Mother’s Special The Child I Will Never Have A Never-to-be Mother’s Open Letter
Meet 9 of Seychelles’ Bachelors PREGNANT & STYLISH
‘I Tried to Conceive for 9 Years’ The story of May Khreizat
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www.potpourrimagazine.com
Embrace your belly!
POTPOURRI
May
32 In Bloom with Natalie Edmond
30 A Seychelloise Overseas; Stephanie Dingwall
68 Dubai; A Magical Kingdom
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Strength in Humility from The Station
Dealing with Tantrums; A parental lesson
The Team 1. Chief Editor: Marie-France Watson | M: + (248) 2512477 | E: marie-france@seychellespublications.com 2. Marketing: Ineke Camille | M: + (248) 2520937 | E: ineke@seychellespublications.com 3. Freelance Writing: Elaine Lafortune | 4. Freelance Writing: Vanessa Barker 5. Freelance Writing: Martine Gontier 6. Photography: Suzanne Verlaque | POTPOURRI Photography Studio 7. Graphics & Layout: Olivia Michaud | E: info@angelcreativedesign.com
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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: ‘My husband, Nick’
Being a mother is a beautiful thing but it can also be terrifying. Since my sons have started sharing a room, I catch myself each night as I put them to sleep lingering a few minutes extra in their room, simply to remain in their presence for a little bit longer. I have come to realise the extent of my responsibility for them and it completely overwhelms me. My duty is more than just making sure they have enough to eat, a place to live, keeping them healthy and instilling good values and principles in them. I somehow have to retain the awe I have of them – I must always be their number one fan. Whatever choices they make, whatever mistakes they commit, my love for them must never falter. The mere thought of someone being unkind to them or that society might reject them frightens me to the core. I must be a tower of strength for them until my last day on this earth. Perhaps one of the reasons I am overcome with all these thoughts is that at the time I write this editorial my husband is away for a few weeks, leaving me alone with my sons for the first time. I am for this specific period of time, all they have and in typical female fashion I am overanalysing. As our cover indicates, our May issue is dedicated to motherhood; for those who have embraced it, for those who dream of it and also for those who have made the decision not to become mothers. As you turn the next few pages, I hope there’s something you can relate to, something that gives you hope, something that reassures you and above all something that leaves you feeling happy. A special one-off feature we have in this month’s issue is ’9 Bachelors in Seychelles’ I know many readers would be turning the pages quickly this month to pages 10 for it! We might just make it an annual feature. What do you think? For those of you visiting our beautiful islands this month, may you have a memorable holiday and are blown away by the Seychellois hospitality. Chief Editor
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Cover Model Model: Juliette Micock Age: 27 Profession: Special Events Coordinator, National Arts Council When was your baby born? 22nd November 2013 How did you choose his name? This was the most difficult task. We went through hundreds of names. In the end we decided on Ilario. It means hilarious in Italian. We thought it was cute. I have to say his father, Patrick Albest chose all his names; there’s also Carter and Patrick. Tell us about the first time you held him? It was the most precious time of my life. Totally unforgettable. I ended up having an emergency c-section so everything was rushed but my mother, Patrick and my sister were all there to support me. When I heard his first cry I burst into tears; joyful tears of course!
How has the first 4 months for you? It was difficult at first being a new mother and learning how to care for a baby. But, in the end I did OK. Patrick was always by my side so we learned together how to care and shower Ilario with love. At the end of the day, when he smiles at us, it makes all the challenges worth it. What advice would you give to a new mother? Before becoming a mother make sure you are independent and you are able to provide for your baby. Be strong and give your child all the love and affection you have for in the end, they depend on you for everything.
Will there be a number 2? Haha! I cannot say for sure. All I know is that right now, Ilario is my one and only star and the light of my life. He’s my little man and I hope he’ll have my back when he grows up!
Photographer: Suzanne Verlaque
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Hair: Kellie Hoarau
Make-Up: Joanna Hoaurau
Henna Tattoo: Mona Prosper
Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Mahe Island Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, Silhouette Island Double Tree by Hilton Allamanda Resort & Spa
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Musings of an Island Girl by Tina Houareau
The Wonders of an Ordinary Life Mothers, do not request your children to attempt for extraordinary lives. Such demand may seem venerable but it is a way of carelessness, of impulsiveness, of foolishness. Instead, help them discover the sensation and wonders of an Ordinary life. Show them the infinite delight that comes with a mere touch of the hand. Teach them that benevolence, thoughtfulness, and gratitude are but some of the many signs of maturity. Photo Credit - Joel Zamzow
If it is time for a change, let them quit – quitters win, too. Allow them to step into the sun and create their own luck. Never compare them to each other on any dimension—or to anyone else. Exercise patient love and encouragement every step of their journey. The rewards for doing so are boundless as one day you soon see that the Extraordinary has blossomed effortlessly.
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.
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Despite the challenges of motherhood, most women who have had children would confirm that it is almost impossible to imagine their lives without their little ones. The mere thought of it is very likely frightening for many mothers. Now, imagine a role reversal. Imagine a woman who wonders what life with the child she has been told she will never have is like? May Khreizhat shares with us her painful 9-year journey to her beautiful miracle.
12 months went by before May was healthy enough and ready to delve in the conception problem once more. There were many possibilities to strike off the list including blocked fallopian tubes. Tests were done and all the results shouted out the same thing; there was no medical reason why May could not conceive. That was when attention turned to Ricky.
A BRAVE MAN
KHREIZHAT
May’s early years in life indicated that her journey in this world would have its fair share of challenges. She was born in Lebanon to a Seychellois mother and Lebanese father – his family name of which she bears. Her mother brought her back to Seychelles so that she could be raised with family members. 22 years would pass before she saw her mother again. As for her father, she does not remember him and despite having initiated a search to find him, it would seem it’s simply not meant to be. She was raised by an aunt who due to health complications could not look after her past the age of 14. She would spend most of her teenage years as a resident at the President’s Village.
FINALLY AN ADULT
At 19 and the start of adulthood, May had to learn to stand on her own two feet and with dreams of her own, she left the President’s Village. Her dreams did not materialize right there and then. She tells us, ‘I went through some very difficult times”. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and for May, it happened when she was 23, when she met Ricky.
OH BABY. WHERE ARE YOU?
TESTS RESUME
It took a while for May to begin suspecting there was an issue with falling pregnant. It was after her and Ricky had decided it was time to start a family that they realized something was not right. She began wondering if issues with her irregular menstrual cycle had anything to do with it – an issue she had had for many years. After 2 years of trying, they decided it was time to get a medical opinion on the matter. Tests were conducted and a gynecologist intervened and diagnosed an ovulation problem. She was placed on medication to stabilise her menstrual cycle. The medication worked, but she still didn’t fall pregnant. 6 months later, desperation drove her back to the medical experts. The initial gynecologist she had seen had left and she was referred to another one who decided to conduct more in depth analysis of her situation. During the months that followed and what seemed like hundreds of tests, May fell ill. It was unrelated to her issues of conceiving but serious enough to take priority over it. Unfortunately the treatment she had to receive was not compatible to the treatment she was already on for the ovulation problem. She had to stop it and furthermore could not continue with the tests which would have determined why she was not conceiving.
While in most stories like this, focus is on the woman and what she goes through, May tells us Ricky was as heartbroken as she was with the situation. He longed to become a father and to hold his child in his arms. Desperate to find the reasons as to why they could not fall pregnant and despite being shy, he agreed to be tested. Many years later, it would be revealed that it was actually emotional stress rather than anything biological which was the problem. But at the time, an immediate, almost rushed diagnosis was made; Ricky simply could not have children. There was nothing which the medical world could do for them.
DEVASTATED
To hear that you would never be a parent. To realise that your child would forever be a figment of your imagination. To know that no one would ever call you mum or dad. The feeling was too much for the couple, but it would seem especially for Ricky. May tells us, “he cried so much. So hard. I had to be strong. He was inconsolable.”
NALLA; THEIR FIRST LOVE
Life goes on. Life must go on. While the couple debated on their options, they adopted a puppy who they treated like a child. They named her Nalla. She originally belonged to a neighbor and when it became evident to the neighbor that May and Ricky dotted on the puppy she gave her to them. “Nalla would accompany us everywhere. From walks down the road to trips to Praslin,” May tells us of this beloved puppy who died last year. All the love they had been saving for the child who was not meant to be was redirected onto this puppy.
RESENTMENT
With the exception of one girl, Ricky’s neice, May tells us it was difficult to warm up to any other child during her ordeal. Pregnancy news in the family and amongst friends were hard for her to take in. While she had
Shamika Moncherry
May, Shamika & Ricky
It’s really happening!
LIFESTYLE
May Khreizat; I tried to conceive for 9 years
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LIFESTYLE
Shamika & Nalla been previously good with children she became impatient with them. She also refused to hold babies and partake in the whole ‘this baby is so cute’ ritual.
10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SHOCK
On one week day, 2 years after welcoming Nalla into their home and hearts, Ricky reminded May that it was their 10th anniversary. Like any typical woman, she was well aware of that but had decided not to make a big deal out of it. He promised to take her out to dinner that weekend. “I never saw the dinner. I became sick almost immediately. It was terrible. I was nauseous and had blurred vision,” she recalls. Her situation became cause for concern and she ended up in hospital. Before giving her any medicine, the doctor informed her that he would conduct a pregnancy test to make sure she wasn’t pregnant since the medication could affect the baby. She quickly informed him of her medical history, but he insisted it was the procedure. A routine pregnancy test was conducted and a nurse who was familiar with the couple dropped the bomb with the word, “Jackpot!” May tells us Ricky momentarily forgot where he was. “He was over the moon,” she says. “As for me, I started to cry and could not stop. The nurse thought I was unhappy. It was hard for me to explain what I felt at that exact moment. When I walked out of the hospital I called two of my female relatives abroad. They were both shocked and one of them instantly asked me to be godmother to the baby!” she continues. After that, it took a while for the news to sink in. “I kept waking up each morning wondering whether it had really happened. It was not until I had my first scan that it occurred to me it was really happening,” she confesses.
A DIFFICULT PREGNANCY
Morning sickness lasted throughout the whole pregnancy. Several times May ended up in hospital due to dehydration. Ricky kept a close and protecting watch on her drips. “He didn’t let me do anything and certainly didn’t allow me to lift anything,” she laughs.
IT’S A GIRL
May was not too concerned over the gender of the child she was carrying. After 9 years of trying and over two years of living with the fact that she would never be a mother, pink or blue had become irrelevant. Not for Ricky though. His preference for a girl was clear from the beginning. It was during her 6-month scan however that the doctor let it slip with the words, ‘all is well with your daughter.’ May tells us that even then she didn’t get too carried away with the news since scans have lied to many people before.
HER NAME SHALL BE SHAMIKA
Always longing for a connection with her father, May initially decided to name her baby Malika (which in Arabic means queen) but then changed her mind and opted for Shamika instead. Shamika made her entrance into this world without any complications and May recalls the moments she laid eyes on her, ‘she was so cute,’ she says.
A SECRET IS REVEALED
Just before she fell pregnant, someone made a passing comment about Ricky’s daily visit to the statue of the Virgin Mary at the Immaculate Conception Church. It turns out it was his daily morning ritual before heading to work, something that May never knew about. After Shamika’s birth, Ricky revealed that he had been praying to the Virgin to bless them with a child, preferably a girl. As a recognition of this, they also named their daughter Maria.
SHAMIKA MONCHERRY
So, is being a mother everything May had hoped for? She tells us yes. “Shamika does remind me of myself as a young girl. She’s a no-nonsense little girl and is always busy. The touching thing about her is how caring she is. If I’m watching a movie and gets teary she gets concerned and consoles me,” she says proudly.
BABY NUMBER 2
That, May tells us, is in God’s hands.
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OPEN LETTER
“A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHILD I WILL NEVER HAVE.” Gem of my heart, never doubt the love I would have had for you and do not hate me for refusing you life because it is stemmed from a genuine fear for your well-being. I believe that bringing a child into the world is a responsibility of the utmost importance, and I want you to live a life full of joy and safe from any harm, but in this world we live in, am I truly equipped to protect you? I want to give you everything that you would need to make you the best that you could possibly be, but do I have all the resources needed to achieve this? I believe that I would be a terrible mother to you. Maybe you are thinking that your would-be father agrees with me. He does not. He believes that we should have you and then do our best but I think that is irresponsible. We have no right to play with your life so I have talked him into seeing my point of view and he has agreed….for now. He has reserved the right to revisit the situation later down the line. The other people I’ve told of my decision have had varying reactions. If you would have inherited my sense of humour am sure you would have been highly amused by the person who accused me of not wanting to lose my current body. Everyone has their flaws but vanity is not mine. My heart is also still sore from the accusation that I was selfish and didn’t want to share your father. I am positive that you have given your father a run for his money in my affections. The worst was the one who agreed that I would be terrible mother because I was myself a child. I had to agree that I did lack the skills to being an effective care-taker. My chosen career has shown me what happens to children who are not reared properly. Mistakes made by the parents are frequently reflected by their offspring. People are generally biased in that poorer and less educated parents make the worst but in all my years in existence, the most obnoxious, mean, vain and overall terrible child I’ve ever met was the offspring of two well-respected, successful and well-off parents. They had apparently focused on their careers at the expense of their child. It would not have mattered to me if you had been smart or stupid, fat or thin, you could have been anything and I would have loved because you were mine but I could not live with myself if it was my fault that you were those things. I believe that it is
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my duty to be conscious of everything pertaining to your welfare. What if I had you and loved you so much that I then couldn’t see it when I spoiled you rotten? The dangers are endless, you would probably become a selfish ingrate with no compassion. What if I had you and someone attacked you? I would end up in jail for murder and you would have to live without a mother. What if …..? My fears are obviously vast in that respect. My fears extend down to my genes, literally! Cancer. What a fearsome word, but it will not be your legacy. There is a 50% chance of you inheriting it but it is 50% too much! I will save you. So, you see my baby, I love you too much to birth you. Always yours, Your never-to-be mother
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.
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Alvine, Mario Marie
Basile Samy
3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Easy-going, confident and considerate.’ In my downtime, I like to… ‘Hang out with my friends or listen to music.’ The perfect date would be… ‘Romantic candle lit homecooked dinner followed by a movie. Just me and her cuddling up, enjoying the movie with some ice cream.’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have… ‘Easy-going, smart and compassionate.’ My celebrity crush… ‘Rihanna’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘Unfaithfulness. Once she cheats on me, we can never go back to the way things were before.’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you? ‘20 is a lot, but if I’m enjoying our chat I won’t mind.’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is… ‘Vanity - I don’t like girls who are shallow and are only motivated by self-interests.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is … ‘Titanic.’ If I was confined on desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is… ‘A guitar, music is one of the best forms of distraction.’
3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Kind, loving and understanding’ In my downtime, I like to… ‘surf the net and socialise with my friends’ The perfect date would be: ‘A beautiful day, with someone you really care about and love’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have: ‘I have more than 3; a good personality, someone who loves you back, she respects you, she makes you want to be a better man, she’s sexual…As for beauty, well, that’s in the eye of the beholder.’ My celebrity crush… ‘J-Lo’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘She lies, she cheats, she disappears without telling you, she doesn’t back you up and she criticizes you.’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you: ‘2 or 3 is fine by me’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is…’Bad personality, dramatic, heavy makeup, dresses that are extremely slutty and cannot dance.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is: ‘Seychelloise’ (he laughs) If I was confined on a desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is…’my laptop or PC.’
22 years old Law Student
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ME E
A few months ago we asked our facebook fans to nominate some bachelors for a feature we wanted to work on. We were unsure at the time what the response would be. We were completely blown away when our inbox become flooded with nominations. Aside from these 9 gentlemen you will come across in the next few pages, there are many more who were nominated but due to the fact that either they were no longer ‘bachelors’ or they simply declined to take part, we could not feature them. We would like to thank these gentlemen for sharing their humorous side with us and taking part in this feature. Enjoy ladies!
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BACHELOR SPECIAL
L E LES’ B H C Y E S AC F HE O 9 L
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18 years old with 29 years of experience Musician, Producer, DJ & I.T Technician
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BACHELOR SPECIAL
Dominic Shaun Elizabeth
21 years old System Support Officer/ Photographer
George Robert 26 years old Lawyer
3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Ambitious, outspoken and dedicated.’ In my downtime, I like to: ‘go the gym, read, cook and watch movies’ The perfect date would be...’anywhere where I can share good food, good conversation, a few laughs and a connection.’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have...’honesty, a sense of humour and intelligence.’ My celebrity crush...’Alicia Keys, Elisha Cuthbert and Beyonce’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘Cheating’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you? ‘It would depend on the subject matter, but generally not more than 10.’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is… ‘Narcissism’ The one chick flick I secretly like is …’My Sassy Girl’ If I was confined on desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is… ‘a good book’
3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Sweet, funny and smart.’ In my downtime, I like to… ‘learn how to cook.‘ The perfect date would be… ‘a romantic dinner at restaurant, somewhere not too busy, then just maybe a walk around and talk’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have… ‘down to earth, smart and beautiful.’ My celebrity crush… ‘Shay Mitchell’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘Well if she is caught cheating then it’s definitely over! ‘ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you: ‘I don’t how many to be exact. But I do think it would be over the top if she texts me every 5 minute asking me what am doing.’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is… ‘I don’t know this one!’ The one chick flick I secretly like is … ‘Pretty Little Liars ‘ If I was confined on desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is… ‘A pair of sunglasses.’
Carlos Dorasanmy AKA Jakim 32 years old Musician
3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Mischievous, serious, down-to-earth.’ In my downtime, I like to… ‘watch movies; lots of them.‘ The perfect date would be… ‘by a river, close to nature. If she drinks wine, a bottle or two could be arranged.’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have… ‘spiritual, intelligent and fun.’ My celebrity crush… ‘Rihanna’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘The moment I realise she no longer understands me.’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you: ‘I don’t really do the text thing. I prefer to talk.’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is… ‘Bad teeth. That instantly puts me off.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is … ‘For me it’s the series; Friends’ If I was confined on desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is… ‘A seed. So I can plant something and watch it grow and talk to it. The perfect companion.’
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BACHELOR SPECIAL
Daniel “Ezy D” Vadivello 27 years old Professional DJ/ Entrepreneur
3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Kind, laid-back & loud.’ In my downtime, I like to… ‘Watch movies & series. I probably have the biggest collection of both in Seychelles thanks to my step-dad. ‘ The perfect date would be… ‘A beautiful woman inside and out and I having a lovely meal at a small, cozy, dim-lit restaurant.. Followed by a romantic stroll on the beach... then maybe a kiss goodnight.’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have… ‘a beautiful soul, a beautiful mind and a beautiful personality.’ My celebrity crush… ‘Beyonce. She is actually my future wife but she doesn’t know it yet.’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘Unfaithfulness, there’s nothing worst than being cheated on.’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you: ‘Anything above 15.’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is… ‘Insecurity & bordering paranoia jealousy. For me my girl needs to be confident about herself and confident of the fact that I am hers so that she can deal with the fact that a lot of girls talk to me.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is … ‘The Notebook.‘ If I was confined on desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is… ‘My Ipod. I can’t live without music.’
Kevin Marengo
28 years old Architectural Draughtsman 3 words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Show-off, annoying and fun.’ In my downtime, I like to… ’socialise – hanging around with my friends.’ The perfect date would be… ’where both of us have fun – where at the end of the night it’s not just about getting the girl but both of us have had a great time.’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have… ’good-looking, down to earth and kind’ My celebrity crush… ’Shakira (she can dance!)’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘Cheating’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you…’I don’t care. She can text as much as she wants – it shows she’s thinking of me all the time.’ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is…’a bad personality.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is …’The NoteBook’ If I was confined on a desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is a…’A mirror – I need to look good on an island as well!’
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BACHELOR SPECIAL
Steven Rosalie AKA The general El Captain 24 years old All round General Fitness Instructor (cross fit, weight lifter, aerobics, body building, nutrition)
Mervyn Vel
28 years old Product Manager at STC attached with the Seychelles Duty Free. In short, I handle liquor, tobacco and confectionary imports. Three words my friends would use to describe me: ‘Intelligent, sweet & stubborn. I asked a friend.’ In my downtime I like to: ‘Read, cook, and chill out with friends, online games and anything to do with the sea.’ The Perfect date would be: ‘One that hopefully leads to a second date. Home cooked dinner followed by a few drinks watching the stars and just simply talking. Conversation is a big deal, and most people, skip the get to know you part.’ Three qualities an ideal girlfriend should have: ‘Random, intelligent & strong willed’ My Celebrity Crush: ‘Mila Kunis’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘Nothing specific. Thing is about relationships is that most of the time they do end. If someone is making you sad more than they can make you smile, I guess, you have reached that stage to make room for something better to come into your life.’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you? ‘I have time to kill, so I guess, I do not really have a limit as long as it’s good conversation.’ To me the most unattractive thing about a girl is; ‘too much make up and super high heels.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is: ‘Friends with Benefits. Go figure – Mila Kunis is adorable in that movie.’ If I was confined on a desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is – “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts. It’s a book, it’s a bit like my bible and I’ve never ever been truly alone after having read it.’
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3 words my friends would use to describe me: “WHAT A GUY” In my downtime, I like to… ‘You guessed it! Working out! I also enjoy eating, having a good time and definitely dancing!’ The perfect date would be… ‘On the beach in shorts, a glass of wine and lots of smiles. I don’t like anything too fancy. I don’t like trying to impress people. But don’t get me wrong, my simple beach date would be quite special.’ 3 qualities an ideal girlfriend should have… ‘100% honesty, interesting character and respect. I do like ‘fit’ people, but that’s something we can work on!’ My celebrity crush: ‘Jessica Biel’ What’s your relationship breaker? ‘A big fat lie. Ladies should know this; we know when you’re lying. I just won’t be able to trust a dishonest person.’ How many texts in one day would be over the top for you… ‘1,000,000‘ To me, the most unattractive thing about a girl is… ‘trying to make a man jealous.’ The one chick flick I secretly like is … ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ If I was confined on desert island, the one non-essential item I would bring is… ‘My Protein shake, haha.. can’t go wrong, the one thing I can count on.’
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Un certain regard… !
NOUS NE POUVONS PAS EMPÊCHER L’INFLUENCE DE LA SOCIÉTÉ NUMÉRIQUE ET CELLE DE LA CONSOMMATION. MAIS NOUS DEVONS AUSSI PROPOSER AUTRE CHOSE… ! LEUR DONNER L’ENVIE D’ÊTRE SEYCHELLOIS, DE RECONNAITRE LEURS RACINES, LEUR CULTURE ; CAR LA CULTURE TANT MUSICALE QUE CULINAIRE OU SOCIÉTALE D’UNE MANIÈRE GÉNÉRALE GAGNERAIT À ÊTRE PRÉSERVÉE ET TRANSMISE.
En mars 2013, nous étions, mon épouse et moi, de retour aux Seychelles. En effet je fais partie des seychellois en diaspora depuis de nombreuses années. Lors de notre séjour, en plus de notre mission de formation auprès du personnel du « Village du Président », nous avons pu côtoyer un certain nombre de jeunes. De plus, nous habitions dans notre maison de famille à Cascade ce qui nous facilitait les rencontres. Ce séjour nous a permis de nous forger une certaine idée de la jeunesse seychelloise. Tout d’abord, nous devons veiller, nous les adultes, à porter un regard neuf et positif sur cette jeunesse. Nous devons avoir une parole qui permet d’introduire ou de réhabiliter l’espérance. Nous devons faire attention a ne pas perdre ce LIEN qui nous lie à elle. Car la découverte de soi ne peut se faire que si l’autre, le jeune, l’adulte, en face de moi, me reconnaît et me respecte pour ce que je suis. En effet, aussi bien que dans nos rencontres avec les jeunes placés au « Village du Président », que dans nos rencontres avec les jeunes d’une manière générale, nous avons eu le sentiment que ce relationnel, ce LIEN, existe encore, mais il nous a paru fragile, et ce malgré les différents dispositifs déployés comme, notamment, le NYC ou diverses actions en direction des jeunes. Nous ne devons pas oublier, comme disait Khalil GIBRAN : « Vos enfants ne sont pas vos enfants. Ils sont les fils et filles de l’appel de la vie à elle-même… » (Le Prophète). Nous ne pouvons pas empêcher l’influence de la société numérique et celle de la consommation. Mais nous devons aussi proposer autre chose… ! Leur donner l’envie d’être seychellois, de reconnaitre leurs racines, leur culture ; car la culture tant musicale que culinaire ou sociétale d’une manière générale gagnerait à être préservée et transmise. Nous devons pouvoir apporter à cette jeunesse une réponse qui donne du SENS à ce « vivre avec ». Nous devons pouvoir leur apporter ce qui leur permettra de faire « le choix des Seychelles », et ce tant au niveau de la société civile qu’au niveau des choix politiques. A partir de là où je suis, je constate que mon pays, les Seychelles, a effectivement, tout d’un grand, comme dirait une publicité pour une marque de voiture ! Il a la capacité de se hisser au niveau des « grands » de ce monde par sa vision éthique et ses choix politiques. D’un autre côté, il doit pouvoir faire des choix qui permettent de préserver et protéger sa jeunesse d’une dérive qui parfois pourrait paraître inéluctable ! Frank UNDERWOOD. franck.underwood@wanadoo.fr
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
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Live your
Dreams For more information, call us on +248 4 391 000 or e-mail info@airseychelles.com
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
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P
oor me - I had to fly to “monotonous” Hong Kong for some urgent meetings (insert gleeful sarcasm here). As it happened my friend and fellow lawyer, Pat, was also heading over for the annual Rugby Sevens Tournament. The timing couldn’t have been better. It was going to be an epic weekend! Checking into my serviced apartment on the 30th floor in Wan Chai, I couldn’t help but marvel at the 360 degree views of a concrete jungle framed on one side by mountain peaks disappearing into the renée martin designs clouds and on the other by a spectacular harbour with islands floating in the distance. I had just enough time to change outfits before dashing out to meet my old university pals, Yoke Yee and John - expats now living in Hong Kong. We settled into The Pawn, a cocktail bar in a restored colonial building adjacent to my apartment. Before we had ordered our first cocktail Pat joined us. We drank Breakfast Martinis late into the evening (or early into the morning depending on how you wish to look at it) then headed home to get some much needed rest before a weekend of rugby mania. The next day I awoke to a phone call from my old school friend, Allan. He had landed in Hong Kong with eight of his best mates from around the world and was looking to party. We all met up at Iberico & Co. for ceviche, Wagyu beef and sangria. Afterwards, we made our way down Wyndham Street in Lan Kwai Fong, stopping at every second bar for liquid refreshment. Eventually we found ourselves in an underground Nepalese nightclub where the shots were plentiful and they allowed dancing on the bar. It would have been rude not to oblige! I awoke on the last day of the rugby tournament with a sore head but determined to make it to at least some of the matches. After managing to score free tickets from some of the guys who still felt fragile, Allan and I made our way to Hong Kong Stadium. Italy was playing Japan in the Qualifier Final and the emotion emanating
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from the crowd was intense. Settling in with a pitcher of Pimm’s we were soon joined by the rest of our friends comprising Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, Scots, Irish and South Africans – all in costume. The boys got loud and emphatic in their alliances. All too soon the Cup Final between England and New Zealand was over and the heavens opened up just in time for our walk home. There was nothing for it but to pop into the closest restaurant for some Peking Duck whilst we dried off. Tune in next month for more of my Hong Kong adventures including a visit to the Happy Valley Racecourse and a food and wine festival in the New Territories. Until next time, if you can’t be good, be good at it!
Breakfast Martini You will need... 45ml gin 15ml triple sec, preferably Combier 25ml fresh lemon juice 1 heaping tsp rhubarb marmalade or regular marmalade at a pinch Handful of ice Lemon zest, for garnish
What to do...
Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake hard and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Top with lemon zest for garnish.
Brigitte Monchouguy is a Seychelloise legal professional living and working in London. She is happiest when travelling, with Brigitte Monchouguy is a Seychelloise legal interests in music, art, theatre and architecture. She also practitioner with a passion for social journalism. dabbles in mixology and will be sharing cocktail recipes along She is happiest when travelling, with interests in with her monthly escapades. music, art, theatre and architecture. She also dabbles in mixology and will be sharing cocktail recipes along with her monthly escapades.
A Fresh Start - London to Mahé By Daniel Balkwill
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful living in a country which has been blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and constant hot, sunny weather but I occasionally miss the sensation of being cold.
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.
One of my old schoolmates got in touch with 2013 | POTPOURRI 19 AUGUST
me on Facebook recently. I used to sit next to her in A-Level French. We had two teachers. One had a nervous breakdown and the other was perpetually on sick leave because of a dodgy back. Consequently, we were invariably lumbered with a supply teacher who was completely disinterested so I used to pass the time with Suzanne telling jokes and playing either hangman or noughts and crosses, interspersed with the occasional, fleeting flirtation with Gallic grammar. Happy days. Little wonder I ended up with a ‘D’ grade though. She asked me what I missed from home apart from the obvious – friends and family. This was a particularly relevant question from both of our perspectives as she now lives in Switzerland and
has doubtless posed the same question to herself on occasion. I’m a busy man these days, running a wine business and working seven days a week with only a rare break so I seldom have the luxury of time to ponder life’s mysteries and intricacies. However, this question stopped me in my tracks. I was just about to go for a short holiday back home so it was the perfect time to reflect on exactly what I missed most from all those years of living in the UK. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful living in a country which has been blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and constant hot, sunny weather but I occasionally miss the sensation of being cold. When you’re feeling too hot there’s often little you can do apart from taking all your clothes off (quite rightly, there are stringent laws in place to deter people from doing this) or floating in the sea with the water level up to your neck (blissful but impractical to do this all day). However, when it’s cold you can combat the hostile elements by wrapping up in lots of warm, comfortable layers. At Christmas time in Seychelles it’s hard to listen to the traditional festive songs about Santa’s sleigh, snowmen and the like when it’s 30 degrees Celsius outside and you’re sweating uncontrollably like a swamp donkey. I like many of the things associated with the cold such as huddling for warmth in front of an open fire or eating some tasty comfort food in order to reintroduce some heat back into your freezing bones. There’s nothing like a piping hot lasagne or a slow-cooked chicken and chorizo stew to revive flagging spirits on a frosty day. I’ve also missed British TV. If I really wanted to see a live rugby or football match I could do out here but I can no longer watch a brilliantly entertaining programme such as ‘Death in Paradise’. This is a fictitious series based on a small Caribbean island where a British detective, who is hopelessly ill-equipped to deal with island life (to great comedic effect), attempts to solve a disproportionately high number of murders with his sultry siren of a sidekick. It sometimes feels a little like my life here in Seychelles only minus the body count.
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My Mother By Alexandria Faure
To a woman worth honouring. My exceptional mother, my best friend and my greatest supporter. Against all odds and through painful circumstance you gave birth to a daughter. But with time, I’m sure you came to realise that I was not an ‘ordinary’ one. But one who couldn’t sit down for more than 3 seconds, who liked to hang off trees, play in imaginative worlds, ask endless questions, who was fearless, never listened and took risks – resulting in injuries, disappearances and all sorts of trouble. You poor thing! You accepted what God had given you, and you had to get used to the unthinkable and the unexpected that came with having a daughter like me.
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I am thankful, thankful that you did nothing to change who I was and what I was. That you rest assured, that the world’s judgement of your unruly daughter didn’t mean anything. Thank you for being the person that felt that I deserved a fighting chance at life, so my value was not to be found in my diplomas, my surname, my looks and people’s opinions of me, but in the way I treated people and contributed to this world. Thank you for not just letting me live a life of the mind, but giving me the freedom and liberty to live a life of the heart and spirit too. Thank you for having the courage to let me act, even when logic screamed no. Thank you for letting me listen to the voice inside and letting me express it to the world in the way that I saw fit. Thank you, for accepting an unconventional daughter. For never forcing her into anything, but for supporting and accepting the wild decisions she made and the less trodden paths she chose to follow. Thank you for never diminishing my light, but for accepting that when everyone turns right to walk down the main road of life, your daughter is turning left onto a dirt track that leads to many other winding roads and mountain peaks. So today, not only as your daughter, but as a fellow woman, I would like to say something. Thank you for never making me only show one part of my heart and for believing in the numerous parts of it that I wanted to express. I humbly thank you for accepting the me that likes the idea of diverging. Thank you for still having faith in my exceptional mind and in my exceptional way of viewing this world and living in it.
Alexandria Faure has a degree in Drama and Theatre. She graduated in 2013 and has been working with the Seychelles Tourism Board upon her return to Seychelles.
Terms and conditions apply
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS WITH
BE RNA R D GE ORGE S
My elderly mother ‘gave’ me her money to look after. She chose to close her bank accounts while she was still of sound mind and entrusted me with all her finances. While she did not live with me, I did look after her in every sense until the time of her death. I have 3 other siblings and none contributed to her care aside from a monthly courtesy visit. They were aware of the situation with the money but it was never discussed (by any of us) what would happen upon mother’s passing. What is the law here? This question gives me an opportunity to discuss a topical issue. This is Freedom of Succession. This is a bit of a misnomer, because it is not succession that is meant, but the freedom to leave one’s property to whomever one wishes. This issue has been the subject of recent discussions by all levels of lawyers in the country, from law students to court of appeal judges, and is currently the subject of a lively national debate. It is a remarkable coincidence that the problem arises in this month’s column. And, it gives me an opportunity to ask readers for their views! Today, a person who has property can leave the property to heirs in one of two ways – by gift made during the person’s lifetime, or by will upon the person’s death. If the person has children, the children must receive a set proportion – which can rise to ¾ - of the person’s property. This is the doctrine of forced heirship, or partial freedom of succession. The person can only leave the remainder of his or her property to a person of the person’s choice. The argument in favour of retaining the present position is that it guarantees that property is kept in the family, that it is not dispersed to third parties and that this is good for the economy because a whole property – whether money or land – is best developed than smaller shares. The argument against is that if a person can dispose of property during his or her lifetime freely (by selling it or simply spending all the money on wine, women and song) why should the person not be able to do so upon death? Additionally, why should an undeserving child take the same amount as one who has cared for the deceased parent? A quick consideration of the question here starkly illustrates the position. Currently, the rules of inheritance will first consider whether the money ‘given’ to the child to look after was a gift or not. If it was, that gift will be subject to reduction so that all four children can inherit an equal share. If it was not, the money will again be shared equally among the four children. That is because of the rules of forced heirship. If there were complete testamentary freedom, and the mother’s intent had been to give the child who was caring for her the money
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“THE MOTHER TRUSTED ONE CHILD ABOVE THE OTHERS BECAUSE THAT CHILD LOOKED AFTER HER. THAT IS WHY SHE ENTRUSTED HER MONEY INTO THE SAFE KEEPING OF THAT ONE CHILD. WHY SHOULD THE OTHER THREE RECEIVE THE SAME SHARE AS THE ONE WHO WAS DEVOTED TO THE MOTHER?” in recognition for that care, then the other three children would receive nothing. In case anybody shouts Unfair!, think about it. The three siblings have done nothing for their mother. The mother trusted one child above the others because that child looked after her. That is why she entrusted her money into the safe keeping of that one child. Why should the other three receive the same share as the one who was devoted to the mother? That is the principal argument of those who argue for a change in the law to allow for testamentary freedom. And it is a powerful argument. I invite readers of Potpourri to let the Civil Code Revision Committee (see below) have their views one way or the other. This needs to be a national debate with wide participation. Before parting, there are two other issues which this month’s question raises. First, it is not every ‘gift’ made by a person during that person’s life which will count as a gift. In the case we are looking at it is clear that the mother did not give the child the money, but merely appointed her to look after it. For the gift to have been valid as a gift it ought to have been made unconditionally, and more formally. Second, the law as it presently stands allows partial testamentary freedom in the sense that a person is free to leave to anyone of the person’s choice a share ranging from ½ to ¼ of the property of that person at death. There is therefore some latitude in disposing of property, but the question remains – is it enough? Does the child who cared for the mother in this case deserve only ¼ share more than the other three? Think about it and write to me to let me know how you feel – beegee@ seychelles.net. I await your responses... 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.
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
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CONSUMER AWARENESS
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Furthermore, the online payment is fully automated, i.e. the users’ bank account is immediately debited and the product is made instantly available or the bill status updated straightaway. Customers can use their local as well as international credit or debit cards (as authorized by their respective bank) with VISA, MasterCard and Paypal as payment options.
deliver the perfect coffee for enjoyment at home and away from home. Available at ISPC (The exclusive distributor)
by Kreol Wines (Eden Plaza)
Chile is not primarily known for its syrah. The most notable examples of this grape variety hail from Cornas in the northern Rhone region of France and from Australia’s Barossa Valley (where it is known as ‘shiraz’). However, in recent years, Chile is starting to produce some world class examples from the San Antonio/Leyda region, situated in the middle of the country, as well as the Elqui Valley in the north. Vina Leyda - a multi award winning winery established in 1998, is particularly renowned for its production of pinot noir and sauvignon blanc but they also produce world class chardonnay, sauvignon gris, riesling and syrah. They have forged a justifiable and enviable reputation of producing wines of the highest quality at consistently outstanding value for money. The 2011 vintage is a current Decanter magazine World Wine Awards gold medal winner whereas the 2010 was the recipient of the prestigious International Trophy. Fruit: A distinctive blackberry flavour plays centre stage supplemented by pepper and vanilla. Oak: A pleasant but restrained oaky character. Tannin: Medium/high Acidity: Medium Ageability: Ready to drink now but will continue to improve for several years. Recommended dishes: Represents the final segment of one of the ultimate culinary jigsaw puzzles when paired with a juicy steak, chunky chips and béarnaise sauce. Tip: Fans of syrah/shiraz would also most likely appreciate Sicily’s lesser-known grape variety Nero d’Avola (literally ‘black devil’ in Italian) which contains similar full-bodied, tannic, spicy characteristics. Price: RS 245 – Kreol Wines
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
Cable and Wireless has recently launched another new online service, aptly named eShop, which positions the company as the first major utility provider to offer online payment options in Seychelles. eShop is being offered on a large scale as it can be used by all CWS customers as well as anyone else in Seychelles and around the world. Users can pay their own or someone else’s CWS bills and purchase products such as credit for mobile and internet top up. Users can easily access eShop on their PC, smartphones, tablets, or simply any internet-ready device.
Know Your Wine
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New Online Shop for Cable and Wireless Services
One of the most important aspects of eShop is its security. CWS ensures the highest level of security for all payments via this service as it resides behind CWS’ high-tech network, and for additional security, all transactions are automatically handled by internationally secure payment gateways, backed by authorized local banks. Customers’ card details are not stored at CWS but rather processed by respective banks, similar to the process of making payment on an EFTPOS in a retail store. For more information on eShop and a chance to see how the service works, visit www.cwseychelles.com.
SACOS MARINE HULL AND YACHT INSURANCE Why Marine Hull & Yacht Insurance is important!
Contributed by SACOS Insurance Company Limited Insurance is important as it does not matter what type of vessel you purchase, you want to know your investment is safe... be it a yacht, fishing vessel, or be it a luxury cruiser, for personal use or charter, industrial fishing or week-end pleasure fishing, you have invested and deserve peace of mind. A good quality insurance policy therefore gives you that peace of mind that, whether you are with the vessel at the time or away from the vessel, you’re covered. As standard we recommend comprehensive cover, as similar to your car and particularly if the value of your boat is relatively high then you need to ensure your own vessel is also fully repaired/ replaced in the event of an accident. This gives you less exposure to the potential of very expensive boat repair bills. But the insurance does not take away your responsibility to ensure that your vessel is properly secured and maintained properly. SACOS Marine Hull/Yacht Insurance has two distinctive risk groups, cover for which can be bought separately or together if necessary and is available for small boats through to ocean-going vessels: a) Hull cover b) Liability insurance The hull and superstructure insurance covers the physical vessel itself against a list of maritime perils and is subject to what is called the ‘Institute time clause’ The cover always extends to both physical damage to the vessel and collision liability. The insured ship or boat is covered for loss or damage for a list of maritime perils called ‘perils at sea’, fire, explosion, violent theft, piracy, jettison, earthquake, tsunami and volcanic eruption. Some perils are subject to specific additional premiums depending on risk assessment. Liability cover would include the insured’s liability to third parties, passengers and crew as well as third party material damage caused by you.
Rest Assured, Be Insured with SACOS
Contact the SACOS Insurance Company Ltd on telephone 4295,000 or Pay SACOS a visit at the SACOS Tower, Palm Street, Victoria.
CONSUMER AWARENESS
The Gadget World with Elton Moustache (Director of Unified Technologies) sales@unifiedtechnologies.info
iROBOT ROOMBA: THE MOST POWERFUL ROBOT VACUUM YET Busy moms have plenty to do and this smart little robot might just be what you need to catch a break from your hectic day. Meet the iRobot Roomba, a smart and powerful vacuum cleaner. How is it different from the rest you ask? This robot vacuum cleaner has on-board scheduling which allows you to preset the times you want your robot to clean. You can set it to clean several times a week and no further interaction is needed from you once it is set up. When it’s time to do the task it will power itself up and start its duties even while you’re at work or busy with the young ones. This robot vacuum is in fact, powerful enough to pick up most big dry spills, dust and your pets’ fur- and there are plenty of ways to make it vacuum where you want. The Roomba uses a series of sensors to guide it and these sensors direct it along wall edges and under couches and impressively- helps it navigate around obstacles. It also emits a virtual wall to prevent the vacuum from falling off edges
or bumping into doors so you don’t have to worry about it going places it is not supposed to go. The device also comes with a remote control to change the cleaning settings, and it comes with a charging bay to recharge its battery. What if the battery runs low while cleaning? Not to worry as the Roomba will return to the charging bay by itself and once charged it will continue its chores. The Roomba has three different models and each packed with different features – with the new 600-series being the most selfsufficient yet. It’s perfect for a small place with lots of open floor space and can clean while you sleep. Could the Roomba could be your next best friend?
ON INTELVISION
The Mentalist
If you are the thriller type, then the Mentalist is right up your alley. Patrick Jane, an independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation, will get your attention with his unusual methods and disregard for protocol. Ah, but here’s the main focus of the storyline; he is supposedly a former “psychic” and uses his experience to figure crimes out. His ultimate goal is to track down the killer known as “Red John,” who was responsible for the brutal murders of his wife and daughter. The series stars Simon Baker and Robin Tunney in leading roles. Catch it on the Universal Channel.
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Une baleine a mangé ma Maman (par Georges Gravé) Comme tous les jours vers 15heures, je vais chercher mon petit Marius (presque 5 ans) a l’Ecole Française. Quel bonheur de le voir courir vers moi et se jeter dans mes bras en m’offrant un gros bisou tout mouillé. Le rituel est bien huilé, pendant que Monsieur met ses chaussures, je file chercher son sac et en route… Tous les jours je pense à la merveilleuse chanson d’Yves Duteil, Prendre un enfant par la main……. Et je suis rempli de joie. Avant de démarrer la voiture, ouverture du jus d’orange qu’il avale normalement d’un trait et nous papotons entres hommes….. Mais, il y a quelques jours, juste après le jus d’orange… silence et puis… Zorges ? Oui Marius…silence… je sentais que la question qui allait venir allait avoir son importance. En effet, après la dernière gorgée de jus… Dis-moi, elle est où ta Maman ? C’est à mon tour de faire silence… Ma maman ? Elle est morte il y a déjà bien longtemps. Wouaaa a-t-il fait, ta maman elle est morte ! C’est la baleine qui l’a mangé ou c’est le méchant qui l’a tue avec son fusil !! Car bien sur, à cet âge là, si une maman meurt, cela ne peut être qu’une baleine ou un méchant, car vieillesse et maladie ne font pas encore partie de la vie. Puis, il a réfléchi quelques instant… peut être qu’elle travaille avec le père noël dans le ciel. Peut être ai-je répondu. Re-long silence et puis : pourquoi tu en as pas pris une autre ? Je lui ai donc expliqué que cela n’était pas possible, car chaque maman était unique et que nous la gardons toute la vie dans notre cœur. Ma maman a-t-il répondu est la plus belle et la plus gentille de toutes les mamans. Oui Marius, il est bien la le secret des Mamans. Ce soir la, en rentrant à la maison, grâce a toi, mon petit ange j’ai repensé a la plus belle de toute les mamans : la mienne. Je suis d’une génération ou la plupart des mamans s’arrêtait de travailler pendant les premières années de vie de leurs adorables rejetons. Cela fut mon cas et franchement, c’est tellement génial d’avoir une maman rien que pour soit. Et pourtant, elle aurait pu m’en vouloir un peu, car dès le début je l’ai fait souffrir pour bien lui montrer qui j’étais. J’ai mis plus de 18 heures à sortir…. Et malgré cela, elle m’a immédiatement adoré ! E t je peux vraiment dire que jamais personne ne m’a aimé comme elle. Un doux mélange de mère poule et de mama juive mais toujours en me respectant d’abord. Je me souviens, je devais avoir 7 ou 8 ans, et un jour je me suis planté devant elle en lui disant « est ce que je dois croire dans le bon dieu ? » Elle, elle était catholique sans plus et mon paternel un juif sans grande conviction. - je ne sais pas a-t-elle répondue, a toi de voir et de chercher, et jeudi prochain, nous irons dans sa maison - et le jeudi suivant, nous étions tous les deux devant cette grande maison de dieu, l’Eglise de la Madeleine a Paris. Il faisait très beau, elle s’est assise sur les marches dehors, et m’a dit de rentrer, de prendre mon temps et de chercher partout…si je le voyais. Cela a pris plusieurs heures, et j’ai vraiment fouillée partout a la recherche de Dieu. Quand je suis sorti, j’ai juste dit : on y va ! Bien des années plus tard, je crois l’avoir un peu converti au bouddhisme. En tout cas, elle fut un peu bouddhisme par amour de son fils. Lorsque je ferme les yeux et que je pense à elle, c’est souvent de bonnes odeurs de cuisine qui viennent caresser mes narines. Oh, ce n’était pas Paul Bocuse, mais elle cuisinait avec amour pour ses hommes. Et c’était encore le temps ou les mamans faisaient la cuisine…. Le sublime steak- hache-purée du mercredi, le bon boudin du jeudi, le merveilleux poulet rôti-frites du dimanche où l’énorme gigot d’agneau des jours de fêtes….et le lundi, c’était le hachi-parmentier avec tous les restes du frigo. Quant à la crème caramel et la mousse au chocolat…. Impossible de retrouver les mêmes aujourd’hui ! Elle m’a appris la tolérance et l’amour des autres. Nous habitions dans une petite résidence, et je fus le premier gamin à ramener une copine black. Cela peut faire sourire aujourd’hui, mais vous savez la copine, elle n’était vraiment pas la bienvenue partout. Loin de la !!! Et que dire des relations que nous avons entretenues avec nos voisins du deuxième étage. Des pieds-noirs !!! Je me souviens de Nadia, la maman, je l’adorais car elle criait tout le temps et cela me faisais rire. Ghislaine, sa fille que j’ai retrouvé avec plaisir sur facebook était chez nous, chez elle et moi je me régalais avec le couscous d’en bas. Grande leçon de fraternité et d’amour ! Ce n’était pas une grande voyageuse par nature, mais au contraire une femme bien du terroir qui était arrivée du Loiret vers la capitale. Et pourtant, partout ou je suis allé, elle est venue me voir a l’autre bout du
Georges Gravé is the Personal Development & Training Manager at the Maia Luxury Resort and Spa
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monde. Elle aurait adoré les Seychelles, c’est sur. Son plus grand sacrifice fut de venir à l’inauguration de mon premier restaurant…..à Cologne en Allemagne. Oui, j’ai bien dit en Allemagne. Son père avait été déporté en camps et elle avait vécu la guerre et l’occupation et bien sur elle ne portait pas nos amis allemands dans son cœur. Mais pour rien au monde, elle aurait raté l’inauguration du restaurant de son fils. Et elle a adoré et a fait la paix avec l’Allemagne. Bravo Maman. J’ai eu la chance dans ma carrière de pouvoir travailler une décennie dans le plus prestigieux hôtel du monde, l’Hôtel Ritz de Paris. Tous les ans pendant les fêtes de fin d’année, j’invitais mes parents à diner au Restaurant du Ritz. C’était La sortie de l’année !! Mais ce n’était ni le faste des lieux, ni la qualité de la cuisine et du service qui impressionnait ma mère. Le roi de la soirée, c’était moi, et il fallait voir les étoiles d’admiration qui illuminait son visage en regardant son Kiki (c’est moi) œuvrer sur une des plus belles scènes du monde et elle réussissait toujours à me glisser discrètement « mon dieu, que tu es beau » Merci Maman !!!! Quant à ses dernières années, elle était devenue diabétique, le comble pour une gourmande qui devait se priver de toutes les petites gourmandises qu’elle adorait, et le père tous les soirs contrôlait comme un gendarme le taux d’insuline. De temps en temps juste un regard suffisait et « en cachette » je lui apportais un yaourt au chocolat, ou des fraises ou bien encore une tarte au pomme. Et le père n’a jamais compris pourquoi le taux de sucre augmentait anormalement. Cela nous faisait rire tous les deux et il fallait voir son bonheur, nous étions encore et toujours complices. Elle est partie sans faire de bruit durant son sommeil, comme si elle ne voulait déranger personne….. Mais comme dit la chanson du grand Charles La Mama : Y a tant d´amour, de souvenirs Autour de toi, toi la mamma Y a tant de larmes et de sourires A travers toi, toi la mamma Que jamais, jamais, jamais Tu nous quitteras...
EXPLORING EDEN
ay...
M Do not miss this
other World 2014 Miss Seychelles… An rvel Godley, se, Elmina Savy, Ma Ro Camila Estico, Lisa Joubert, Michaella ta ris Ch l, va phanie Du Anabelle Pointe, Ste nda Sidonie Ro , ol, Raphaela Dugasse Rosette, Melissa Po ss Seychelles… Mi ed wn Who will be cro and Fiorella Cedras. ? Another World 2014 these names will of e on st, 31 y Ma On n as the beauty quee rry Ge s replace Agne ar ye the for about the island will talk ahead. d in at the STB office an Tickets are on sale the usual outlets.
Photo credit: http:/
/gallery.constanceh
Beach Spotlight By Alexandre Barbier
NAME OF BEACH?
Misère lies car from Victoria through La About thirty minutes away by Launay Port d, Glau Port of in the region Port Launay. A jewel nestled ches on the island of bea ning stun ally visu t mos is perhaps one of the sets the licks the sugar white shore and ed be Mahé. The glistening ocean inde can dise Para ch. bea y on the mood for those lounging lazil found. vities are the Ephelia resort, many acti Due to the development of n hiring eve and ting boa ana ban , now available such as kayaking e always calm, crystal clear waters hav a pedalo. However, the ever nay bay Lau Port the ause ling spot bec been well-known as a snorkel . park l ona is protected as a nati lls of ziprt, one can experience the thri Heading deeper into the reso zip-lining, With res. entu Adv c Sma ugh thro er. Be lining and mountain climbing oth any ke unli way a in ical forest you are able to explore the trop ty of enchanting views plen are e ther as g alon era sure to bring your cam of the bay. nts to a bite, the hotel has 5 restaura If you’re in the mood to grab your wet to ine cuis of e a unique styl choose from. Each one offers of the dishes prepared t mos as go to way the are appetite. Fish dishes .’ offer a fresh ‘catch of the day t from Port be sure to find what you wan can you k, wee the of day Any re that entu adv an or s lnes and peacefu Launay, whether it’s serenity . gine ima y sibl pos ld wou offers more than you
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otels.com
EXPLORING EDEN
Nature Trail s with Wildli fe Club of Seyc helles Copolia Trail
This fairly shad y trail is graded as “medium” an of the Morne Seychellois Na d runs throug tional Park. It h the forest exceptionally takes hikers th rich biodiversit rough areas of y on the glacis and animals ca areas. Rare sp n be found on ecies of plants this trail. “Soo the world’s sm glossus gardin allest frog’ the eri,” known to ra re jelly fish tre insects, the fa be e, sunbirds, bl mous pitcher ue pigeons, st plant, endemic ria name a few. ick palms and pand View of Port Victo anus trees to It’s at least an hour’s hike ea ch way at a leisu with a descen rely place. The t through seco trail begins ndary woodlan leading to a vi ds invaded by ew point (500 exotic plants m et crowned by a res above sea vast granite flo level) the high or with well ad point is offers spectacu apt native vege lar views of th tation, and e verdant hills ocean in the St behind Vitoria Anne Marine Na , the deep blue tional Park, an the inner islan d from the dist ds can be seen ance horizon , the compelli from. ng views are ha rd to pull away Length: 1.2 Km ... Change in Al titude: 180m Duration of jo urney: 1hr 30 Main Interest: Panoramic view , glacis ecolog Location: Take y, carnivorous the Sans Souc pitcher plant. is road, which Glaud, about 6 goes between Km from Victor Victoria and Po ia. There is a tra road. The SPTC rt il signboard at a bus route 14 (V be ictoria -Sans So uci) passes alon nd in the View of St Anne Marine Nat g this road. ional Park
en
Medicines in your Gard By La Plaine St. André A.K.A Poka
Plant of the month: Koka is rarely Peru, South America and Origin: This plant is native to cultivated in Seychelles. Its cocaine in South America. This shrub is the source of mouth cheek in er inn the in held er rath or leaves are “chewed” and mental l lime to provide physical combination with minera ire plant ent The s. nes in altitude sick stimulation and reduction itis. ctiv jun con ting is said to be useful in trea
junctivitis? How is it used to treat con leaves.
dful of Boil your water. Pick a han s. d bowl for about 5 minute ere cov a in se infu Leave to . sion infu l ura nat the with Splash your eyes rove within 12 hours. The condition should imp wing the a professional before follo Important: Please consult above guidelines. Rachel Spiro, Chantal ledgments: Pascal Brutus,
Acknow
Poonoosamy
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SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS 30
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By Stefanie Dingwall (Neé Bastienne)
I was born in Switzerland on the 2nd of August 1994 to Susanne Lutcher and Norman Bastienne. I am the eldest of two; my younger brother is Nicola. My Mum is Swiss and Dad is Seychellois, at the age of four months my Mum and I moved back to Seychelles where my parents got married shortly after. We first lived in Bel-ombre then moved to Mare-Anglaise briefly while the family home was being built in Au Cap where I’ve spent most of my life. I attended school at Anse Royale and the STA. This is where my love story begins… Shortly after turning 18, I met the love of my life! It all started when this random guy added me on Facebook and I thought to myself “I never usually accept a friend request from someone I don’t know” but something compelled me to do so anyway. We started messaging each other initially, which led to us talking every single day and eventually I agreed to meet up with him – I’ll never forget my first impression of him as I walked towards him standing there leaning against his car with his shades on looking gorgeous . We went on a couple of dates and before I knew it we were meeting each other’s parents. I was the happiest girl in the world, it started to feel like he was ‘The One’. I had never been so comfortable with someone before, he always knew how to make me laugh and above all it just felt right. It turns out that despite growing up thousands of miles apart, our parents actually grew up next
AS NERVOUS AS I WAS I HAD TO TELL MY PARENTS THAT NOT ONLY WAS I PREGNANT BUT I WAS GOING TO MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. AFTER THE INITIAL SHOCK THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE. door to each other. That made us feel as if something had brought us together, almost like destiny, but once again we were set to be thousands of miles apart when he decided to return to the UK to visit his family for Christmas. I found it very difficult because we had been living together for the past few months and after a very emotional goodbye at the Airport; I went back to my parent’s house. As fate would have it, the day after he left I found out I was pregnant! I had to deal with mixed emotions and apprehension but I plucked up the courage to send him a message on Facebook and waited nervously for his reply, not sure what his reaction would be. He replied overjoyed and told me that everything would be okay, so we made plans to move to England. As nervous as I was, I had to tell my parents that not only was I pregnant but I was going to move to another
country. After the initial shock they were very supportive. It was so hard but soon the day came when I had to say goodbye to my family and so I left Seychelles in January 2013 for the next chapter of my life in England. On my way to England the shock of what I was actually about to do kicked in… The fear of the unknown and the sorrow of leaving my family and friends behind was so overwhelming and proved to be harder than I thought - but the hope of seeing him again calmed my nerves. As I picked up my luggage I had little niggling doubts and butterflies but when I came out and saw him standing there with a large bunch of flowers and a big smile on his face I managed to breathe a sigh of relief. On the way home we didn’t do much talking, we just kept smiling at each other as I reacquainted myself with the comfort of his arms. When I got to the house I was pleasantly surprised to find his whole family there to welcome me and that was when I knew I was going to be okay. Apart from the cold I didn’t find it hard to adjust as I had plenty of support from my boyfriend, mother-in-law and parents back home. Our little family started to take shape when we saw our daughter wiggling around on the baby scan, later that day at home we had fun getting the family to guess the baby’s gender by watching the 3D video scan. My pregnancy was an amazing experience, it all went smoothly so much so that my due date came and went. My parents came over from Seychelles for the birth and during our joint birthday party James Dingwall went down on one knee and proposed to me… Without a second thought I said “Yes!” through a flood of tears. After being two weeks overdue I went in to be induced and two days later after 5 hours of labour, Isabella Destiny Dingwall finally made her grand entrance. Seeing her for the very first time my motherly instinct set in and we fell in love with her straight away. My mother who was with me throughout was overcome with emotions and cried with joy. Very soon after that, the Labour Room was buzzing with family members but sadly the following morning my parents’ two week holiday was over and I had to say goodbye again, but the fact that they got to see their grandchild meant the world to them both. That evening I returned home with my baby and life as a full-time mother began! And now seven months on I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. Before Isabella was six months old, we tied the knot. On the 8th of February 2014 we had a small intimate wedding with close family and friends and it was one of the happiest days of our lives. A week after the wedding I had to once again say goodbye to my mother, I was sad to not be going back to Seychelles with her as I had started to miss my family and friends, especially my little brother. However I’m grateful for Skype, WhatsApp, and Facebook as they’ve allowed me to communicate with my loved ones back home. I of course miss the warm weather and the beautiful beaches. The lifestyles of Seychelles and England are very different, although there are some cultural similarities, in England there is clearly a faster pace. One of the advantages here is that our Seychellois community is stronger than I would’ve thought so I’m still up to date with all the latest tracks, especially those from my favourite artists such as Mercenary, Jahkim, Jah1, Chicco and Sandra. I’ve not been back home yet but I’m planning to this year. Seychelles is truly a special place we have such an eclectic culture yet we’ll always be set apart from the rest of the world by having such a small & unique population. Seeing how many Seychellois have settled here gives me a huge sense of comfort and solidarity. However, as much as I love Seychelles, we’ve decided to bring Isabella up in England so that she’ll have more opportunities available to her. It’s a hard decision to stick with but what I’ve learnt as a parent is to put her needs first. Seychelles will always be my home and we aim to settle down back home when the time is right. My husband is a Civil Engineer and has particular interest in helping to develop the environmental sustainability of Seychelles. Whereas I will be continuing my studies here in England and we would like to set up a business, putting my new skills in photography to use when we eventually return. Until then Seychelles will be in my heart and we will raise Isabella to embrace her culture as another little Seychelloise living abroad.
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SEYCHELLOIS OVERSEAS
A Seychelloise living abroad
BEHIND THE BUSINESS
“In Bloom”
with Natalie Edmond neé Barbier
“Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into.” Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858
With that thought, the idea of being a florist suddenly seems like a stressful job since it involves adding a certain something to someone’s soul. Not for Natalie Edmond though, who seems like one of the calmest people I have ever met. It is also a possibility that when one mingles with flowers all day, there is a certain serenity to their being that exuberates at all times.
was not my thing,” she confesses. But after her initial experience in the world of work, the idea of working for herself and her family started to grow on her.
SHE SAID YES!
“My father took over from my grandmother. My grandmother, Melitine Faure started this. She grew flowers and supplied them to hotels. When my father took over, he started it a La Misere, where we are based to-date,” Natalie tells us. Natalie’s father, however, took it a step further and started making floral arrangements as well.
The family must have sighed a breath of relief when Natalie announced her intention to ‘try’ and get involved in the business. “My father was very happy. He had always wanted me to do it,” she smiles. Natalie’s father was more than happy to take a back seat to the floral arrangement and focus more on the garden itself. Natalie is at the helm of the arrangement set up and her mother helps them both as and when.
NOT BORN WITH IT
THE GARDEN
Succession baton would indicate that it was clear Natalie’s path into the flower business had been paved early on in her life, right? Wrong. Natalie tells us that no part of her wanted to have anything with the flower business. “I ventured into the airline world but quickly realised that it
Any person in business would tell you how convenient it is for your raw material to be growing in your back garden. With a variety of over 15 flowers in their garden (which accounts for 95% of their production) the Barbiers have a wide range of choice when it comes to what to put in a floral arrangement. “Most of the flowers in our garden are ‘tropical’ flowers. We stopped growing roses a while back. It became too expensive to grow and once other people in the business started importing them, which lowered the price, it became clear, from a financial stand point we had to stop.” Natalie also added that roses are more delicate than other flowers and need attention and care, demands which are hard to satisfy when running a business like this. So what happens when a client requests roses? They import which is also what they do for any other type of flowers not available in their garden or elsewhere locally. They usually import from Mauritius.
IT GOES WAY BACK
COMPETITION Over the years, many new talents have emerged in the floral business. As is the case in most instances, the established names have to shake up and prove that they still have something to offer. Natalie tells us, “We have our clients and they have remained faithful; even the ones from La Digue. The rise in competition has affected us a little but not at an extent which caused us any issues. We still get calls from new clients frequently.”
THE SOURCE OF HER INSPIRATIONS “ As much as possible I try and incorporate my own style in ach floral arrangement. Ideas come from the internet, the client’s idea and preferences,” Natalie tells us. While she informs us that she does not exactly have a signature style, she does confess that she much prefers it when a client comes with an idea for a theme and allows her the chance to elaborate on the details. “This gives me the chance to explore some options and the creativity gets going,” she confesses.
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FLOWERS ON HER WEDDING DAY So how does the florist tick her ‘floral’ box for her wedding day? “I got one of my best friends to surprise me. I told her I wanted green and white and left it up to her to figure it out. I was very happy with what she did,” Natalie confesses. The friend she is referring to is Stephanie Lousteau Lalanne, the popular pastry chef on the islands.
THE CRAZIEST REQUEST TO DATE “It would have to be the Russian couple. The gentleman requested that 300 pink and white roses be placed in a basket for his new bride. It took me nearly half a day to get 300 roses together. The arrangement was also tricky since I was playing with two colours and had to ensure that I distributed the roses evenly,” she says. Natalie also recalls another wedding which took place on Valentine’s Day this year. “The foreign brideto-be wanted a replica of a photo she had brought with her. Of course the flowers were not available in Seychelles. I convinced her to opt for roses instead and she allowed me to give it a go. I did it and she was so happy!” she adds.
THE HIGHLIGHT SO FAR… Natalie designed the bouquet on our April 2014 cover
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THIS BUSINESS Natalie tells us that the weather and its unpredictability sometimes hinders plans, but perhaps right now the most pressing issue is thieving. “We have had a thief coming for while. We have strong suspicions as to who he is but a lack of evidence means that an arrest cannot be made,” Natalie tells us.
‘I would say that every arrangement is an accomplishment,” Natalie says. “I do remember one particular lady though whose son was getting married and had asked her to sort out the floral arrangements in the church and at the restaurant. She called me when she got into the restaurant that day and she was over the moon. It was such a nice feeling for me,” Natalie confesses. It sounds very much like adding something to someone’s soul. Some floral arrangements
Natalie’s workshop at La Misere
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BEHIND THE BUSINESS
And what does a thief do with flowers one may ask? “He sells it to other florists,” Natalie says simply.
FEATURED ARTIST
Speaking the language of the hips THE STORY OF A BELLY DANCER
By Martine Gontier I would like to introduce to you, readers of our May issue, an incredibly talented “jack of all trades” of the dance scene. Born to a Seychellois father and and an Irish mother, she has travelled to different corners of the world, and decided to make Seychelles her final stop two years ago. But that’s only where her story begins.
My name is Coco Shakti
Shakti represents the feminine life energy that courses through everything in the universe. The Earth, the heavens and all living things are made up of this creative energy. “We are surrounded by masculinity - it is a male-dominated world, where men are favoured. To me, it is important to awaken this energy within ourselves and manifest it into something positive. Women are often under-estimated and I think it is important to not let our feminity go to waste. We have to do whatever it takes to keep this energy alive,” Melanie tells us. Or for those of you, who don’t know her outside her performances, meet Melanie Labrosse Pugh. A mother of two, she has been belly dancing for almost ten years now. “My first son was still a baby when I developed an interest in belly dance. We were in England and I decided to give it a try. Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can think back - I’ve been dancing from the age of three-from jazz, hip-hop, ballroom, Latin, you name it... my life has always revolved around dance. I’ve always been at my happiest when I dance. When I don’t, I feel tense and insecure-like I’m letting my Shakti go to waste,” she confesses.
How has belly dancing changed you?
“It’s definitely awakened a more glam side to me. I grew up around boys, so I always had more male friends. I have made a lot of great girl friends through belly dancing and I definitely feel more feminine. “
And how does your family feel about your belly dancing?
“They are all quite amazed by it all. They definitely did not see it coming! Yes, my life has always revolved around dance, but I never really tried belly dancing til about ten years ago. My parents and siblings are scattered all over the globe, so I don’t see them as often as I’d like, but my mother has seen me perform, and she was really impressed and has been encouraging from the beginning. “ Throughout our interview, I quickly realize that there are two things that this lady is most clearly very passionate about. One: dance. It’s not just dance. It’s her means of expression... her identity. Two: her family- her life, her pride and her source of fulfilment. I ask her how becoming a mum has changed her life in general. “It entails being a lot more responsible you are not alone anymore. All the decisions you make revolve around your family. You cannot do whatever you like, you can’t just get up and go all over the world for dance workshops and performances anymore. There needs to be a compromise. That said, I love every part of being a mother. My children have taught me to be a mum. You
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There will always be that one someone who can bring out the dancer in all of us - someone who can prove that you can be an awesome dancer, no matter how short/tall/old/round/flat/stiff or (fill in the blank as appropriate) - and in comes Melanie. “The most fun out of all my projects in my opinion is my teaching. I was offering belly dance classes up til last year, whereby I took a break for a while. The classes will be starting again in May though. “
There is no such thing as “too anything”
“There is no required body type or age to learn to belly dance, it is not even hard to learn. It’s just a question of getting used to the hip movements. When you think about it, dances in many cultures involve dancing with your hips. At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of confidence - once you get into the rhythm of the beat, it becomes something so natural - all you need is a few weeks of practise. It should be something natural for most women because she has to use a lot of muscle around her lower body. It should be even easier for Seychellois women because we can all dance the “Sega” which I find involves quite a bit of hip movement.
Are you available for private functions?
“Yes I am. I perform at private functions such as weddings, opening ceremonies and launches. My favourite is performing at festivals, and I hope to be able to perform at our very own carnival eventually. “
Do you have a preferred style of dance?
‘Well the different styles of belly dance come about from integration by travelling and observing. There are different styles - from Egyptian, Turkish, American (which has grown very fast in popularity) and Tribal fusion amongst others. My favourite will have to be the Anmerican Tribal style, mostly because it is not rehearsed. It is completely improvised and I really like that. The dance is created through body language. A big role model to me, Rachel Bryce, took that a step further by inclining belly dance Tribal fusion with Yoga and contemporary. The result is simply amazing’.
A fire mistress - Taking it one step further
Mel has also put together her very own tribal fusion, which she (get that) incorporates with fire spinning. Yes, fire spinning. “That required quite a bit of training but was completely worth it. I do not practise every day like I used to, but at least three times a week. If it’s right before a performance, I’ll practise every day. Needless to say it requires a lot of attention and a whole lot being very careful” Please do not try this at home.
My last question to you - anything you would have done differently?
“I would have come to Seychelles sooner and I wouldn’t have taken such a big break in between. Like I said, dancing is such a big part of me that when I don’t dance, I am not completely me. I want to embrace my Shakti to the fullest and at every opportunity I get. Other than that, no regrets really. I have been going with the flow and I’ve really enjoyed the ride so far” Find Melanie on www.cocoshaktibellydance.com
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In action at an Arts Festival in Ireland
Learn to belly dance - bring out the dancer in you
Belly dance is also brilliant in helping mothers get back into shape after having a baby as the movements concentrate on the tummy, hips and thighs.”
FEATURED ARTIST
grow with your children and one should embrace that - there is no better feeling in the world to see that your children are the product of your hard work. I’ve never babysat all my life, yet motherhood came very naturally to me. I’ve found there to be a majority of single mums in Seychelles - I find that so incredibly commendable and I’m amazed at how women can keep everything together - I can imagine that it can get discouraging at times. Motherhood has in no way hindered or blocked me. I don’t believe anyone should give up one thing for the love for another. You just need to find the right balance. My husband and I have still managed to accomplish most of our plans. I believe I have achieved a lot that I’ve set my mind on ever since I embarked on this journey. From a dance aspect, I not only perform, but I have also done different workshops focussing on different aspects of belly dance, such as sacred belly dance, which emphasises on what the different movements mean. I’ve also done pre-natal workshops for parents-to-be. Aside from that, I’m also a graphic designer – well, that’s what my day job should be, it’s what I studied, but dance has kept me busy, as has motherhood. I also run a self-catering accommodation down south, which is another reason why I took a break from belly dancing. I am however very happy with the end product of my sacrifice and really enjoy what I do’.
Stylish Decorative Board for Modern Living With Elaine LaFortune Get creative with the Artistic Decorative Board
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SHERA Vent Board holds a variety of unique features
It is weather and fire resistant, and as a consequence requires very low maintenance.It contains absolutely NO asbestos fiber. Also, this decorative board is a perfect alternative for any dwelling that is in constant threat of termite and insect, for SHERA Vent Board is termite as well as insect resistantand easy to work with. SHERA Vent Board, elegant decorative board with beautiful fretwork comes in a wide range of sizes for you to choose from. With the SHERA Vent Board, you can add a touch of elegance to your home in minutes. Just select your favorite profile from our two available pioneers and get started. At WOODWORKS Unlimited we now have on availability the Louis Profile in size of 6 x 600 x 600mm and the Nepal Trumpet profile in size of 10 x 600 x 2000mm, both in smooth texture and uncoloured. Other profiles can equally be provided upon request. Both the Louis Profile and the Nepal Trumpet profile are weather Resistant, Immune to water damage, Fire-Resistant, Noise Reducing, Non Brittle and Termite and insect resistant. The vent board comes with the D.I.Y Easy Installation process which makes purchasing your vent board worth its weight in gold.
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WITH THE SHERA VENT BOARD, YOU CAN ADD A TOUCH OF ELEGANCE TO YOUR HOME IN MINUTES. JUST SELECT YOUR FAVORITE PROFILE FROM OUR TWO AVAILABLE PIONEERS AND GET STARTED. style, designers can achieve unlimited charming architectural designs. SHERA Eaves Lace is just simply the best decorative material for enhancing your home, adding that special touch of colonial façade.
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HOMES IN PARADISE
Four Seasons Villa, Petit Anse
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Land area: 6,170 square metres House area: 509 square metres Gross Floor Area: 923 square metres 3 individual bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms 2 outdoor showers Separate Dining room, Living room & Separate Kitchen Swimming pool Study Entrance with pond Panoramic sea view 5 minutes buggy to white sand Petite Anse Concierge service Access to Four Seasons Resort facilities, restaurants and shops Villas are fully fitted and fully furnished and maintained by the Four Seasons
For more information, contact Jean Paul Maurel Office: +248 4374585 | Fax: +2484224730 | Mobile: + 2482717797 E: sales@seychelles-properties.com | www.seychelles-properties.com 38
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FASHION 40
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FASHION
Pregnancy
Marie-Charlotte de Lafontaine | 20 | Mother What was your general style while pregnant? Light, easy and simple with a passion for color. Did you have a ‘favourite’ item? There is always that one outfit that you find yourself drawn to. Ironically, that outfit for me, is the most simple and plain little black babydoll dress. Its flirty length and the fullness of the skirt easily skimmed over my bump making it the ideal dress for a special occasion when you want the attention to be on your ‘glow’ rather than your growing bump. It didn’t hurt that my partner thought I looked sensational in that LBD. How did your usual fashion style change? Or did it not? I like to think I was pretty lucky, I didn’t swell to gigantuous proportions until at least seven months into my pregnancy. My style didn’t change drastically. I still wore my tight figure-hugging dresses and little shorts. Hey, who said pregnant women couldn’t be sexy? Many women opt for ‘darker’ clothes while pregnant – did you? I am drawn to vibrant colors. Pregnancy is such a beautiful stage in a woman’s life. Your body goes through so many changes, albeit not always pleasant ones. Why not flaunt your new figure? Thus, I love being bold and wearing prints with bright colors, be it tribal or floral. I rarely wore black during my pregnancy. Did you have trouble getting pregnancy clothes in Seychelles? I never looked specifically for pregnancy clothing. I opted for just larger ‘normal’ clothes. Nine months down the line, now that I can no longer wear my little shorts, I wish I had invested in a few with an elastic waist. However, why buy pregnancy clothing for such a relatively brief period of time. Splurge on a good foot massage at a beauty spa rather than something that would later gather dust at the back of your closet. Shoes: Did you get ‘sensible’ about shoes or you remained faithful to 4-inch stilettos? I love stilettos, I still think they are men’s best contribution to fashion. The harder to walk the better! However, as I started to expand exponentially, I started to favor my flats. I’ll be seen at the Boardwalk in a pair of comfortable flip flops. There is nothing appealing about two sausages stuffed in a pair of stilettos. Plus your sense of balance isn’t what it use to be, making falling on my face an unavoidable possibility. Alas, I have no choice but to be sensible about my choice of footwear. Did your attention to accessories change? If so, how? I have an affinity for long necklaces. No look is finished, in my opinion, without at least one accessory to complete your outfit. My favorite piece is this eclectic heartshaped watch attached to a long gold chain from H&M. However, accessories like that became impractical. As soon as I sat down, they’d quickly slide across my belly and take refuge under my armpit That’s when my bump became my signature accessory; nothing else seemed necessary. What did you miss most from your ‘normal’ wardrobe? Apart from my shorts, I miss my high-waisted skirts. I can’t wait to pull them out of storage when I have any semblance of a waist. Do you think you will miss dressing the bump once the baby arrives? I’m definitely going to miss dressing the bump. It is hard work to look decent when your belly is so big you can’t see your feet but I know I’ll look back at this period of my life and wish I had worn this or that. I did the best I could to stay fashionable but as all pregnant women can attest, comfort definitely becomes more pressing than staying on trend.
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FASHION
Get Her Look Victoria Beckham
The photo of Victoria: http://www.zigazig-ha.com
Victoria Beckham has dipped her toes in several things; fashion design, modeling, pop stardom (anyone remembers the Spice Girls?). But for certain if you were to ask her what her greatest achievements are she will tell you it’s her marriage to David Beckham and her four children. Fashion-wise, Victoria has never gotten boring. She has explored styles way beyond normal fashion boundaries and it’s one of the reasons photographers can’t get enough of her. Here we have her in a posh, black skater dress with some dazzling accessories. Anyone has ever seen her without an over-sized bag and oversized sunglasses? Nope. And this is no exception. Dress: SR695 | Trendy’s Small jacket: SR195 | Trendy’s Shoes: SR2,240 | Porto Fino Bag: SR4,800 | Porto Fino Sunglasses: SR3,600 | Beyond the Sea
with Ms Jules
STATEMENT NECKLACES
Jewelry by Veri Crafti
Statement necklaces do just that; they make a statement. The kind of statement it makes depends on the type of necklace it is and of course what you wear it with. There is such a thing as the wrong statement, so do pay close attention to what your mirror and guts tell you before you walk out your door! My column is too short for me to talk about every type of statement necklaces, so I’ve selected three main ones to share a tip or two about. CHUNKY COLLARS Despite the word chunky, these necklaces tend to have a feminine elegance to them which makes them perfect for dressing up casual looks such as tees, plain shirts and even tanks. They work best with tops which have higher necklines to give yours a miss if you’re wearing a plunging neck line dress. PRETTY BIBS Yes, we are talking about bibs. Baby bibs. These necklaces tend to be larger than the chunky collars and usually have tiered, ornate styles. They can come in elaborate metal designs, multi-coloured stones, oversized gems; the list is rather endless. Because of their shape, they bring attention to the centre of your chest so do not pick attires that complete with them. Try and wear one whose shape follows that of your top’s neckline. LONG LAYERS These are the easiest ones to wear, as long as you are not dressed in your tightest top or dress. If you’re breathing comfortably in what you’re wearing (longer sleeves are a bonus) there is a possibility to throw in a long layer necklace in the mix. They also work great with tube tops/dresses (no neckline to complicate things!) The general rules follow the same as anything else, pay attention to colour and size. If you’ve been afraid of them, start with smaller ones in neutral colours and work your way to the bolder you!
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Esmee Jumeau (21)
MAKE-OVER
MAKE-OVER
Martin Hoarau’s Hairdressing Occupation: “I’m a trainee accounts technician at STC Duty Free.” Family: “A new-be mother of a 4months old baby boy.” Hair Beauty Routine: “Before I was a mum I used to go to the hairdresser all the time, do all kinds of stuff, now if I have the time, all I do is tie it in a bun, so it won’t get into a little baby’s hand.” The last time I went to a hairdresser was... “a month ago. I got highlights done but now I’m rethinking if it was a good idea or not.”
BEFORE
I need a make-over because…“losing baby weight is not easy and what’s the best way for people to not say ‘hey you’re still fat’ is to look at my hair and ask where I did it!” I am expecting...”to come out a shiny and happy mummy, who doesn’t have to wake up really early just to get this hair under control.”
Hair (with Martin) Martin was not happy with the uneven layers in Esmee’s hair. Since she still needs to tie her hair back, he leveled her hair into a bob long enough to do just that. He softened her fringe but kept it long enough for her to tuck it behind her ears.
For booking, call Martin Hoarau Hairdressing on 4325186
Make up (with Olga) Olga used three different shades of foundation to contour Esmee’s face (L’oreal and Black-up products were used and they’re available from Duty Free). Since she was wearing a peach/pink dress, a similar shade of eye shadow was used to complete the look!
for AFTER photo go to page 46
For booking, call Olga on 2526405
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The Team
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1. Hair: Martin Hoarau | 2. Make Up: Olga Mor | 3. Photography: Alvin Abel 44
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
Hailed as the miracle answer to every frizzy haired girl’s dreams and endorsed by celebrities worldwide, the Brazilian treatment aims to eliminate frizz and straighten unruly curls and waves to leave hair kink free, soft to the touch and more manageable. Originating in Brazil hence the name, this hair treatment is a method of temporarily straightening the hair by applying and sealing pure liquid keratin into the hair. Keratin exists naturally in hair and nails and the Brazilian treatment transforms the hair by using natural sources of keratin which helps to repair any existing damage and coats the strands to help prevent further damage. There are now several Brazilian treatment options on the market but generally the procedure involves washing the hair and rough drying before the treatment is applied and left on for 30 minutes or more depending on hair type, length, condition and the thickness of the hair. Hair is then blow dried, sectioned into small sections before the keratin is then sealed into the strands using hot hair straightening irons. Unlike relaxers and traditional hair straightening chemicals, the Brazilian treatment straightens the hair without damaging or changing its structure resulting in effortless hair care and styling with minimal blow-drying time. In addition, the hair should becomes more resilient especially to rain or humidity which will also help to eliminate frizz. The treatment can normally be applied to all types of hair including chemically treated [bleached, highlighted, coloured, permed, relaxed or previously straightened] and natural hair. If you have split ends, it is recommended that those are cut off before the treatment. Repeating the treatment [on the whole head] every few months will treat any new hair growth areas. An initial consultation with a hairstylist at a salon offering the Brazilian hair treatment is highly recommended before booking yourself in. This will determine the suitability of the treatment for your hair and allow you to make an informed decision regarding the procedure, cost etc. Your hairstylist can also advise you on after care especially in the days immediately following application. Depending on the formulation the salon uses, this may or may not include washing your hair or getting it wet in the first few days post treatment and not wearing any grips or pins or anything that could cause a kink to form. For longer lasting results, your hairstylist may also be able to recommend specialised products for home use including sodium lauryl sulphate free shampoos. With the appropriate care, the treatment will be effective for around 3 – 4 months. A word of caution: There are several brands of Brazilian hair treatment products and there has been some controversy surrounding some of the formulations which have been found to contain high levels of formaldehyde. There are several health concerns over the use of formaldehyde but it is also thought that if it comes into contact with the scalp, it could potentially permanently damage the cells responsible for new growth in the hair follicles meaning that once hair falls out, new hair will not grow. Discuss any concerns you may have with your hairstylist if you need reassurance over the safety of their chosen brand.
BEAUTY
Brazilian Blow Dry
I did mine in November and then February. To tell you the truth I was satisfied with it the first week that I did it. The reason I did it is because I was told that it will make my hair look and feel healthier, and my hair will stay straight even after coming out of the sea. Let’s just say my hair now feels crunchy and dry. Breakage! Thank god it didn’t get worst but it didn’t improve. Juliette I have it done every 3 months and I love it. Frizz free and shinny hair all year round. What more can a girl ask for? Sheena I got mine done a few years ago and loved it. Made my hair beautifully soft, manageable, shinny and stunning. I guess it’s who and where you get it done to guarantee the real deal. Maria I did mine first time in SA. It was OK but the one I did here at Exotica was just the best! It made my hair soft, nice and manageable. I would highly recommend the ladies to go to her. Georgette I had the Brazilian blow-dry done twice. I have extremely dry hair and it has helped a lot in locking in the moisture. Unfortunately it hasn’t helped in taming the curls. Tried a reverse perm for that but it was really harsh on my roots. If you have dry hair like mine I would suggest you give it a go. Rose-May
Jennifer Baldwin has worked in the fashion and beauty industry in several countries
You say; I had mine done in February and I walked out of that salon feeling like a model. After my first wash though, I was back to poofy Lion King hair, so I guess it doesn’t really work on moms who have no time to constantly iron it out or keep up with washing at the salon. The girls at the salon did tell me that it would look better if I were to come back for all my washes and blow dries, but as I go to the gym everyday, it would have cost me a fortune. My hair is less frizzy though, but I will not have it done again. Louise I had it done and it was awesome. My hair remained soft and beautiful for a long time. Giselle
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
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BEAUTY
The Middle-Part If you are a Seychellois woman above the age of 25, chances are middle parting would have been a frequent hairstyle in your childhood. It would seem it was the easiest thing for mothers to do to tame their daughters’ unruly hair. While catwalks models have other the years given the impression that as adults, middle parting are for those with leek, dead straight hair, the truth
Simple steps to The Waterfall Braid With Helen Payet The Barely There Part
The Playful Parting Create a side-parting.
Section off the top half of your hair and secure it.
Grab a small section from it and divide it into 3 parts; start braiding the hair towards the back of your head in a French braid style.
Begin working outside pieces of hair into your braid and drop the last strand of hair each time to create the cascading effect.
Keep doing this until you reach the end of the other side; tie it with an elastic band or bobby pins.
Work some hair over the pin or elastic band so it remains hidden and voila!
The Professional Part
couldn’t be any further from this. Middle parting works for any kind of hair type and/or length. The trick to remember here is that there isn’t ONE type of middle parting. There are various ones to work with.
Needs not be EXACTLY in the middle
Stop wasting your time trying to locate the exact point you’re half way there. In fact, just-off centre adds a great casualness to the look. Tip: part with your fingers.
Zig it, then Zag it
This adds a bit of fun to the look. You should preferably do it with the tip of a pointy comb or a pen (that no longer works!). Tip: Keep the lengths short.
Barely There
Does she have a parting? Does she not? Are you trying to find a way to make your every-day bun look any different? Keep it loose with a ‘slight’ middle part. Tip: Pull some hair strands out to create a chic mess look.
Tease with Highlights
Speak to your hairdresser about strategic highlights placed along the centre part in order to accentuate your features. This is for those of you who are planning to adopt the centre part for a while. Tip: Use velcro rollers to add body to your hair.
The Name is Kim. Kardashian of course.
Kim and her sisters have the world’s attention. Some may argue for all the wrong reasons. But, when it comes to their hair, those girls never fail to please (yes, they probably have round-the-clock stylists with them) but you have to admire the dedication. Kim’s middle part is very polished and is achieved after spraying a significant amount of hair product into it. Have it for a special occasion because this is NOT your heading-to-the supermarket-look.
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Helen, from Martin Hoarau’s Hairdressing is a fully trained hair stylist who joined the team in December 2013. She is from Kenya and is great at putting hair up.
APRIL 2014 | POTPOURRI
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MAKE-OVER
R E T AF
Esmee says, “ I really really love this!”
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HEALTH 48
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
HEALTH
VIEW FROM THE STATION
STRENGTH IN HUMILITY
Achieving the status of being ‘nobody special’ By Jenny Gilbert I am sitting on our deck, which is where I usually write these articles, with frenzied music playing in the neighbourhood, expletives flying on every 3rd thump! This is definitely not close to the music I love to listen to. It is also very unusual to be experiencing this here which is normally where we come to find peace and tranquillity, a haven away from the 24/7 demands of The Station. Of all the days that my neighbours could be expressing themselves in this way, today is not ideal. Because today I need to write this article on the Virtue of Humility. It is natural for me to find meaning and purpose in every happening, turning it into a lesson I clearly need to learn. So I am considering how this drone is serving me right now as I enter my inner world to find something to share with you. I was already panicking a little about writing on the Humility Virtue. Mainly because being in a state of Humility means that we move out of ego into a state of 'nobody-ness'. Clearly in this state one’s opinion does not matter in the universe, therefore why should anything I write be of any significance at all? Back to the music and the lesson in Humility. I realize that if I release my judgement on my neighbour's choice of music and expression and exit the stage on which I perform as the woman on the hill having the luxury of writing an article in perfect harmony, I am in Humility. So I'm doing just that – an interesting place from which to start this article for sure. I think that the Virtue of Humility is so humanizing while being spiritually uplifting. It is one of my favourite Virtues. I have experienced the power being in Humility has on me, how it transforms me totally when I am willing to drop my defences and open up to its humbling potential. Humility is not demeaning but empowering because it sets us free. Perhaps you could, in this moment, consider what it would mean to have the status of 'nobody special'. Imagine no demands, no necessity to prove anything, no requirement to have your opinion heard or approved, no need to be right, no desire to be anything at all, and no pretence. That's only the beginning – I'll leave it up to your imagination to consider what the cost of being a 'somebody' is.
PURE MODESTY, ATTAINING A STATE OF ‘NOBODYNESS’ IS THE ULTIMATE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF HUMILITY. IN THIS STATE, WE COUNTER WEAKNESS WITH STRENGTH, DISHARMONY WITH HARMONY, CARELESSNESS WITH KINDNESS, HATRED WITH LOVE, AND BLAME WITH FORGIVENESS.
All religions have Humility as one of their cornerstones. I particularly like the Buddhist view on Humility which is about attaining the ultimate Emptiness and non-self (nobody-ness) in order to free oneself from the ravaging effects of self-deception, anger and righteousness. There are countless exemplars of Humility, from the great prophets to men and women including Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Florence Nightingale, Einstein, Rosa Parks to name but a few. All had one thing in common - great strength of character without having to boast or prove their worthiness as individuals. Yet they left behind legacies of service to humanity, lessons to learn, lights to follow. Humility means getting your ego out of the way, so that you can connect with God or the Source of Energy. Exercising ego, or identifying with it, implies separation from God or Source and to be disconnected from such loving, healing, powerful energy leaving us empty, wanting, alone, rudderless, anxious and afraid. Humility is a basic tenet for spiritual progress during which it is essential to detach from ego. This does not mean 'putting yourself down'. It means opening up to learning more, having an attitude of 'not knowing' in order to deflate conflict in communication and relationships. By being curious about people and life in general we learn to look further and learn better, which leads to acceptance and tolerance instead of prejudice. Developing a steady attitude of not knowing the answer to everything we encounter provides us with a chance to expand possibilities without limiting the answer to what we know – or think we know. It's a little tedious at first - one has to consciously remember that there is an ocean of knowledge out there - but we really do inhibit our ability to experience peace and harmony when we think we know it all! Pure modesty, attaining a state of 'nobody-ness' is the ultimate accomplishment of Humility. In this state, we counter weakness with strength, disharmony with harmony, carelessness with kindness, hatred with love, and blame with forgiveness. Humility defeats arrogance, allowing us to feel great and liberated as 'nobody special'. In our Virtue programme, we choose Wednesday as the day of Humility. Our affirmation on this day is: “Today I talk less and speak from my heart. I listen to others and let go of my ego.” Once a week, bring your attention to this simple statement and think about its potential to transform you. Repeat this affirmation throughout the day. No matter how modest an individual you are, you are also human. Being human comes with having an ego and so you will naturally move into ego mode throughout during the day. There is a simple explanation for this. Our ego has one objective only – and that is to be right. So with every question or puzzle that we face from minute to minute, our ego immediately goes in search of an answer and finds something that fits – from a log of events and solutions used previously. That does not necessarily mean that the ego has the perfect answer in that moment because, as we know, every situation is unique which means that we can never rely on ego to be right. Simply being aware that ego can weaken us, while humility imbues us with a great strength of character, is reason enough to give this Virtue a try. You might find nurturing an attitude of being a 'nobody special' to be a wonderful option for living a life of contentment and harmony. 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.
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Better Living
With Célia Ponzo
IT IS THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE… “WAKING UP EARLY MORNING, WHEN IT IS STILL A LITTLE DARK AND QUIET AND MEETING MY FRIEND FOR A JOG DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE OCEAN ALWAYS BY MY SIDE..”
What brings a smile on your face? Life is filled with simple pleasures and it is said the best things in life are free. It is those little satisfying effects you never really anticipate but always take great pleasure in. These are gifts of life that we each subconsciously celebrate in our own unique ways. The stress and strain of constantly being connected can sometimes take over your life and your well-being. In our crazy-busy, over stimulating world it is very easy to overlook the small things we do that could fill our day with more joy. Taking one moment to enjoy something simple could be the difference between a so-so day and an extraordinary day. Here are some of the simple pleasures life has to offer me; 1) Waking up and seeing the ocean. I always feel so lucky to open my curtains and just see infinite crystal blue water and waves crashing in the distance. 2) Waking up and falling asleep to the noise of rain on your roof. I woke up this morning to rain lightly beating against my ceiling and nestled my head deeper in my pillow, the sound was so soothing that my bed felt like a sanctuary. There was no place I would have rather been. 3) Realising I have a couple more hours to sleep - you think it’s time to get up and then you look at your clock and see you have a couple of hours left. 4) Waking up early morning, when it is still a little dark and quiet and meeting my friend for a jog down the road with the ocean always by my side. On my way back the sun is just rising and it creates a strip of light across the ocean where it follows me back with every step I take. 5) Stretching and breathing after my run and letting the warm sun warm my bones and muscles. 6) Giving myself 10 minutes to sit quietly and meditate listening to the sound of my breath. 7) Drinking coconut water, a miracle drink coming straight from nature. 8) Using coconut oil for my skin and hair. No chemicals. 9) Calling my friend on my way back from work and telling her to come bathe in the sea just before sunset when the sea is just a little thicker and hugs your body. Have you noticed that? 10) Star and moon gazing and losing myself in my thoughts. 11) Gazing into the eyes of the person I love and seeing that twinkle as he gazes back at me.
12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) 19) 20)
Practing yoga knowing it is good for my mind, body and soul. Putting papaya in the freezer and eating it frozen as a sorbet. Having people tell me I inspire them. Having someone smile at me from their heart and smiling back. Laughing till my belly hurts. Eating fresh fish knowing it has come from the ocean around me. My commute to work, so breath-taking, the sea, the mountains and clouds just nestling over them. The ease I can connect with my family and friends. I am far away on an island yet technology has allowed me to stay forever connected. Knowing I am healthy. A simple pleasure that should not be taken for granted.
What are the simple things in life that bring you instant joy? Take a pen and notebook and list all things that require little effort but yet bring you happiness and peace. By writing them down you are acknowledging these moment and giving them the gratitude which are sometimes forgotten.
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.
MAY 2014 | POTPOURRI
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The Smoothie Queen Hello fellow smoothie followers. This month we shall be making an exquisite berry smoothie with fresh vanilla pods! How delicious! Now most of us using vanilla in our recipes would go to a supermarket and buy a small bottle of vanilla essence. Why do this when we can have fresh and healthy vanilla pods? They can be found in our main local market. There are many ways of using vanilla pods, some people place them in their every day sugar jars to give it flavour, some cook their food with the whole vanilla pod or slice them open and scrape out the small sticky seeds and use that. Vanilla beans are used to add a nice flavour to food and beverages but they are more useful in many other ways. They are used to treat many common health conditions due to the potent medicinal properties they contain. They contain anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties in them, which is why tossing a dozen of them into a hot bath sliced open with other herbs such as cinnamon, ginger or peppermint is a great way to relieve body aches and pains naturally. All the nutrients in vanilla beans help relieve pain, aches, stress, anxiety, depression, gas, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. They are also a natural aphrodisiac. Look for fragrant, very dark brown, almost black pods that are slightly wrinkled, but still supple, with a slightly oily, shiny surface. Length is an indication of quality, 15-20 centimetres is best. We shall also be using strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Berries, berries, berries!! It’s going to be Berry Berrylicious. There is no better way to start the month of May than with a delicious, healthy smoothie to share with your friends and family out in the backyard with a sunny sky and the birds chirping in the trees.
Mili’s Berry Magical Smoothie! ~Say please with a berry on top~ Ingredients: 1 vanilla pod 6 strawberries 1 cup of blueberries 1/2 a cup of blackberries 1 cup of raspberries 1/2 cup of Natural Greek Yoghurt 200 ml water 2 tbs honey
Method: • Slit the vanilla pod open along its length, scrape out the small sticky seeds with a spoon • Place the blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries in a blender • Add your water, yoghurt, vanilla seeds and honey and blend everything up for about 1 minute • Pass the thick smoothie paste through a strainer • Serve in a frosted glass with ice Enjoy everybody!
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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Lies, lies and more lies Q:
Dear Annalisa, The first lie my daughter told was that she spoke to Santa when he came home on Christmas eve. She’s 6 years old and after that I paid more attention to the stories she would tell me after school. I have come to learn that her friend ‘Charlotte’ doesn’t exist and she hasn’t been coming first in all the games they play at school. How serious is this? A concerned mother. Caution: The reading is not suitable for any child. (Children should be allowed to believe and engage in make believe)
A: Dear Concerned Mother,
Society has created lots of fantasies and amusing beliefs (e.g. the Easter Bunny, the Tooth fairy) primarily for commercial use and monetary benefits (personal opinion here, for I’m no marketing expert). As a mother, I know I use the characters and the stories, to amuse my daughter, to entertain her, to maximize on those years where she believes in something magical, to see her eyes flicker and hear the delight in her voice as she retells the story to her granddad, of how mum “heard Santa on Christmas eve” or to see her excitedly reach under her pillow on the morning following a fallen tooth to realise that the tooth fairy really came by. Does that make me a big fat liar of which to be concerned about? To take care of the Santa issue, if our children are building onto what we want them to believe in, should we see the story technically as a lie or should we see it as them playing along and being creative, with something they can’t really explain. Imaginary friends are also very common in childhood and it is part of a normal development. This friend usually disappears as the child grows older. Children talk to (sometimes when they are upset or stressed) and play with this friend. It is part of their imagination and a creative mind may conjure things beyond your own imagination. Lies seem to be part of growing up. They tend to surface around 6 or 8 years and subsides a year or 2 later. Children in the early years of schools usually want to please their parents more than they want to do the “right thing”, so they are less likely to tell the truth if they think it will make their parents cross. Rightly so, it is common for parents to worry and even become upset when children don’t tell the truth. However, it is important not to overlook what the lie means to the child. Try to understand the reasons why your child might be lying. Some of the common reasons why children of that age will lie are a) fear of punishment or fear of losing their parent’s affection; b) having low self-esteem and wanting to sound better than what they think they are; c) to impress their friends and be part of the group; d) modeling what they see at home in the family.
Beyond 50
Q:
Dear Annalisa, I never thought I would age. Biologically I know it happens but turning 50? That was somehow something that wouldn’t happen to me. Until it did. I can’t tell my family or friends because they’ll laugh at me, but I am heart-broken. It’s almost like my life is something of the past. I feel depressed, bitter and – wait for it... old. Is this the end of the road for me? Mrs A.
A: Dear Mrs A
You are obviously not a fan or believer of the formed opinion that “Life begins at 50, or 40 or 60” for that matter. 50 is just plain old as far as you are concerned!! As I think about your situation, I’m inclined to believe that the slogan that life begins at those later age, may have been created by someone who was approaching one of those milestones ages and was either really looking forward to it or was dreading it and somehow changed it around to make it a more positive event. This is a perfect example whereby my faithful CBT (how you think, affects how you feel and how you behave) holds true. It all has to do with the perception of what aging is: You perceive and believe 50 to be old, and old is something that wasn’t going to happen to you, because being old means, it’s all over and that your life has passed. This makes you feel sad, depressed and bitter, as we usually tend to feel about “endings”. It would have been interesting to know how you are behaving as a result. Why are you harboring the perception that at 50 your life is something of the past? What do you associate with years beyond 50? Sickness, invalidity, incapacitated? What are the evidence for that, about yourself and others around you? Answer the questions honestly and truthfully. Search for where you have generated those unhelpful thoughts. Finally I will answer on this one. Turning 50 is not the end of the road for you, it’s your thoughts about turning 50 that’s causing you so much anguish and implying the end of the road. Some people would even say it’s just a day past 49 years. So here’s to many more “happy positive thoughts of turning a year or a day older (if you please)”.
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.
Here are some tips on how to handle lying: • Do your research: Make sure it is a lie. • Owing up: Allow your child the chance to come clean and be truthful. • Give your child a way out: Inform your child of the consequence for lying. • It takes time for children to understand the difference between truth and untruth. Be patient. • Set a good example by telling the truth yourself. Typical example “Tell the neighbour, I’m not in”. • Explain why telling the truth is important to you. • Praise the child for being honest.
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AGONY AUNT
Dear Annalisa ......
PARENTING
Dealing With Tantrums By Nathalie Hodgson
I am often told how patient and calm I am with my children, especially when they misbehave. It is not always easy, but I try to keep in mind that I am dealing with a little person and that I should raise my children with the respect that I would like them to have for me. This two-way street becomes obvious when you invariably do something that upsets them, and how they react to that. Do they calmly tell you what is wrong and what they want from you, or do they shout, get frustrated or even hit or push others around them? Even at the age of two or three, it’s not too young to teach how to give respect, but perhaps more importantly how to calmly communicate to others they are not respecting you. Lately, however, well the past month or so, I have found that we are dealing with more ‘tantrumatic’ behavior. My son is now in the height of what is called ‘terrible twos’ and my daughter who is now three and four months is also having bouts of the same outbursts. At times they feed off eachother and intensely listen to every move when the other one is getting scolded. I am talking about the category 5 tantrums, you know the ones, stomping of the feet, wailing at the top of their lungs in fury with clenched fists and red hot faces. Each and every scream increasing a notch by each party, as we all whirl more and more out of control. Oh the overload of emotions, the agony, the drama. This has got to stop, I thought one day and my husband and I made a conscious decision to take a deeper look into each and every time the situation arose and make some notes. We also spoke to other parent friends to get their feedback and consulted with a trained child psychologist. For those thinking OTT , Fretful Parent Alert, all of this for tantrums? Well conveniently we have a good friend who happens to be one, so we pick her brains for a bit of advice from time to time. What we realized, was that each time it was over something small and silly. The most recent one arose when my daughter asked if she could bring her new sleeping bag into bed. We explained that sleeping bags are for camping, it was too big and she would be too hot to bring it into bed and she already had her sheets in her bed, etc. She was not happy with that reply and it started. To our adult brain, the emotional output does not match the input. Our frustration rises as she is not listening to us and not abiding by what we say. It can be hard to make sense of it when we think about it with our rational, problem-solving, goal-oriented, get-the-kids-ininto-bed-and-on-to-the-next-task for the evening brain waves. We also noticed that the tantrum behavior changed the way we would normally discipline our children. Immediately we were extremely angry (we never hit), giving lots of squeezes to the arm, threats and unusual high volumes of yells. Afterwards I asked WHY do we lose control? Because it bothered us, we did not like to be screamed at (yet we screamed back), it was annoying, emotionally draining, or it was the end of the day and we were all tired? My husband and I reminded eachother afterwards that ‘she cannot throw a tantrum every time she does not get her own way’ or how it could be embarrassing for us to have a child who is not behaving perfectly in public and if we don’t handle this situation now at home we will not be able to handle it then. As our psychologist friend reminds us - Is it however the tantrum we should be focusing on or the emotion behind the behavior? The fact that she was so excited to have her first sleeping bag and wanted to fall
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asleep in awe of this new treasure was a BIG EMOTION for her. Her level of passion and happiness for the sleeping bag transferred into the level of tantrum we witnessed. As parents we can see tantrums as disobedience and misbehavior or we can see it for what it really is. A big, real emotion, and an opportunity for my daughter to learn something about herself; her feelings, and how to control them. And we, as their parents (teacher or caretakers and everything else), have the opportunity to help them, or shut it down. They are having a big emotion and they don’t quite know what to do with it. Now back to the two-way street. Remember back when you were told something or given something that was not quite what you were expecting? Not necessarily as a child. As adults, any negative unexpected financial or emotional event in our lives creates stress. Did you nearly burst or did burst into tears, and only after a few days wondering why you overreacted? But at that moment the last thing you wanted to hear was ‘calm down you brought it on yourself’ or ‘stop making such a big deal of it’. ‘In that moment of crisis, we want to know that the other person recognizes and respects the feeling we are having, we want an empathetic connection even if it is completely our doing. So why can’t we do that for our children? Identifying, processing, displaying, or recovering from emotions is what
SETTING BOUNDARIES IS A MUST AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO DECIDE WHAT IT IS YOU NEED TO INSIST ON AND DON’T SWAY FROM THAT DECISION. DISCUSSING WITH YOUR PARTNER AS WELL WHAT IS A DEFINITE, ‘NO’ IS HELPFUL WHEN THE OTHER ONE IS NOT AROUND. IT’S A MATTER OF CHOOSING YOUR BATTLES SOMETIMES AS WELL.
and your crying is too loud. Please stop.” When this still did not work we would calmly list the outcome and punishment of this continued behavior. This worked on him, finally. It’s important to tell them at least a few minutes beforehand what the outcome will be if he continues, this way he still has a choice to transition to better behavior. Setting boundaries is a must and it’s important to decide what it is you need to insist on and don’t sway from that decision. Discussing with your partner as well what is a definite, ‘NO’ is helpful when the other one is not around. It’s a matter of choosing your battles sometimes as well. I know now that staying calm and cool in the face of even the darkest of my children’s emotions is imperative to their well-being. Loosing perspective is so quick and easy to do and you end up losing your patience, melting, second-guessing yourself, doing things that not only don’t work, but also fueling the tantrums and create problems that make matters worse. When we act like this, what we say or do is completely lost on our children. All they learn is the power to hurt or ignite rage, which unsettles them, creates an unsafe atmosphere, and usually causes them to repeat their difficult behaviors and mimic what they see us do on others, especially peers. Sometimes I also think it is a case of children needing to regress, they might be dealing with a transition or stress of some kind or are just not feeling well and they cannot express this as adults do. Just because we are able to do something doesn’t mean we always want to. Changing the way I think, see and respond in the tantrum moment has dramatically changed the way I can deal with them. At the beginning it is a lot more difficult and hard work but each time it does get easier and I think of it as another opportunity for us all to practice emotional competence. This is a trait I will greatly appreciate when they reach 16 and are dealing with a lot more than emotions in their lives. Some days are better than others and those times I find myself wanting some more powerful and proactive fixes to stop the urge to scream my head off. So when the kids are having a meltdown, I do some jumping jacks (if not in public), or throw my arms into the air like I am a cheerleader with pompoms, just to shake off that unnecessary angry energy and get some clear perspective. My favourite line these days is’ I know you don’t want to do it but Mummy wants you to be safe and it’s my job to look after you so please listen to Mummy when I say ….’. Learning about emotions is difficult, engaging work. Tantrums have definitely taught me the power to always lead and teach with compassion. To not be afraid to say ‘I am sorry’ to them when I lose control. To have the courage to remove them from a problematic situation to allow their feelings to run their full course without any pressure to scold or feel embarrassed in front of anyone else when we are in public, as my children come first. I have learnt to love my children at their worst and hope that they will do the same for me one day. In the end, I kiss them goodnight with no resentment and the lovely thought of knowing that I was there for them, by their side, for not only the physical learnings but the emotional and spiritual ones too and always will be.
Nathalie Hodgson, is a writer, mother, PR & Marketing consultant and yoga instructor, juggling this whilst raising two kids and enjoying the most of life, she can be contacted on natsavy@ hotmail.com.
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PARENTING
we should prioritize so that we send the message that emotions are safe, tolerated, and respected. So how can we do this? Well this is what I was advised and so gave it a try and was immediately surprised. The next time she was having a meltdown we together reflected on the emotion to help teach her to recognize her feelings. So it went something like this ‘“You’re so disappointed right now. I can see that!”. “It’s so frustrating”. “You’re so angry but Mummy will promise you that the sleeping bag will be there in the morning when you wake up. We can play together with it and have more fun in the morning with some sleep”. Breathe, observe, wait, and tolerate the emotion was the key. Repeat as many times as needed. She eventually stopped screaming at the top of her lungs and listened to me. Now most of you now are saying ‘no way, they will just keep screaming, throw things at me etc’. Well, my daughter did take at least five minutes or more to settle but I kept my cool and kept repeating what she needed to hear. I did not scream– ‘THAT’S ENOUGH’, hold her tightly or threaten her like I usually would. Instead we had a chat on how she could calm down and how Mummy could help her do that, acknowledging her displeasure. I said ’oh, I know you’re disappointed about not being able to go to bed with the sleeping bag. We cannot do that in your bed, as it’s too big. How about we put it right next to your bed where you can see it and then when you are awake you can have it?” Believe it or not it worked and is still working. If you are decisive, calm and unemotional, she’ll pass through the screaming phase quickly and listen to what you are saying. For the younger sibling however it was a different story. When he threw a tantrum we went through the same actions; recognizing his frustration or sadness and then observed, waited and tolerated it. However it then grew bigger and at a faster pace, with tongue pulling, fake hits and louder screams over our voices so he could not hear what we were saying, so naturally we found it harder to talk it through (maybe because he is younger?). Instead of ‘plonking’ him in ‘time out’ right away we set safe limits on behaviors, not emotions. It went like this “You can be as sad as you need to be, or as frustrated as you need to be, but I won’t let you (hit, throw, bite, etc.)” “I know how angry you are and I can see you stomping and crying. But I also know that the stomping is not very nice behavior
PARENTING
‘Parole de Sage Femme’ (avec Loréa Rassool, Cabinet Isis) Le métier de sage-femme....
Depuis plus de 15 ans, le 5 mai est dédié à l’un des plus beaux métiers du monde : il s’agit de la journée mondiale de la sage-femme. Ce métier longtemps réservé aux femmes, est aujourd’hui mixte bien que les hommes restent minoritaires. L’OMS souligne le rôle décisif que jouent les sages-femmes pour améliorer la santé de la mère et du nouveau-né ainsi que leur survie. Il a été estimé qu’il faudrait 350 000 sages-femmes supplémentaires pour assurer une couverture universelle des soins de maternité. Le métier de sage-femme ou de maïeuticien est pratiqué depuis l’Antiquité, il a évolué au fil des époques et dans les différents pays. Le mot sage vient du latin sapiens qui dérive du mot «savoir», il signifie donc «l’experte, habile de son art». Le terme sage-femme existe en français depuis 1375. La sage-femme assure en toute autonomie la surveillance de la grossesse normale, du travail et de l’accouchement ainsi que les soins à la femme et à l’enfant après l’accouchement. Vous pouvez rencontrer une sage-femme sans être enceinte : dans le cadre d’un bilan préconceptionnel, pour vous informer sur les mesures de prévention et obtenir des conseils en matière d’hygiène de vie. Elle assure également entre autre un soutien à la parentalité. La sage-femme vous accompagne pour votre contraception (réalise la pose de stérilet et d’implant contraceptif ) et assure votre suivi gynécologique de prévention (ainsi que les frottis cervicovaginaux). Elle effectue la rééducation périnéale aux femmes qui en ont la nécessité, qu’elles aient accouchées ou non. Pendant la grossesse, la sage-femme assure vos consultations prénatales, vos cours de préparation à la naissance et se doit de faire appel à un médecin lorsque la grossesse n’est plus physiologique. En collaboration avec un médecin, elle assure également le suivi et l’accompagnement des grossesses pathologiques. Pendant votre accouchement, elle vous accompagne pendant le travail et réalise l’accouchement, suture lorsque cela est nécessaire et donne les soins au nouveau-né. Aux Seychelles, l’accouchement se déroulera au sein d’une structure hospitalière. Après l’accouchement, la sage-femme peut se rendre à domicile pour assurer le suivi post-natal de la mère et du nouveau-né dans son ensemble. Elle est présente pour la mise en place et le suivi de l’allaitement. Elle réalise la rééducation périnéo-sphinctérienne à partir de 8 semaines après l’accouchement ou plus tôt si cela est nécessaire. La sage-femme peut travailler à l’hôpital, dans les cliniques des districts, les cliniques privées ou en tant que sage-femme libérale («Independent midwife»). Voila, quelques lignes qui vous permettront de connaitre un peu plus ce métier, nous avons tous
croisé une sage-femme dans notre vie, mais l’on ne s’en souvient pas toujours….
Loréa Rassool est sage-femme ,formée en France et installée en libérale ( Cabinet Isis). Elle propose parmi de nombreux services : des consultations pré et post-natales, des cours de préparation à la naissance, du yoga périnatal, des consultations gynécologiques de prévention, différentes méthodes de contraception et de la rééducation périnéale.
Marvel Turns Name: Marvel Chloe Magnan Birthday: 12th May From: Aunt Elaine Elaine says: “Marvel is an adorable and inquisitive little girl who always cracks me up and who makes being an aunt, a blessing. She loves to sing and solving math problems. I love her and her little hugs which make life brighter”
‘In collaboration with Chanterelle’
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CONSERVATION
NATURAL PEST CONTROL Having to occasionally share our homes with some very unwelcomed, pesky guests (much to our dismay) is part and parcel of living in the tropics. While most of these house guests, such as the house geckos, can go unnoticed, some of them such as ants, cockroaches, wasps, mosquitoes, rats and flies can be an absolute nuisance…to the point where we actually feel it necessary to extinguish their little lives! Every home shares its resources with these invaders. Pesticides/insecticides are available for most common household insect pests, but these potent chemical compounds may be more harmful to you and the environment than the pests. Pesticides have been linked to a wide range of human health hazards, ranging from shortterm impacts such as headaches and nausea to chronic impacts like cancer, reproductive harm, and endocrine disruption. Furthermore, your can of bug spray will end up on the landfill, corrode, and release its potent, toxic content into the environment. These will eventually end up in our food system, waterways and the air we breathe. However, recognising the fact that most of us have quite low tolerance when it comes to “pests”, it may be useful to think more seriously about some of the natural, non-toxic ways to control them. Here are a few ideas… • Keep your house clean to avoid pests in the first place. Tidy up and put all food away in the kitchen at night, and avoid untidy piles of clothes and other stuff where pests can make themselves comfortable. • Spray insects with soapy water. This works really
well on small ants, for bigger insects try using a more concentrated soapy solution. • Citrus is a natural flea deterrent. Pour a cup of boiling water over a sliced lemon. Include the lemon skin, scored to release more citrus oil. Let this mixture soak overnight, and sponge on your dog to kill fleas instantly. Do not use citrus oil on cats. • Vacuum mattresses and pillows. • Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a natural and effective mosquito repellent. It contains the natural oil, citronella, which is safe and effective; Plantings around the patio will also help repel mosquitoes. • A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbant cloth will deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem. Many people also light a candle. • For rats, use metal traps instead of poisons and glue traps. A little further food for thought: Remember, humans are also an introduced species in Seychelles and let’s face it; we can also be quite pesty! Try to learn to live peacefully alongside the native wildlife that sometimes also visit our homes, including skinks (mangouya), stick insects, leaf insects, tree frogs etc.! For further reading on more natural ways to control pests around the house, visit: • eartheasy.com/grow_nat_pest_cntrl.htm • http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/gpests.asp • www.planetnatural.com
Contributed by Ginnie Laurencine for 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. This article was supported by the GEF small grants programme.
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OCCASIONS Photographs; Dr Shaheed Karim
Paul & Maria McCullough Celebrate 15 years of marriage
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WEDDINGS IN PARADISE OCCASIONS
P: Where did you get married? PAUL: We got married on the 6th March 1999 at our favourite beach restaurant at that time, called La Siren at Anse Poul Blue, Seychelles. That was our civil wedding. MARIA: Valentine’s Day the following year, 14th February 2000, we got our wedding blessed at the Cathedral in Victoria. That’s when I wore my big Cinderella white dress. (smiles) P: Maria,you moved away from Seychelles ultimately for love – what was that like for you? If you want me to be honest, I didn’t move away from Seychelles for love. I wanted to give to the children of Seychelles what I got from it. That’s a happy childhood and countless happy memories growing up in the Seychelles, mainly dancing and care free. I left because I didn’t feel that I belonged anymore and not valued for what I had to offer as a professional. My husband’s family and friends welcomed me with open arms, and schools saw me as an asset. Unfortunately these did not and have never replaced Seychelles. My heart has never left Seychelles. In a way this has always put a strain on our relationship, luckily my husband is very understanding and accommodating. He deserves a medal for putting up with me wanting to pack up and leave constantly (she smiles). I am showered with love!!!! P: Paul, what qualities in your Seychellois wife you love the most? I love the fact that she is a fun loving, caring and a devoted wife and mother. She is full of life and hasn’t changed since we met, she doesn’t seem to age. She is very challenging when it comes to achieving what she wants, this brings about her passionate, determine and stubborn side. But I love that in her as it brings out the best in me. I love that she’s passionate in her work with children and how she inspires them through her passions. P: Everyone has their own theories of what makes a marriage work. What’s yours? PAUL: I would say love, understanding and patience. MARIA: Plenty of laughter and being able to forgive. Remembering that although we are a family and do things together, that we need to make time to still do things as a couple like we did before we had our children. Not forgetting that we are also individuals and have to respect each other’s space and personal wishes. Paul: Making time to listen and comfort one another when faced with life’s obstacles as everyone does. Not giving up! P: How do you keep the love alive after so many years? PAUL: Making sure we put time aside for each other as we did whilst dating. We take turns to organise surprise date nights, like going to concerts, weekend breaks and dinners. MARIA: Agreeing how to educate and bring up our children; this is very important as a lot of arguments are the results of parents not being as team. Paul spoiling me all the time, candle lit bath when I arrive from work, my favourite treats in the car, flowers most Fridays. Paul is never afraid to dance with me whenever I ask, that is why I married him. To cut it short, he keeps our love alive by meeting all my needs. (she smiles) PAUL: Ask her what she does for me? MARIA: I give you what money can’t buy…ME! What more do you want? He can be so ungrateful! Paul: Cheeky!
P: So, how did you celebrate your 15th wedding anniversary? MARIA: We decided to renew our wedding vows at our local church, St Anne’s Stanley, Liverpool, where Paul grew up as a choir boy, also our children got baptised there and are now growing up as Christians. Paul: It was an intimate ceremony with my family and our closest friend. After the blessing we enjoyed a celebratory dinner at Yukti, (Liverpool’s number one restaurant). The next morning I drove Mrs to our annual get away in England, the Sun Inn at Kirby Lonsdale. Madam likes it there for long candle lit salt bath with a few bottles of her favourite champagne (Verve Clique), fine dining and shopping. P: Why was it important to you to celebrate it this way? PAUL: We wanted to affirm our love for each other again. Also as a thank you to our families and friends for their support and the great times we’ve had the past 15 years with them. Maria’s family wasn’t present but they were in our thoughts. MARIA: Our children would say, it’s because they were not born when we got married and it’s not fair they missed out on the wedding cake! (she laughs) We did it for them as well. P: Any ideas how you will celebrate the 25th anniversary? PAUL: All being well we hope to plan a holiday of a life time, doing something we’ve never done before. MARIA: To be living in the Seychelles. PAUL: On your own. MARIA: I guess we’ll be divorced then...Seriously, we don’t think anyone can promise each other to spend the rest of their lives together. Life is not like that, we enjoy each other while we have each other, time will tell.
P: Did having children change the dynamics of your relationship? If so, how? PAUL: Having children strengthened our relationship. The changes have been positive as we both adore children and enjoy teaching them new things. We are very proud of our two kids. MARIA: Instead of going out partying and rolling in at two in the morning, we look forward to family days out, cuddles in front of the television, playing board games and watching them grow into happy, caring and adventurous young people. They get their good looks and intelligence from their mum, sense of humour from dad. PAUL: If you say so J
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WEDDINGS WEDDINGSININPARADISE PARADISE
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DINING LA PAUSE ‘Take Break. Grab a bite.’ That’s the message that ‘La Pause’ wants to extend to the public. Nestled on the ground floor of Michel’s Building, it’s hard to miss the fresh, colourful presentation of the small café. La Pause opened its doors in December 2013, making it still a very new enterprise in the culinary options in the capital city, Victoria. The owners, Olivier Baudassé and Malaika Merali are hands on in running the business alongside three other staff. With an open open plan interior that leaves nothing up to the imagination of the clients, La Pause is the place to stop for quick and delicious food.
BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER? La Pause is opened from Mondays to Fridays from 0900hrs to 1730hrs. The hours indicate that you can grab breakfast in the early part of the morning and grab dinner on your way home from work, you can order too before 1730hrs and collect until 1900hrs. Lunch is of course the busiest part of the day for this café where queues made up of hungry town folks line up to get their crepes, salads or fresh juices.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS The minute you set foot in La Pause, you realise there isn’t another place on the island quite like it. At first you might think the queue is long and you’re in for a wait, but hang around for a few minutes and you’ll be surprised at how fast the queue moves. This is partly due to the impressive precision of the staff who go through orders as if they’ve been doing it all their lives. If you are planning to walk out with a crepe, be prepared to watch it being made. It is quite fascinating and you are guaranteed no surprises when you start munching on it later on. As you wait and are entertained by the making of either your lunch (or someone else’s) being made you will see small platters with small portions of crepes in them. Do not be shy, grab one (or two). They’re there to entice your taste buds for what’s about to come!
DIG IN I opted for the vegetarian crepe (mushrooms, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, capsicums, tomatoes, capers and dried tomatoes) since I have been on
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‘A savoury crepe in the making’
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DINING
a personal journey to eat less meat. My lunch date chose the mexican (chicken, kidney beans, corn, salad, cheddar cheese & seasoning). If I thought vegetarian meant lighter and would be swallowed in an instant, I was wrong. The crepe was very filling and in fact I would say at ¾ way to the end I’d had my fill. Now the taste. Sometimes, words fail to adequately describe how delicious something is. Every bite of my vegetarian resulted in a small explosion of flavours in my mouth. My carnivorous lunch date was actually shocked at how good my crepe was. All I can say is that it will be very difficult for me to choose something else next time I set foot in La Pause. The mexican crepe did not fail to satisfy the mexican craving my lunch date had developed the instant she had spotted the option on the menu. The taste was so good that she forgot to ask for chili (an option for any of your orders by the way) for that extra kick. I believe she’ll have to have a Mexican one again just so she can have it with the chilli she lives for!
AND TO WASH IT DOWN If you have walked into La Pause for a smoothie or fresh juice, make your choice before you get in line for you might just hit a metal block when it’s your turn and you see the variety of options before you. There is of course something to suit any preference on that list. I chose a ‘Pink Emotion’ and I will admit it did stir up an emotion or two inside. It was also almost a meal on its own. My lunch date opted for a ‘Protector’ (with ginger in it) which is perfect if you’re feeling under the weather or battling the flu.
Some of the salads you can choose from
A HOLE IN YOUR POCKET? HARDLY. The most surprising thing about La Pause for me was the prices. While I would admit I would not have the vegetarian crepe at SR75 everyday, I can certainly afford the marghuerita (SR40 only) and/or the ham and cheese (SR45 only). The salads are at SR35 for a half portion which is the same price of any normal ½ portion take away on the islands (if not cheaper than some). When you factor in the produce which goes into their salads, that is when you look beyond the price. A salad at La Pause is more than a few salad leaves tossed together with some vinaigrette. We are talking about couscous, chicken almond (Olivier’s favourite), and ham and feta pasta. Again, when you look at the composition of the salads, you’ll see what I mean; check the menu out on their website.
WHERE TO PARK? As we all know, parking in Victoria can be a bit tricky, however, what many people do not know is that they can park in the Michel Building parking (entrance just before the Creole Spirit Building) to collect their order. *Visit www. lapause-seychelles.com to know more about this little treasure in the heart of town.
Passion fruit tart, cheese cake and meringue
‘Pink Emotions’ and ‘Protector’ smoothies
DESSERT ANYONE? A meal is never complete without desert. In most cases anyway. When you think of desert at La Pause, think of fresh, home-made pastries; cheesecakes, passion fruit tarts and chocolate mousse to name a few. The first mistake you will make is to underestimate the richness of the pastry based on its size and price. At SR40 a cheesecake, one might easily assume there’s been shortcuts with the produce. Olivier assures us of the ingredients and then of course, the cheesecake had its say. I laugh when I re-call what it said to me! It was pretty delightful mousse and if the cheesecake and I were in a boxing fight, it colate cho e h would have knocked me out half way through the T game. I struggled through the other half simply because I could not bear the thought of leaving any behind. Perhaps next time I’ll have the cheesecake for tea as opposed to desert right after putting a crepe away.
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A variety of cheese cakes
All pastries are homemade by Olivier and Malaika
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BON APPETIT
Chateau Pancake
Treat your friends to a pancake with a difference! Enjoy La Plaine’s Chateau Pancake with a glass of sauvignon blanc from Archipelago Wine & Spirits or an irresistible Mango Daiquiri à la Takamaka Bay.
Served with Takamaka Rum & Chocolate Sauce Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
250g flour 3 eggs 600 ml milk 125g sugar 2 drops vanilla essence 50g melted butter 2 scoops coconut ice cream 100ml melted chocolate sauce 50ml Takamaka dark rum Put your flower into a mixing bowl and gradually whisk in your milk
Add in your eggs, sugar, vanilla essence & melted butter and whisk until well incorporated Strain the mixture Add a knob of butter to a hot pan Pour in a small ladle of the pancake batter Flip your pancake when the downward-facing side of the crepe is just turning golden and remove from the heat when this side is of a similar colour Heat your chocolate over a bain-marie Add in the Takamaka Dark Rum Set aside and allow to cool before serving
La Plaine St. André T: +248 437 2010 E : reservations@laplaine.sc W : www.laplaine.sc
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Fold your pancake into a semicircle and once again into a segment. You now have a pancake ‘pouch’ in which you can serve a couple of scoops of ice cream and a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce.
TO SERVE
If you would like to plate up your dessert in style, slice your chateau pancake in half to obtain two triangular wedges propped up against eachn other. Your guests can relish the mouthwatering site of scrumptious layers of pancake, ice cream and chocolate sauce.
BON APPETIT
The Wine
Buy a case of 6 bottles & get a 15% DISCOUNT only at Archipelago Wine & Spirits
La Vierge Temptation Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: An expression of the broad richness of the clay soils. On the nose: the wine shows concentrated thatch and tropical fruit character. A mineral follow through on the palate. Price: SR 99 + VAT
Archipelago Wines & Spirits T : +248 4 37 48 76 / 77 E : cheers@archipelago.sc
The Cocktail Mango Daquiri
Takamaka Bay white rum shaken simply with mango & lime, a real beach classic!
YOU WILL NEED A tumbler glass and a cocktail shaker Cubed ice Two shots of Takamaka Bay white rum One and a half shots of mango juice Half a shot of lime juice Half a shot of sugar syrup (two parts sugar to one part boiling water)
WHAT TO DO
Carefully measure the rum, juices and sugar into the cocktail shaker Add cubed ice to the shaker and shake it really hard for around ten seconds Fill your glass with ice and pour your cocktail Garnish with a lime wedge
Takamaka Bay T: +248 437 2050 E: info@takamaka.sc W: www.takamakabay.com
18+
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DESTINATION
Act like a resident in DUBAI http://www.viahouse.com
By Vanessa Barker
dubaisky scraper.co m
Vuittons”. Travelling with kids? Then be sure to factor in a day at either of the thrilling waterparks; Wild Wadi or Atlantis.
Burj Du bai
www.burj
Let’s face it; there are very few Seychellois who can say they have never been to Dubai. The UAE’s most well known emirate is practically a part of us. It is the world’s Disneyland, a magical kingdom that is constantly evolving. Where the impossible and unexpected is only to be expected. It is the new land of hope and dreams (sorry America), where every nationality under the sun has converged seeking excitement, adventure or just the chance to create a better life for their families back home. Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the UAE and is possibly the most tolerant of all the Muslim nations in the region. Over 80% of the population consists of expatriates, of which a vast majority are Asian nationals. The rest are made up of dark haired men boasting perfectly shaven beards and donning pristine white “kanduras”, alongside their often breathtakingly beautiful women, who although modestly covered by their “abayas”, still reveal their keen eye for fashion, high heels, handbags and some serious bling. It is a proud city. Emiratis walk with an air that may be perceived as arrogance but look deeper and you soon realise that it is merely pride for what they have achieved within the last 50 years. As a long term resident, I’ve watched this city rise out of the ground, crash under the economic tsunami of 2008 but then once again lift itself up to tower over the rest of the world. Perhaps this resilience and pride is what keeps the majority of expatriates around. Or maybe it is as simple as the saying goes; “Once you get the desert sand in between your toes you can never really leave”. It is these qualities that attract the millions of tourists to its shores. Name a nationality and I’ve probably seen them strolling around with their necks craned back as they try to take in the unbelievable skyline that has literally risen from the sand dunes.
As a tourist you are expected to tick off the majority of Dubai’s basic bucket list. Dune bashing is one of them; an exciting 4x4 driving experience in the surrounding desert followed by a Bedouin-style dinner complete with henna tattoos, camel rides and belly dancers. Going up the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, is another. Attempting ridiculous poses with Burj Al Arab to show your mastery in trick-photography. And of course, no visit to Dubai will be complete without a spot of shopping in any shopaholic’s heaven, Dubai Mall, which welcomes more visitors each year than New York City’s Time Square. Still popular are the Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre (guaranteed to bump into a Seychellois here). And topping the list for all tourists is the quarter we all know about but refuse to admit to having been to, Karama, the land of ‘not-so-genuine-Louis
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i Wild Wad
BEEN THERE DONE THAT…
h.com www.jumeira
THE DUBAI MUST-DO’S
But once you’ve done all that take a step back and discover some of the secret gems of Dubai.
As a resident you soon learn that what you see is nothing but a façade. The real Dubai lies outside the skyscrapers and malls. In the sand dunes, mountains and out to sea is where you can experience pure exhilaration.
www.en.wikipe
dia.org
Try to catch a camel race, otherwise head to Meydan for the million-dollar horse races; hike in a wadi; see Dubai from a hot air balloon or sea-plane; sky-dive if you’re brave enough or dive the wrecks along the coast; take an Abras to the souks for 1 dirham; buy an Arabian art piece or bargain with Mr. Bob in his artisan shop; learn falconry or maybe even archery. The list is endless and this is only in Dubai. There is so much more just outside the city in the neighboring emirates.
AND WHEN THE DAY IS DONE….MANGIA!
As the shopping piles up in the hotel room and new Dubai memories are being made, be sure to satisfy the most important of all senses…tastes.
Admittedly everyone comes to Dubai to shop. But move away from the usual hotspots and check out the other great malls, like Mirdif City Centre, which is extremely popular with residents and Emiratis because of its spacious stress-free environment. If distance isn’t an issue and bargains are what you’re after then head over to Ibn Battuta Mall or drive a little further to the Outlet Mall. At the latter you’ll find last seasons style at bargain prices but be prepared to have to dig through the racks. Have I mentioned Mercato, Wafi or Marina Mall? Or what about all the quirky stores along Beach Road or in the Al Quoz warehouses?
There is something to cater to everyone’s dining preference and wallet size. So once you’ve satisfied your craving for McDonalds, step away from the food courts, walk out of the mall and go taste Dubai. Rule number 1; Make sure to eat Arabic. Just like Starbucks, there is an
EXPLORING
Never be one of those people who come to Dubai and do the exact same thing each time. Venture out and explore a little because each time will amaze you. If you’re here over winter, you have no excuse to stay within the confines of the mall’s walls.
mel Race Associati on
In a bid to get people outdoors and to bring in the European lifestyle the Emiratis love so much, several new areas have popped up boasting cafes, restaurants and of course shops along beautifully paved walkways. Check out The City Walk, Dubai Marina or Jumeirah Beach Residence. Not only do these hotspots provide a new way to enjoy the cooler months but it also offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the rich or in some cases the wannabe-riches. These are the places the boys with their toys and the girls in excessively high heels come to be seen. Pull up a chair, order that coffee, sit back and enjoy the sightseeing.
Courtesy of UAE Ca
...and some of the curries
Arabic restaurant at every corner. If you want great Indian, there is only one place. Ravi’s. Do not expect fancy décor and Michelin stars. Instead think plastic chairs, a basic mouthwatering menu, relaxing service and better still a bill that will not cause a heart attack. If you’re lucky you may even land a selfie with Ravi himself (spot the red beard).
Wadi: www.timeoutdubai.com
Camel Race
Dubai Wadi
Ravi Restauran t
www.appetite.ketchum.com
SHOPPING
www.panarabiaenquirer.c om
Mirdif City Centre
There is a restaurant for every culinary experience you can name and of course the more local you go the cheaper it will be. But for that touch of glam, head to the restaurants of any of the five-star hotels. You can’t really go wrong. If you’re childfree, stay out late to sample the famous Dubai night scene. But keep it clean and respect the culture. They may allow you to party like you’re in Seychelles but they won’t tolerant any attempt to cross their line. So next time you’re heading across to the sand dunes, venture away from the ‘norm’ and do as the locals do (well the expats anyway). Discover the real Dubai.
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DESTINATION
BE ADVENTUROUS
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REVIEWS
Top 5 rental releases
(sponsored by GR Video Rental)
Mandela starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris
There have been a slew of films that depict the life and times of South Africa’s legendary leader, Nelson Mandela. The most popular is probably ‘Invictus’, which had the Morgan Freeman playing Mandela. In the latest film to chronicle Madiba’s life, Idris Elba (Prometheus, The Wire) gives the performance of a lifetime as South Africa’s father of freedom. Sadly, the film’s release missed the awards season, so it’s likely to be overlooked by the award bodies, but this is a winner through-and-through.
The Book Thief
starring Sophie Nelisse and Geoffrey Rush
I’m In Love With A Church Girl starring Ja Rule
with Kur t Gilber t
Escape Plan starring Sylvester Stallone
Thor – The Dark World starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman
and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Film of the month Noah Starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins Dir. Darren Aronofsky Darren Aronofsky is a director who is best known for his ability to make audiences speechlessly uncomfortable. With genredefining films such as ‘Requiem For a Dream’ and ‘Pi’ under his belt, he’s one of few directors currently still working who’s next film is always more daring than his last. Many fans questioned how he would achieve this on the other end of “Black Swan’ which is arguably his best-received picture to date – and when the announcement was made that he would be tackling the Biblical tale of Noah and the Ark, jaws dropped, pulses quickened and I stared without blinking for so long that a had to have my eyes checked. To say that it’s his best film would be a lie. To say that it’s a great movie, however, is completely justified. Aronofsky has done with Noah what Christopher Nolan did with The Batman Trilogy; he made it real. It’s this realism that enables us to step away from the story that we all know so well and embrace each character and their respective journey completely, bridging the gap between our world and the world inside the screen. This film is a mustwatch, no matter what you think you’re into. Actually, if you only watch comedy, perhaps it’s best you give it a miss. If that’s not your thing: Try to catch the highly anticipated family animation ‘Rio 2’.
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REVIEWS
Album of the month
DJ Cam Quartet – Rebirth Of Cool Considered by many to be the finest thing to come out of France since fine wine, DJ Cam is an individual who’s accolades far outshine those of most of his peers. He’s been at the forefront of experimental Jazz and Hip-Hop since the early 90’s and in 2 decades since his start, has given people more music than they know what to do with. In 2008, DJ Cam put together a live project, which consisted of himself and 3 other jazz-trained musicians. Their first release was the timeless and highly influential ‘Rebirth Of Cool’ which saw the quartet putting a unique spin on well known Jazz standards, and paying tribute to each of the members’ influences within both Hip-Hop and Jazz. The standout song is, without a doubt, the effortlessly smooth title track, which shows how creatively Cam and his contemporaries move through the Jazz form, improvising as they go. Possibly the ultimate smooth-listening album ever pressed, Rebirth of Cool should be a staple in every living room CD collection. Trust me, If you’re having guests over this weekend, get hold of this record and regardless of how bad your cooking is, the night will go down a treat. If that’s not your thing: Check out the beautifully written soundtrack for Disney’s winter release, ‘Frozen’.
This time, 10 years ago... Shrek 2 If you’d told me that watching a film about the (mis)adventures of a fat, Scottish ogre and his talking donkey would be one of the defining moments of my late childhood, I would’ve said that ogres aren’t real and donkeys can’t talk. And I would’ve have been right. However, when Dreamworks Pictures finds a 14 year-old who’s written a fantastical story about just that and then transforms said story into an animated film, the unreal becomes a lot more...real. Real enough to justify not 1, not 2, but 3 sequels, which were all total cash cows. My favourite of the 4 has always been and will always be Shrek 2, which gave us some of the greatest animated characters ever (yes, I’m talking about the smooth-talking Puss in Boots and the Gingerbread Man). Above that, it didn’t fall into the same trap as so many other sequels do; being so bad compared to the original that you regret ever watching it. Instead, it actually furthered the storyline and made the franchise so much more interesting. In fact, you could argue that the strength of Shrek 2 enabled Dreamworks to make another 2 films that weren’t horrifyingly bad. So for those of you who don’t remember just how funny Prince Charming was when he first graced your screen, give up 90-odd minutes this weekend to settle in for a reminder.
May’s Book Highlight
Playing the Game by Barbara Taylor Bradford It’s never as easy as one would think to simply put aside and forget the more haunting aspects of one’s past. It’s even harder, when that past seems to be catching up with one bit by bit. Annette Remmington finally has the breakthrough she was waiting for, when a beautiful Rembrandt painting which she auctioned off has her on the top of her game. She’s stunning, talented, intelligent and married to the reputable and charming art expert Marius Remmington. However, everyone knows, a smile can hide a thousand lies and she can never forget where she came from. The place Marius saved her from was not one she would wish on her worst enemy. Now, hotshot journalist Jack Chalmers has entered her life, and might be too smart for his own good. Little did either of them know, that the moment he would enter her office for an innocent interview, both of their lives would change forever. The game board is set. Let the games begin! Barbara Taylor Bradford enthrallingly spins a tale of mystery and seduction, manipulation and passion in yet another successful book. This author has the reader asking questions throughout all of the 474 pages of this contemporary fiction novel. Set in London in 2007, the story recounts the life of a strong woman who has had to endure many trials and tribulations in her dark past. She may have learnt from them and made a life for herself now, but she is reminded that what happened back then makes her who she is today, and it’s something she can never forget. A lovely story, in that there’s nothing overly fancy or extravagant about the plot, which tends to be a very realistic, plausible life situation. I don’t mean the characters (or the descriptions of them) aren’t extravagant because it’s plain to see that these people live in luxury, but yet have been portrayed as humble and down-to-earth, which is a quality that immediately attracts any reader. Another
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attraction for readers could be the avid discussion of art, artists and art history throughout the whole book, if that is something that interests you. The book is filled with many question marks which have the reader awaiting the answers on the next page as it is turned with licked fingers. But the only way to get them is by reading the whole book because the mysteries are only revealed on the last pages (and don’t even think of reading the end first because THAT is not how it works!). As well as having an intriguing mystery aspect, a lot of romance is incorporated within the pages: all about the highs and joys of love at first sight, true love, and all that jazz! (Sigh)… So yes, this book could definitely give you a few hours of enjoyable reading time this month while reminding you that, what goes around comes around and you will always reap what you sow! On a side note: Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mummies out there!
MOTOR INSURANCE
Knowing you are well-protected ...makes all the difference.
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