’t have TV at The Station estate but do have a screen for light entertainment and CCTV. As if it will sweeten the drain-cleaning job, I volunteer to handle the new screen search, blow him a kiss and grab the keys. I’m now ‘on my bicycle’, a large bus type vehicle that has me driving in congestive traffic looking for an easy park which doesn’t happen so I end up driving to a remote space just out of Victoria from where I walk to the bank, then another bank, the TV store and the post office. I’m so overwhelmed and running out of time that I scramble like a lunatic trying to open the box which doesn’t yield to my gentle coercion. Frustrated, I solicit help from the friendly young lady in the post office who gets the post out of the box for me – only 2 letters – and suggests that I use WD40 in the lock. Odd, I think, until I look at the letters she’s handed me and both are not for us! I’m now perplexed because it dawns on me that there should be a truckload of mail in the box and suddenly realise that I’m losing it! Could it be menopause that has robbed me of my senses because in this moment I simply cannot remember the number. Does it end in a 10? Something doesn’t feel right. I call the office to confirm and discover that I have lost my mind. Our PO box number ends in a 16 – and of course I should know this since we’ve only had this number for 18 years! Clearly tickled by what I’m going through, I’m given a good tip by my helper (‘remember Sweet 16’ she says) and I trot off with a smile to return to the correct post box almost knocking my teeth out by tripping over my new shoes that appear to be giving way to the heat. I don’t look up to see who is laughing but confidently stride over to the box, opening it with a swift turn of the key and am relieved to find it filled to the brim. After a quick sieve through the mail I pluck the parcel slip out of the pile and hurry over to the parcel section. It’s a trudge down the road, over the bridge and to the back of the queue where I wait for 20 minutes before a very polite attendant points to the slip and informs me that I’m in the wrong place. How stupid of me – I could simply have read the slip, not taken for granted that any slip means a parcel! Disappointed now because we’ve been waiting too long for a parcel from India, at least I’m getting things done and it feels a bit like a holiday being away from The Station. I happily start the journey back to where I’ve parked my ride, sun burning the back of my head and I’m grateful that it starts to rain. Just then the office calls to say that my expected visitor has arrived a couple of hours early. I still have a trek to do to Providence with 3 more stops along the way and I’m now in a quandary as to whether or not this important visitor will wait. I decide to cut my trip short and leave out 2 of the stops, make a call to the unsigned cheque man to request that he arranges to meet me on the highway so that I can sign the cheque ‘on the hop’ and finally head up the mountain so as not to keep my guest waiting.

HEALTH

It’s the hottest day for at least 3 months today. I’ve pumped up the aircon in the car to alleviate my hot flushes and arrive at The Station cool, calm and collected (or so I think) and ready to deal with whatever awaits me. It is a good meeting and for a moment I forget about my problems until I open my computer and find an email from the Editor of Potpourri asking nicely if I’ve forgotten to write my article for October! So here I am, hungry, exhausted and anxious to get the day over with. And no matter what, I have to write something meaningful that I consider to be a good conclusion to living with and practicing the Virtues system. On reflection I realise that I have not once cursed today, nor have I done any heavy breathing. I have moved with purpose and focus. I have smiled at everyone and accommodated all requests and demands made of me. I have not snapped or broken under the strain of what has definitely been an incredibly stressful, challenging day and I’m realising that the Virtues indeed has an effect on my life. The more I allow it to gently soak into my consciousness the more I become a better, more graceful individual. Today I am filled with a serene knowledge that all is ok in my world, that

I can cope with most anything in a state of Grace – and believe me when I say that I haven’t touched the tip of the iceberg with all the drama that entered my day! I can honestly say that I didn’t consciously think of Grace but having the Virtues system weave in and out of my life is a godsend. It gently keeps me in check and I feel better about myself thanks to the subtle, easyto-follow support of the Virtues. It has been such a journey and a great pleasure to share them with you. Jenny Gilbert is the founder and owner of Everglow Ltd, the island’s premier natural health manufactures and service providers. She is also Director of Wellness at Resonate Wellness at The Station. Homoeopathy is a well recognised system of ‘natural’ medical treatments for most diseases and conditions. Please visit resonatewell.wordpress.com or email reson8.well@gmail.com.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

AGONY AUNT

Dear Annalisa ......

Dancing Partner Q:

Dear Annalisa, When I told my girlfriend I did not want to join her in her dancing classes, I didn’t anticipate her pairing up with another guy. She had joked about it when I had said no but she never discussed it further with me. Call me oldfashioned, but that’s a no-no. She tells me she needs a partner for the classes and it has to be a guy and that she won’t quit just to make me feel better. What on earth? Ian, 22

A: Dear Ian,

First and foremost your girlfriend has no control over your feelings (no one does for that matter). Your feeling in this situation (and all situations for that matter) comes from your thoughts. Now, your thoughts come from various sources (e.g. life experiences, background). In this case, your thought that this is a “no-no” comes from your belief system that some things are best done in the “old-fashioned” ways. You may have many thoughts based on the older ways of the world and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It would probably only appear as problematic when you meet differing ways of thinking or a differing belief system.

“MY SUGGESTION IS TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD WITH YOUR HUSBAND AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUT THAT IS OF LESS COST TO YOUR COMMUNITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO YOUR FAMILY”. As is the case here, you think it’s a “no-no” for your girlfriend to pair up with another guy as a dance partner. You think her option would have been to quit, just because you won’t do it. It would appear that your girlfriend has a different belief system about the ways of the world (on that matter at least) and believes differently, too. This is probably all that is happening here. So what you need to be careful of here, is not allowing yourselves to get carried away with an endless list of unrealistic thoughts and questions about how one really feels about the other, based solely on this situation. It might simply be a reflection of different opinions in your relationship based solely on your different ways of seeing the world. Therefore see the situation for what it is. Know also, that it is your “feeling” at stake, therefore take ownership of how you feel. You have the power to make yourself feel better about the situation and that can be done simply by adjusting your thoughts: “I don’t like my girlfriend pairing up with another guy for her dance class. But I don’t want to do it myself and she loves dancing and her class. She has a right to do the things she loves.”

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

You might not enjoy dancing, but your girlfriend just loves to dance, “she loves to dance, she loves to dance”…

Drug Money Q:

Dear Annalisa, My husband and I got ourselves into a lot of debt building our dream house. Unforeseen expenses meant that all our side savings just vanished. He told me he would take care of the situation and I recently found out that that meant dealing drugs. I am appalled. We haven’t spoken about it though he knows that I know. It’s a horrible situation since I know that drugs ruin so many lives. How could I possibly enjoy this money? Mrs D, 41

A: Dear Mrs D,

I have to be the first to admit that as I listen to myself putting this on paper, I hear myself passing judgments and opinions. Therefore I excuse myself, but I realise it’s because I’m torn between my function here and my values as a member of our community. I realise that both my personal and professional experiences dictate my reply. As a professional I see too many victims of drugs, those who use and the families and loved ones who suffer because of it. In my personal life, I have also been a victim to burglary – from items of emotional value to those of monetary value – losses incurred merely to sustain an addict’s needs. The dealing and selling of drugs is illegal. Point blank. The dilemma here is that although you are not directly engaged in any such activities, it is clear that you are reaping the benefits of the transactions (which probably has its legal implications, but that is far beyond my expertise to comment). However the issue here is your inactivity or lack of action. What message(s) do you send to your husband by failing to discuss the matter with him? Can he interpret that, as you commending the activity? What risks are you both posing to your family? To what extent do the risks outweigh the benefits? Whose risks and whose benefits are you concerned with right now? Are you prepared to do anything, to remove yourself from that situation? Before this drug-money earning craze, people found ways to build up their savings and to cover their costs. My suggestion is to go back to the drawing board with your husband and figure something out that is of less cost to your community, but more importantly to your family. Absolutely none are spared from this calamity. All our children are at risk, we simply have no guarantee. I can only end with the popular saying that “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Annalisa Labiche is a practicing Clinical Psychologist with over 5 years experience. She completed her Bachelor of Art (Psychology) degree and Master in Psychology in Australia. She is exposed to a multitude of complaints such as relationship, parenting, family issues, psychological disorders, substance misuse amongst many others.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

HEALTH & FITNESS

Introducing Our Resident Master Trainer!

What’s up, guys?! My name is Hassan and I’ll be the regular voice of all things health and fitness in Potpourri! Since you’ll be seeing (or rather reading) a lot of me in the future, I thought it best to introduce myself to you as I always find an article much easier to digest if I know who’s written it. As with all good stories – or bad ones for that matter – it begins with a woman. I moved to Seychelles in October 2013 in order to rekindle a childhood romance. I loved it here and decided to leave sunny England (yeah right) and make Mahé my home for the foreseeable future. I graduated top of my class at the European Institute of Fitness, as a Master Trainer. This means I hold certification – and more importantly experience – in a wide range of health and fitness related fields. It also means I own a really cool shirt! I’ve trained alongside a variety of people with hugely ranging skill-sets; from old-aged pensioners who want to be able to get out of their seat by themselves, to Team Great Britain Olympians. Perhaps more importantly, I was a serving soldier in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, which means I understand the time constraint problems which a lot of us face when it comes to working out or preparing healthy meals! All the education in the world can’t prepare you for some situations. I will go back to October 2009 to explain. I landed in Afghanistan for the first time. This was to be my home for the next seven and a half months! I was working long hours in the unpredictable Afghan winter and I found myself exhausted a lot of the time. To make things even more difficult, the “gym” (and I use the term loosely) was an old, rusting shipping container which had been filled with makeshift equipment; fashioned from old wheels, bits of piping and pretty much anything heavy that previous soldiers had been able to salvage. It was here then that I learned the truth about fitness, at its most elemental level. You don’t need a gym membership; you don’t even need that much time. My comrades and I managed to design a number of full-body workouts which could be completed in less than 30 minutes! We did however have one thing which is necessary…. vital, in fact….WILL! Even the greatest trainer in the world will find it difficult to transform somebody unless that person is really willing to commit to it. You can stumble or even fall along the way, but only someone who has true determination will get back up and cross the finish line! “How badly do you want it?” “What are you willing to do in order to get there?” These are the two questions which I have asked every one of my previous clients. Often you don’t really know how much you want or need the change until you’re asked!

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

Even the greatest trainer in the world will find it difficult to transform somebody unless that person is really willing to commit to it. You can stumble or even fall along the way, but only someone who has true determination will get back up and cross the finish line! So whether you’ve decided you want to make a change, you’re already a hardcore fitness freak, or you’d just like to know more (or you’re somewhere in between), this is the page for you! Keep a lookout for my column in every issue of Potpourri! I will give tips and advice on loads of things; from how to exercise and how often, to recipes for sweet treats which contain NO SUGAR or FLOUR! I’ll also aim to bust a few myths along the way! There will also be a question and answer section so you can ask me questions directly and I’ll answer them in the following issue! Until next time…. Yours in Health & Fitness, Hassan “Knowing is half the battle.” G.I. Joe

Better Living

With Célia Ponzo

THE PREGNANT TRAVELLER you want to go for a second drink, ask for soda water as fizzy drinks helps with cramps in the legs.

Choose your seat in advance

Make sure you ask for an aisle seat or if you are going for a long flight the bulkhead seats always have more leg room. It is important to have as much leg space as you can. If you are not able to get a comfortable seat make sure you keep your legs up and if you have a wonderful husband ask him to rub your legs too to increase the circulation.

Move around

Walk up and down the aisle, do simple leg pumps in your seat - or whatever it is you feel comfortable doing. The important thing is that you move around in order to reduce swelling, improve circulation and reduce the risk of blood clots. Pregnant women are in what Schuftan calls a “hypercoagulable state,” making them more susceptible to clotting, and this condition is more likely to worsen when sitting for long periods of time. It is suggested for every hour to walk around 10 minutes.

Eat smaller meals throughout the day

When you’re on the road, it can be hard to maintain a healthy diet and a regular eating schedule. Chances are you’ll be eating out more, eating on the run, resorting to fatty fastfood meals, and eating foods you’re not used to. Changes in time zones will also shift your mealtimes. If you fly across country, you could find yourself eating supper at what would be midnight back home. As a result, travel can worsen the bloating, gas, and heartburn which are already common in pregnancy. Packing healthy snacks from home is always the best alternative, however if you do decide to have some food on the plane make sure you opt for the meal with less salt, sugar and caffeine as all those dehydrate your body even more.

Have you ever heard of the baby moon? I had never heard of it before my best friend told me how excited she was to be going on her baby moon. From my understanding of honeymoon I suspected that baby moon had something to do with her unborn baby. I learned that in fact it is a vacation that parents take soon before or soon after the baby is born. It is a bonding time for the couple before the arrival of the newborn in the family. So here I am on my friend’s baby moon. I did not crash her time alone with her husband as I was definitely invited! Not only is she 5 months pregnant but she also has with us her 20 month old baby boy. I meet up with my friend once a year as lives on the other side of the world from me but every time I am with her I am inspired. A couple of years ago she came to Seychelles for her first baby moon and despite being 6 months pregnant, she cycled her way around La Digue. She is always up for an adventure despite her hormones being all over the place and her nausea accompanying her throughout the day. Not everyone is up for travelling while expecting, but if you are one of those mothers-to-be who refuses to cancel the annual holiday trip here are a few tips my friend has shared with me about travelling while pregnant and still remaining safe, fit and healthy.

Hydrate while up high in the sky

It is so important to keep well hydrated throughout pregnancy but most importantly when you are 1000 metres up above in the sky. When the trolley comes round to your seat make sure to order water only and if

“It is normal to get tired more easily when you’re pregnant. Your body is working over time to suppor t your growing baby. The demands of traveling along with jet lag from time zone changes and other disruptions to your schedule will only add to your fatigue.”. Do not forget to give yourself down time

It is normal to get tired more easily when you’re pregnant. Your body is working overtime to support your growing baby. The demands of traveling along with jet lag from time zone changes and other disruptions to your schedule will only add to your fatigue. Plus, if you have a 20 month old baby like my friend that will definitely keep you up. An afternoon nap is an especially good way to avoid exhaustion. At your destination, set aside time each day to lie down, close your eyes, and drift off. Even if you can’t take a fullfledged nap, pausing periodically during the day to put your feet up can help. To get a good night’s sleep, go to bed as close to your normal bedtime as you can.

Slow your pace

As much fun as you want to have and as tempted as you are by some activities this time round you need to learn how to say, “no, not with my belly.” My friend is currently wanting to do everything there is to do and see everything there is to see but unfortunately she has learned to say no to some of her favourite activities which has been hard for her to do. Know that you are pregnant for only 9 months and you can do everything again sooner than you think! The idea of travelling when you’re pregnant may seem daunting at first. When it’s hard to get comfortable in your own bed, you might think there’s no way you’ll manage it on a plane or in a strange hotel room. But guess what? This is one of the best times for you to get away and treat yourself!

Célia is passionate to inspire happier and healthier lives by sharing holistic tips to her public. Her background is in medical anthropology and public health. She is currently working in the nutrition unit at the ministry of health.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

PARENTING

Child’s Play Do you remember your favourite game as a child? Who was your favourite playmate, what toys were involved and how it made you feel? How it would be the end of the world, well the make-believe world, when you lost track of time and were told it was time for dinner. Food? Who needs food? The only nourishment a young mind needs is unbridled, unstructured play. The benefits of play are abundant and there are entire websites and books written on the subject. Here are some of the benefits that your child will gain by playing ‘like a child’ and the reasons why you should take note of its importance in your child’s life. As parents we smile when our children present us with a pirate ship constructed out of kitchen chairs, brooms and bed-sheets. However, there is more to the aesthetics behind this type of activity. Play develops children’s motor skills, communication, imagination, problem-solving and ability to focus. Letting them free to do as they please (in a safe environment) allows ideas to synthesize and take root. I host a few play dates a week at home, and my friends always ask me ‘I am so sorry about the mess’ as the children squash play dough under their feet while playing chasey around the house. My response is always, ‘you can’t get bent out of shape when your children play. If they always feel restricted, their ideas never flourish’. There is something in me that always tries to keep the mess to a level without disturbing them, as our living room turns into toy vortex whose gravitational pull transports more toys and objects from other rooms onto the couch. It’s not hard to observe how much longer, more engaged and more exciting their play becomes when they are just left alone to create and imagine.

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

‘you can’t get bent out of shape when your children play. If they always feel restricted, their ideas never flourish’ I see the magic in their eyes as their imaginations create worlds and the rules that govern them. I see improvisation as they scan the room, and their mental toy database, searching for spare parts for the pirate ship. I see politics at play as they convince and cajole playmates, and parents, that their vision should be made into reality. When they find some theme, toy or activity that they are passionate about, it’s almost training for them to find them later on in life.

PARENTING

As TD Jakes said ‘Figure out your passion, for your passion will lead you directly to your purpose.’ Whenever we holiday, recently it’s been home in Seychelles, I tend to give them even more freedom to explore and play. Letting them’ loose’ outdoors to play with their surroundings (shells, small crabs, stick, whatever they find) rather than the structured play they are used too at nursery or home, makes for some profound mental connections with nature and this is much more than they will ever learn in a classroom. Active kids are healthy kids, physically and mentally. It will light up the most timid of children’s curiosity bulb and allow them to explore their interests from within. If you watch closely you will learn a lot about their personality and their learning styles just by observing them play and interact with other children. As I watch my daughter create a game with her younger brother following suite, it is always a guarantee that no more than half way through he will invent a wonderful addition to the activity and they all love the idea. He may not be the instigator but surely has a lot to contribute in his own unique way (especially when it’s a group of girls his sister’s age). Parents play a vital role in a child’s confidence in a creative environment. We should be mindful to not giving in to false fears, especially when playing in new environments or the outdoors. If you deal with general safety issues or concerns with teaching your kids to be ‘watchful’ and not ‘careful’, this selection of words and approach will encourage kids to not be immediately scared of perceived or real danger, but to recognise it and deal with it. They will always have a sense of their environment and develop an acute awareness of what could harm them or what they are not comfortable with to be able to take action. But for the kids, they are just being kids and well, in this day and age we need to let them be kids as long as they can. What sorts of benefits to your child’s play have you noticed? Happy Parenting

Joshia Turns Nathalie Hodgson is Seychelloise living in Qatar. She is a yoga instructor, tourism consultant, freelance writer, Doterra oils wellness advocate and budding naturopath. Eager to spread as much love, joy and happiness to all that she meets and inspire endless possibilities for creation for a better more peaceful world. Get in contact with her on FB:EssentialoilsDoterraDoha

Name: Joshia Pool Birthday: 31st October Message from Aunty Elma: “What a little guy! He is the center of attraction in the family. A huge fan of “Lightning McQueen” and “hot air balloon”, he hates being in-doors and prefers adventures in nature. He enjoys riding his bike and you’ll often catch him playing with ‘Sugar,’ one of the 7 family dogs. He surprises us each day with new and meaningful issues. Will he be a pan-flute player like his father? Maybe. Happy birthday Jo!”

‘In collaboration with Chanterelle Bookshop’

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

PARENTING

Le cancer du sein. Le cancer du sein est le premier cancer chez la femme à la fois dans les pays développés et dans les pays en développement (16% de l’ensemble des cancers féminins). L’incidence du cancer du sein progresse dans le monde en développement du fait d’une plus longue espérance de vie, de l’augmentation de l’urbanisation et de l’adoption des modes de vie occidentaux Quels sont les facteurs de risques ? • Les femmes sont plus fréquemment touchées par cette pathologie. Bien que 1% des cancers du sein ont lieu chez l’homme. • Des antécédents familiaux : Une femme dont la mère ou la sœur a déjà eu un cancer du sein risque deux fois plus que les autres femmes de développer un cancer du sein. Si tel est votre cas, vous devez, encore plus que les autres, vous faire surveiller médicalement au moins une fois par an et signaler vos antécédents familiaux à votre médecin traitant, à votre gynécologue ou votre sage-femme. • Les facteurs génésiques associés à une exposition prolongée à des œstrogènes endogènes, tels qu’une puberté précoce, une ménopause tardive ou une première grossesse tardive, figurent parmi les facteurs de risque les plus importants du cancer du sein • Facteurs génétiques : On a récemment découvert au moins deux gènes anormaux, l’un sur le chromosome 13 (BRCA2), l’autre sur le chromosome 17 (BRCA1). Ces gènes sembleraient prédisposer au cancer du sein et permettraient d’expliquer la survenue d’un cancer du sein très particulier et relativement rare chez les jeunes femmes. • Il est désormais acquis que la pilule contraceptive n’augmente pas globalement le risque de cancer du sein. Cependant si la pilule ne provoque pas en soi le cancer du sein, elle peut favoriser le développement d’un cancer. • Allaitement maternel a un effet protecteur. • 21% de l’ensemble des décès par cancer du sein dans le monde peuvent être attribués à la consommation d’alcool, au surpoids, à l’obésité et à l’absence d’exercice physique. • La tendance croissante à l’adoption de styles de vie occidentaux dans les pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire est un déterminant important de l’augmentation de l’incidence du cancer du sein dans ces pays. La prévention : Lutter contre les facteurs de risques du cancer du sein sur lesquels ont peu agir. une alimentation saine, l’exercice physique et la lutte contre la consommation d’alcool, le surpoids et l’obésité pourraient avoir un impact et réduire l’incidence du cancer du sein à long terme.

•

Pressez délicatement le mamelon et vérifiez qu’aucun écoulement ne se produit. Si c’est le cas, prévenez votre médecin sans attendre. Le dépistage qui est l’exécution systématique d’un test de dépistage : Mammographie a partir de 40 ans tous les ans et tous les 2 ans a partir de 50 ans. La mammographie est l’examen radiographique des seins. Elle permet de révéler des petites tumeurs qui ne sont pas toujours détectables par la seule palpation des seins. D’autres examens sont parfois nécessaires, tels que l’échographie, le scanner, l’IRM, la cyto ponction ou la biopsie.

Les traitements : • Aujourd’hui de nombreux traitements permettent de lutter efficacement contre la maladie : chirurgie, radiothérapie, chimiothérapie, hormonothérapie. • Les progrès récents des traitements des symptômes ont également permis d’en atténuer les effets secondaires. Guérison et suivi médical : La rééducation est une partie importante du traitement de même qu’après un traitement du cancer du sein, un suivi médical s’impose. La reconstruction mammaire : • Une intervention chirurgicale sur un sein, en particulier la mastectomie (ablation du sein) est une mutilation pour une femme. Aujourd’hui, la chirurgie réparatrice et esthétique vise à restaurer l’intégrité du sein. • Reconstruire un sein est une démarche qui doit être bien réfléchie et acceptée. Certaines femmes revendiquent le choix de ne pas faire cette intervention et de s’accepter “Amazones”. • Pour mieux combattre la maladie, il est important de pouvoir bénéficier d’un soutien psychologique. Ce soutien peut également s’adresser à l’entourage Les progrès de la recherche : • Les progrès sont constants. Chaque jour, des chercheurs s’impliquent et se mobilisent dans la lutte contre le cancer du sein. • Cette lutte passe aussi par des progrès pour le dépistage du cancer. Ces progrès concernent l’imagerie et également les tests génétiques de dépistage pour le cancer du sein. Pour tous renseignements, n’hésitez pas à contacter un professionnel de santé.

Le dépistage et le diagnostic: Doivent être précoces afin d’améliorer l’issue de la maladie et les chances de survie. • le diagnostic précoce ou la reconnaissance des premiers signes et symptômes. ◊ L’auto-examen des seins ou auto-palpation regroupe un ensemble de gestes simples qui, pratiqués tous les mois, après les règles, vous permettent de bien connaître vos seins, de détecter toute anomalie et de la signaler à vote médecin. ◊ Vous devez être régulièrement suivie par un professionnel de santé qui n’hésitera pas à vous prescrire les examens nécessaires en cas de doute. Ce suivi médical doit avoir lieu tous les 6 mois ou tous les ans à partir de 30 ans. ◊ Vous devez pratiquer tous les mois une auto-palpation de vos seins. Les gestes de l’auto-palpation : 1. Debout, devant un miroir, inspectez les deux seins et vérifiez qu’il n’y a rien d’anormal : par exemple un écoulement par le mamelon d’un liquide, ou encore de sang, crevasses, fossettes, plis ou peau qui pèle... 2. Levez le bras droit. Avec les trois doigts de la main gauche, palpez le sein droit, fermement, attentivement et complètement. En commençant par la partie externe, parcourez le sein en effectuant de petits cercles avec les bouts des doigts. 3. Veillez à examiner tout le sein. Une attention particulière doit être portée à la zone entre le sein et l’aisselle, cette dernière comprise. Cherchez toute grosseur ou toute induration anormale sous la peau. 4. Terminez par le mamelon.

Loréa Rassool est sage-femme ,formée en France et installée en libérale ( Cabinet Isis). Elle propose parmi de nombreux services : des consultations pré et postnatales, des cours de préparation à la naissance, du yoga périnatal, des consultations gynécologiques de prévention, différentes méthodes de contraception et de la rééducation périnéale.

NOTE : IMAGES ARE FROM THIS WEBSITE - http://www.cancerdusein.org/le-depistage/lauto-examen-des-seins

OCTOBER 2014 | POTPOURRI

The Smoothie Queen Mili’s Soursop Smoothie! ~Creamy and Dreamy~ Hey guys! This October we will be making our smoothie with a special fruit called Soursop, also known as ‘Korsol’ in the Seychelles. The flavour of the Soursop is very creamy and can best be compared to a cross between a strawberry and banana. You can tell that a soursop is ripe and ready for use in a fruit smoothie when it has turned a darker shade of green and is soft to the touch. The easiest way to separate the pulp of the soursop from the skin is to first cut it in half. You can then simply pull the pulp from the skin. It is important to remove all of the seeds before you put the pulp into the blender. I recommend using your hands to remove all of the pulp as it only takes a few minutes. If you don’t feel like getting messy you can cut up the pulp with a sharp knife and then separate the seeds from the pulp with a fork. It is super healthy and super tasty!

Ingredients:

200 ml of coconut water 1/2 of a soursop 8 raspberries 2 tbs of honey

Method:

Separate the pulp of the soursop from the skin and remove the seeds. Place your soursop pulp, raspberries, coconut water and honey into the blender and blend! Serve in a frosted glass with ice. Enjoy!

So this month we are focussing on raising cancer awareness, go online and donate to a cancer organisation. There is a lot of talk on how soursop kills some cancer cells better than chemotherapy does. Google away before making your delicious smoothie, I promise you it is rather interesting. Here is a fun activity to take part in. All of you smoothie fans, make your Soursop smoothies and send in a photo of you with it to milimite@hotmail.co.uk. Get creative, smile and click! The person with the best picture will have their picture printed in December’s magazine on my smoothie page! Have fun and best of luck!

Emilie is our Smoothie Queen and she shares her smoothie recipes with us each month. She is a young pescatarian from the Seychelles who dedicates much of her time making it possible to provide us with not just super healthy but also amazingly delicious smoothie recipes! Catch Emilie in action on our website, potpourrimagazine.com where she shares videos on how to make her smoothies and she will help us improve our diets with her fabulous recipes.

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Photo credit: Gerard Larose

CONSERVATION

FEEDING THE WORLD…caring for the earth estates with small gardens, the tradition of home gardening may be under threat. Over the last couple of decades the diet of Seychellois has changed significantly, away from local ingredients towards imported processed foods. Part of this shift is due to the busy schedules of many families, and the convenience of quick ready to eat meals. But there is hope – Seychellois still have a robust and vibrant appreciation for our local ‘kreol’ ingredients and dishes – our fish, local poultry and pork, ladob, pumpkin, fruits etc. These foods are fresher and thus more nutritious, but since they are locally produced they also have a much smaller carbon footprint than imported foods. Of course, by buying local we are also supporting our local farmers and fishers, helping them to make a decent living bringing good food to our tables. Here a few ideas on how you can celebrate world food day this year and support family farming: World Food Day falls on October 16th each year to commemorate the date on which the UN’s Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) was founded. This year the theme is all about family farming, and the role small scale farming plays in feeding the planet, and how it can be done sustainably. A great topic for Seychelles! In industrialized countries, agriculture is shifting away from family farms and towards huge factory farms and feedlots that rely on massive amounts of water, energy and chemicals to operate. This way of farming has made food cheaper, but it is taking its toll on the health of soils, depleting water sources and contributing to climate change. And of course, it has made it difficult for smaller family farms to survive economically. There are a multitude of backlash movements to counteract this globalization of the food chain, including permaculture, “slow food”, community supported agriculture, and fair trade organic farming (see links below for more on these).

“In fact a surprisingly large proportion of local families are still maintaining this tradition of growing some of their own food, including fruits like breadfruit, mango, golden apple, and banana, and vegetables like “bred payater”, “bred mouroum”, chilis, tomatoes, eggplants, etc.” In Seychelles, our limited land area has thankfully made it impossible for factory farming to really take hold. Most of the farms that we see around our islands are indeed small-scale family farms, many of whom produce several different kinds of crops or livestock. Many farms have embraced some aspects of modern technology like irrigation systems, and the use of light machinery and chemical pesticides and fertilizers, but compared to many other countries, our local farmers tend to practice a fairly small scale and sustainable form of agriculture. We also have to recognize that many families grow some food plants for their own consumption, for sharing with family or neighbours, or even for selling the excess. In fact a surprisingly large proportion of local families are still maintaining this tradition of growing some of their own food, including fruits like breadfruit, mango, golden apple, and banana, and vegetables like “bred payater”, “bred mouroum”, chilis, tomatoes, eggplants, etc. However, with more people living in flats or housing

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Organise a dinner party based around the idea of a “ten-mile” menu – in other words, source all of your ingredients from Seychelles!

Visit a farm in your community. Many farmers would be happy to take a little time to show you around and help you learn about their hard work. You could even volunteer to help out.

3 Start your own little vegetable patch in your garden or on your balcony. Spray your plants with a bit of dish detergent mixed with water if find that your plants are being attacked by aphids or mealy bugs. 4

Go to the farmer’s market in Victoria to buy some fresh local vegetables, fruits, fish and meats. Take some time to talk to the vendors to find out more about how the foods were produced and about the work of farmers and fishers.

For more reading about sustainable food issues try these sites: https://www.biodynamics.com/content/community-supported-agricultureintroduction-csa http://grist.org/food/ http://www.permaculture.org http://www.slowfood.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Mile_Menu **Correction: In our August article on eating fish sustainably, we asked readers to avoid fish caught using long line methods. In fact our friends from the Hook and Line Association pointed out to us that while industrial long line fishing is often very unsustainable, controlled artisanal long-line fishing as is practiced in Seychelles can be sustainable. – S4S team

Contributed by Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S), a local NGO whose mission is to promote sustainable living in Seychelles. For more info about our work contact us: Email: info@s4seychelles.com Tel. 422-4072 / 251-9135. Address: Suite A9 Arpent Vert, Mont Fleuri. Website: www.s4seychelles.com or find us on Facebook.

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BON APPETIT

Coffee Panna Cotta & Chocolate Truffles Flavoured with our 8-year old Takamaka Bay

This month, La Plaine St Andre proposes an exquisite dessert that will be treasured by all who are lucky enough to enjoy it with you. It is delicious! Serves 4

INGREDIENTS COFFEE PANNA COTTA 4 Gelatine sheets 500ml Cream 250g Sugar 1 Vanilla Pod 2tsp Cold Strong Coffee

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES 100g Dark Chocolate 500ml Cream 4cl Takamaka Bay 8 years old 100g Cacao Powder

Now to make the chocolate truffles: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over chocolate. Let sit 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Add our famous 8-year old Takamaka Bay. Refrigerate (uncovered) until somewhat firm, about 3 hours. Spoon mounds (2 level teaspoons each) of chocolate mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. With your hands, roll mounds into balls. Place Cacao Powder in shallow bowls. Roll balls in coatings, pressing in and covering completely. Return to baking sheet. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.

DIRECTION

Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water until softened and pliable, about 3-4 minutes. Squeeze the extra water from the gelatine. Bring the cream and milk to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sprinkle the sugar and stir to dissolve into the simmering liquid. Split the vanilla pod in half with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Blend the vanilla pods to the milk and cream mixture, and then remove from the heat. Add the leaves to the hot cream/milk mixture. Stir until dissolved. Pour the cold coffee into the batter and stir until completely mixed Pour the mixture into moulds. Place in the fridge and leave to set for 2 hours.

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La Plaine St. AndrĂŠ T: +248 437 2010 E : reservations@laplaine.sc W : www.laplaine.sc

BON APPETIT

The Cocktail The Beeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Knees

Takamaka Bay white rum softened with orange & lime juice and splashed with bitters.

YOU WILL NEED

One highball glass, a long handled teaspoon & a cocktail shaker Cubed ice Two shots of Takamaka Bay White Rum

Two teaspoons of runny honey Half a shot of fresh lime juice Four shots of orange juice Angostura bitters

WHAT TO DO

Carefully measure the rum and honey into the shaker Quickly stir the honey into the rum and pour in the remaining ingredients Add cubed ice to the shaker and give it a shake to mix the flavours Fill your glass with ice and pour your cocktail Add a splash of bitters to the top of the drink and garnish with a slice of orange If you need to sweeten your drink further add a splash of sugar syrup (two parts sugar to one part boiling water)

Takamaka Bay | T: +248 437 2050

| E: info@takamaka.sc

| W: www.takamakabay.com

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WEDDINGS IN PARADISE 62

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WEDDINGS IN PARADISE

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Michael & Betty

OCCASIONS

The couple with the groom’s father, Peter Pouponneau Ttray; one of the night’s entertainers

The bride’s father, Kerven Rath; one of Seychelles’ well-known musicians.

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OCCASIONS

85 guests including their three sons, Kian, Trevor and Loic, came together to watch Michael and Betty officially become Mr and Mrs Pouponneau. The memorable event took place at the Exile Club on 23rd August 2014. Décor & Flowers: Mifa Monthy | Cake: Jose Sinon Photographer: Naulan Charles | Bride’s hair: Rolina Renaud Bride’s dress: Suzanne Delpech | Groom’s suit: Stile Italiano

The brothers: Christopher, Ron, Michael, Jean-Paul The couple with their in-laws

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OCCASIONS 66

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OCCASIONS

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OCCASIONS 68

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OCCASIONS

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OCCASIONS 70

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OCCASIONS

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DINING

Grazing Across the Indian Ocean Fine-dining meets geography at the Kempinski’s L’Indochine Restaurant By R.J Williams

“The result is a menu that will pull your taste buds in every available direction, with traditional flavours you may already know as specific to a cuisine or region, but also using unique combinations that you wouldn’t necessarily expect”. 72

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Thankfully, cows don’t understand concepts like “restaurants” and “menus,” because if they found out what’s going on at Baie Lazare’s Kempinski Seychelles Resort, they’d certainly boycott their diet of green turf in favour of the head-spinning creations Executive Chef Sheldon Fonseca and his team have put together at the L’Indochine Restaurant. Situated opposite the Café Lazare (the main buffet restaurant at the Kempinski), L’Indochine is the hotel’s fine-dining complement, offering both indoor seating and outdoor tables for dinner service near the hotel’s elongated pool. The two restaurants share the sounds of a different live band every evening, providing a relaxed ‘evening out’ feel, but at just the right volume to allow for conversation. The modern-style décor of L’Indochine seems right in step with your usual five-star resort, but exotic accents from around the Indian Ocean rim serve as reminders that somewhere behind the chic exterior, there is a kitchen with a rather specialised agenda. Named after the federation of French colonies and protectorates that stretched from China to India in the 19th century, the restaurant features cuisine from all across the Indian Ocean – fittingly right here in Seychelles, at the centre of the ocean itself. For Executive Sous Chef Rakesh Kumar and his cooks, that means preparing intricately presented appetizers, main courses and desserts from no fewer than 11 countries bordering the Indian Ocean, from South Africa at its westernmost point; Oman, Pakistan and Bangladesh further north; the likes of Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia in southeast Asia; and all the way to Australia on the eastern end. Not leaving out Seychelles and Madagascar, of course. The result is a menu that will pull your taste buds in every available direction, with traditional flavours you may already know as specific to a cuisine or region, but also using unique combinations that you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Case in point: the fairly traditional bread roll selection did not come with your standard butter packets – instead we were given a small bowl of strongly infused cumin oil to dip our chunks of bread into, as well as a whipped honey and mustard cream that was both sharp and sweet. The amuse-bouche was a chicken roll in rice paper, with a tangy mango sauce and just the right level of kick. The coriander and lemongrass gave away that this first dish was inspired by the flavours of Thailand, which Chef Rakesh confirmed on his visit to our table to check in on our reaction to that first bite. As the wonderful serving team of Dipesh and Gautam would bring plate after plate of delectable samplings, Chef Rakesh took time out from toiling in the kitchen to explain the dishes – not only their ingredients but also their geographic inspirations and influences. If you’re worried about being overwhelmed with so much to choose from (and if you don’t happen to have the executive sous chef on hand

DINING

The concept of “grazing” is often associated with cows and goats. For most of their lives, they graze over fields, munching on grass to their hearts’ content.

to explain everything to you, like we did), fear not: the actual physical menu at L’Indochine leaves nothing to be desired for technophiles and history buffs alike. It’s an iPad, with various menu selections divided into different courses, explanations of each dish and its origins, as well as a complete wine list. You can also seek further guidance from Kempinski’s sommelier, Lindokuhle Buthelezi (see the sidebar), who can advise on how to approach wine choices with the exotic fare of the restaurant. You are free to simply order dishes according to your taste on an a la carte basis, but with so many different kinds of cuisine to choose from, the restaurant’s “grazing” menus garner the most interest. These allow you to choose from a selection of starters, mains and desserts prepared in smaller portions, for one fixed price. Grazing is a superb way to sample the widest variety of flavours and textures of the menu’s offerings, and Chef Rakesh selected an impressive array of combinations for us, beginning with three delicate preparations for our starters. Due to the sheer amount of dishes to cover, let’s break out the bullet points: • Indonesian Fish Satay - I’ve indulged in my share of chicken and beef satays, at home as well as in street stalls in Malaysia and Singapore, but there was something about the use of fish here (not to mention the green papaya salad) that made this seem even more exotic. Regardless, when chargrilled flesh comes into contact with peanut sauce, good things usually ensue. This was no exception. • Pan-fried Diver Scallops – This Australian inspired dish featured large, fresh scallops, browned just enough to provide that sweet caramelised flavour of the scallop, without turning tough on the inside. Accompanied by light greens, and a beetroot puree. • Duck Confit Rice Roll – My favourite of the lot: a Vietnamese rice paper roll stuffed with shredded duck, accented with mango, papaya, spring onion and hoi sin sauce. You expect winter fruits to be a good accompaniment to duck, but it worked just as well for this tropical execution, the flavour combination hitting every note. One of the under-rated things about grazing? The fact that you have to savour each dish on its own before moving to the next one. The flavours of the individual starters flashed across our palates, and then they were gone. In theory I could have happily eaten 20 of the duck rolls, but having so much else to try means that the memory of that taste is weighed in comparison to those of all the other dishes. It’s not even a case of better or worse, but rather just the differences, and that’s what really allows you to appreciate each individually executed dish, along with the precision, timing and planning that must be taking place in the kitchen to orchestrate this kind of meal. While the starters were inspired mostly from the east, our main courses veered northwest toward the Indian subcontinent, but not before making one last detour in Southeast Asia.

A Wine Journey from the Old World to the New, with Sommelier Lindokuhle Buthelezi When I saw Lindokuhle Buthelezi’s nametag, it was almost as if he had read my mind. He said the exact three words I wanted to hear as he poured us a glass of Moët: “Call me Lindo.” Phew. Lindo has been Kempinski’s sommelier from its outset (he was part of the preopening team), and he would continue to put us at ease throughout a wonderful dinner, guiding us through his wine selections and sharing his thoughts. As much as I enjoy wine, I’m far from a knowledgeable connoisseur. “It tastes good,” is about as insightful as my wine commentary gets, usually for fear of saying something ridiculous. For Lindo, that kind of apprehensive approach takes the fun out of wine tasting. “There’s no wrong answer,” he said when asking what aromas we detected after pouring a couple glasses of Rustenberg’s 2013 Stellenbosch Chardonnay to enjoy with our starters. “There is no way to misinterpret what you yourself taste or smell.” That kind of re-assurance was typical of Lindo’s demeanor throughout the evening, making the idea of understanding and enjoying wine much more accessible, without the pomp in which it’s often associated. This particular chardonnay would be an ideal complement to seafood, he said, with enough body to expose the flavours of the food, but with a clean taste absent of the ‘wooded’ character of a wine aged in oak barrels. The choice of wine was not a random one for Lindo. Taking away the fact that

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DINING

it’s from his native South Africa, Lindo wants to help his guests discover “new world” wines from regions that are not as well known for their wines: South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and others. “I like to bring our guests from the ‘old world’ to the new,” Lindo said. He often sets the tone with something relatively familiar, like the prototypical French champagne (like the Moët & Chandon he served for our aperitif ), before transitioning to more adventurous recommendations. The 2011 Petit Clos pinot noir from the Marlborough region of New Zealand was the selection for our main course. “With a curry you need a light-bodied wine with good acidity,” Lindo said, noting the tones of cherry and vanilla present when we first tasted the wine. Even for someone who admittedly opts for beer, rather than wine, to enjoy with curries, I was surprised by how well the wine did cut through the spiciness of the curry in a way that was not bitter as I might have expected. As a sommelier, Lindo may specialize in grapes and vintages, but for the Kempinski’s signature nightcap beverage, it’s vanilla pods and Takamaka Bay rum that distinguish the Café Creole he brought out after we finished our meal. Call it an island-style take on Irish Coffee, it was a fitting way to land ourselves back in Seychelles after a fairly extensive journey to the furthest reaches of the Indian Ocean.

• • •

Malaysian Lahksa – this traditional curried soup is abundant in every way imaginable: seafood, noodles, a silky coconut milk broth, and powerful aromas that waft up from your bowl. After the delicate and ornate nature of the starters, it was a pleasant contrast to get stuck into a hearty soup that didn’t compromise on taste. Aloo Gobi, Daal & Saagh – Vegetarian curries may not sound much to get excited about, and it’s not something you may think to order in a fine-dining restaurant, but this Pakistani combo dish had us raving, particularly for the stark individual character of each curry. The Aloo Gobi is a sweet red curry made of potatoes and cauliflower, the Daal (red lentils) is heavily spiced with cumin, and the Saagh (spinach) was rich and creamy. Each curry complimented the other in a way that had us scraping the last bits from the serving bowls. Steamed Reef Fish from Bangladesh – This was the last of the main courses we tried, and it almost served as a kind of pre-cursor to dessert after the rich and heavy curries. Served in a traditional steaming basket, with flavourings of lemongrass, ginger and star anise, the fish was incredibly delicate and flaky, contrasting well with the sour-sweet punch of the spices.

As we polished off the last of our main courses, we began to wonder what dessert had in store. Before long, Chef Rakesh came over to explain that he would be serving us Kempinski’s 2014

Dessert of the Year, the Siam Passion, which beat out 66 other entries put forward by chefs from various Kempinski properties in different countries. The winning dessert – a creation of German pastry chef Alfred Merkel at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – has been rolled out to every Kempinski hotel, so that it can be sampled by all of its guests worldwide. The Siam Passion won the award for good reason. At first glance it might look like a miniature tennis ball that’s been sliced in half, but the level of craftsmanship involved in its creation is astounding. The outer shell is made up of a mango and passion fruit mousse, which gives way to a vanilla cream with caramelized banana, and a coconut biscuit base. There are so many different layers of flavours and textures – the tangy mousse, the crispy biscuit, the decadent cream to balance it all out. It’s a work of art, and any self-proclaimed foodie worth his or her salt should endeavour to make it down to Baie Lazare to give this one a go. If desserts had feelings, I’d almost feel sorry for the Bitter Chocolate Tart from Madagascar which came in tandem with the Siam Passion. The tart was plenty interesting in its own right, with the bits of black pepper and caramelised pineapple a nice touch in relation to its dark chocolate richness, but the Siam Passion was the runaway favourite. Even after sampling so many different dishes, in hindsight we realised that the menu is so

Chef Sheldon Fonseka The Siam Passion

Steamed Reef Fish from Bangladesh

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DINING

extensive that even the largest grazing package, which tops out at SCR1,800 for two, doesn’t come close to covering off all of the dishes on offer. So for return visits, you can easily re-order your favourites while still having the flexibility to swap out other dishes for ones you haven’t tried before – another perk of grazing the menu. I became so enamoured with the grazing concept after our meal that I immediately began to think of how else I could incorporate it into my life. But unfortunately, the grazing concept doesn’t work for everything. It’s probably not a good idea for a marriage or a relationship – sampling everything on offer has a way of alienating your significant others, I’m told. Even in a home kitchen, cooking a “grazing” meal will set you back several bottles of Sunlight with all the dishes to wash afterward. That’s alright, though. Where it does work is at L’Indochine, and for a night of utter indulgence in not only taste, but also a bit of culture and history, there are few better ways to spend an evening trying and learning new things.

Duck Confit Rice Roll

Pan-fried Diver Scallops

Indonesian Fish Satay

FITNESS GYM

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REVIEWS

Top 5 rental releases

(sponsored by GR Video Rental)

Divergent starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James

If you’re into futuristic dystopian thrillers, then Divergent is just the movie for you. Cut from the same cloth as The Hunger Games, the plot tells the story of a young girl who doesn’t fit into any of society’s newly-formed groups and therefore, she ‘s forced to go on the run while she tries to figure out what it is that makes her so dangerously unique among her peers. Intelligently written and not (entirely) badly acted.

Jarhead 2 starring Daniel Coetzer and Jesse Garcia

with Kur t Gilber t

Transcendence

starring Johnny Depp and Rebecca Hall

Taken 2 starring Liam Neeson and

Maggie Grace

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn starring Robin Williams

and Mila Kunis

Film of the month Boyhood Starring Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke. Dir. Richard Linklater A constant sore-point for me when watching films is when the adult that’s been cast to play a kid we saw at the start of the movie (or vice-verse, I’m not prejudiced) looks nothing like he should. The kid had wide eyes, a flat brow and an open smile. The grown-up has eyes that almost touch each other, a brow that looks as though it’s about to sprout horns and wears a grimace throughout the picture. No matter how good the rest of the film is, I can’t help but think ‘That’s not the kid. It’s some dude trying to be the kid and failing miserably. Stop trying and go home, dude’. At last however, we have a film in which the space/time continuum remains seamlessly intact. Richard Linklater got the cast and crew together once a year for 12 years to shoot scenes for Boyhood, which focusses on a family as their son Mason (played by a fantastic Ellar Coltrane) goes through all the ups and downs associated with becoming a man, from age 5 to 18. The audience gets a real representation of the life and times of Mason and his family, as they live through major events such as the election of Barack Obama and the advent of Facebook. Aside from having an amazing concept at it’s core, Boyhood is exceptionally well shot and acted, which makes it all the more enjoyable to watch. I know the phrase is overused but this film truly is one of a kind. Have a box of tissues at hand if you’re prone to happy tears. If that’s not your thing: Get your eyes on the chart-topping ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’.

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REVIEWS

Album of the month

Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club In the mid 90’s a legendary musician/songwriter by the name of Ry Cooder hatched a plan to fly some of Africa’s most talented musicians to Cuba, where he’d have them collaborate with local Cuban musicians in the hopes that the result would be a groundbreaking world music album. Fortunately, Cooder’s chosen musicians weren’t granted visas in time, leaving the him with only one option; an all Cuban record. So, with world-renowned film director Wim Wenders in tow, Cooder and his production team took to the streets of Havana to unearth a lost history of traditional Cuban music, aided by the rather old but fully functioning musicians who pioneered these styles before the government banned live music after the revolution. Previously unknown outside of Cuba, Juan De Marcos Gonzalez and his fellow bandmates blew Cooder away with their unique brand of South American songs, their undying devotion to their art and the tales of their struggle against the powers that be, all for the love of music. The result was a groundbreaking film and its even more enthralling soundtrack, simply titled Buena Vista Social Club (named after the membersonly club that the album’s musicians used to frequent before it was shut down in the late 1950s). The film garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary, while the album went on to become one of the most well known Cuban exports since westerners developed a sense of taste and started smoking good cigars. Needless to say, if you haven’t heard it, get it on rotation now. If that’s not your thing: Get a hold of Jhene Aiko’s smooth listening, sultry new album ‘Souled Out’.

This time, 10 years ago... Ray Jamie Foxx is definitely near the top of my list of ‘World’s Most Talented People’. He’s had a bustling stand-up comedy career, is able to sing the clothes off of most women living and is a highly successful businessman/loving father all at once. Oh yeah, he also won an academy award for his portrayal of the legendary Ray Charles back in 2004. The film (Foxx’s performance aside) is a masterpiece. Original music from Ray Charles (sung by Jamie of course because well, he can) and a great cast make it a standout music biopic, but it’s really the lead role that makes the picture. A lot of people since have stated that at the time, they couldn’t tell whether it was Jamie or Ray, simply because Foxx’s acting is so flawless. Let’s not forget that Ray Charles was blind; it’s not so easy to convince people of that if you’ve spent your whole life seeing stuff. Definitely one to dust off and watch tonight.

October’s Book Highlight

The Journey’s End by Jane Woolfenden All Isabel wanted was a momentary reprieve from the loneliness and desperation that had plagued her life up till now. Thankfully, finding herself on a reclusive island in Malaysia for a two week vacation after a business week in KL turned out to be exactly what she needed. Little did she know that there, she would find

the one person destined to turn her world upside down and have her question what it is that she has always wanted from life. All Lee wanted was to protect the little piece of heaven (his nature friendly hotel, Buah Lodge) that was his to boast, from the destructive multi-million dollar companies that sought to level the forest and his home along with it. Little did he know that he had room in his heart for more than just his dream of conservation, and that a foreign woman would capture his heart and keep it for him until the time was right for them to accept their affections. An unplanned voyage to an elusive piece of paradise leads to the birth of a love that transcends oceans and can withstand even the treacherous tests of time. In Jane Woolfenden’s first novel, she embarks us on a journey of such emotion, one can barely keep track; hope, anticipation, frustration, hate, annoyance, love and the eye-widening, shock-inducing emotion that usually accompanies wanting to throw a book against a wall in an

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absolutely great way. Not only is this a beautiful piece of fiction, but Jane takes the opportunity to teach her readers a valuable lesson concerning the harm that tourism can do if not properly controlled in an eco-friendly way that is beneficial for the local people. Even if the references are made to Malaysia, one can very easily relate them to the truths occurring here in Seychelles and to the concerns that we all have regarding the environment and tourism. As she so plainly explains, ‘Tourism destroys tourism’, meaning that if we try to improve and develop tourism to an extent where it destroys the natural and endemic beauty of an area, there will be nothing left that tourists will want to come to. Amidst these lessons, Jane’s descriptive writing gives us beautiful images of that island paradise that is so similar to ours in some aspects. The story flips from the characters pasts to their presents through the chapters and this only helps add to the suspense and anticipation of wanting to get to the next

chapter that completes the last one. From Isabel’s time in England to her vacation ten years ago in Malaysia and from Lee’s time in Malaysia to his journey in London years later, the chapters unfold as such with each one revealing more and more of the puzzle until of course, the characters will reach their Journey’s End. The image on the cover is one taken by the author herself but in my opinion it’s always best not to judge a book by its cover. What is inside those pages is worth the hours you will spend reading them and is worth the few tears that might even be shed. Thanks Jane, I didn’t plan on sleeping at all this past week anyways! Until next time my faithful booklovers, TheMadBookBlogger www.madbookblogger.wordpress.com

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