(Re)Fresh February 2009
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Hello! The first month of 2009 is over and hopefully you are holding on to those New Year resolutions. I have managed to keep some but my resolve to cut down on coffee wavered somewhat. One resolution to add to my list is to volunteer for a worthy cause. If this is also on your list, be inspired by Jolene O’Connor’s volunteer adventures in Tanzania (p8) and learn from Cémanthe Harries experience in discovering the real Value of Volunteering (p 11). Fire up your creativity and send in your artwork, photography, crafts and poetry to feature in (Re)Fresh like crafter Amy Olivia Soule (p13) and poet Cindy A Eve Newton-Ferres (p 15) did. Planned to lose weight and improve your health this year? You aren’t alone, it’s you, me and 60% of the world population, according to recent Nielson study. Read the pros and cons of a detox diet and decide for yourself if detoxing is the best approach as well as what dieticians recommend (p 16). Finally, to help you along your way to achieving all your goals for this year, read the last instalment of ‘Keys to Success’ (p18). I wish you all a wonderful month ahead filled with love, laughs and good times. Oh yes, and lovely Valentine’s Day ♥ Cheers,
Monique Monique Boucher (Re)Fresh Editor Email:refreshednow@gmail.com Blog: http://refreshtoday.blogspot.com/
On the Cover: Take off your shoes and relax at Kirstenbsoch Gardens, Cape Town. Read more about the gardens on page 6. Photography by Monique Boucher. 2008
Contributors —Thank you to this month’s contributors: Amy Olivia Soule, Carene Daniel, Cémanthe Harries, Cindy A Eve Newton-Ferres, Erika Ketterer and Jolene O’Connor, Disclaimer — (Re)Fresh is a publication that aims to include content that is original and accurate. Please feel free to notify the editor should you suspect plagiarism. (Re)Fresh can not be held responsible for the views and opinions expressed by contributors and writers. All photography by Monique Boucher unless otherwise stated.
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Contents (Re)View of Places and Spaces
Kirstenbosch Gardens
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A review of one of Cape Town’s natural treasures, definitely worth the visit
(Re)Focus on Good Works Volunteering in Tanzania
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Jolene O’Connor’s first two weeks in Tanzania
Value of Volunteering
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Cémanthe Harries discovered the real value of volunteering (Re)Viewing Art
Prestigio
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Hand-crafted stationery by Amy Olivia Soule
Ode To The Night
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Poetry by Cindy A Eve Newton-Ferres (Re)Design your Life
Diet Detox Debate
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Looking at the pros and cons of a detox diet
Keys to Success
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The last three keys to success to help you live your best life possible
KIRSTENBOSCH GARDENS
(Re)View of Places and Spaces
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Thirty six hectares of the garden is cultivated, perfect for picnicking and easy Sunday strolls. What makes the garden remarkable is that it is 100% proudly South African, filled with indigenous plants supporting diverse fynbos flora and natural forest.
GARDENERS’ PARADISE KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL
Gardeners will love the fact that plants are labelled. If you see something you think would
BOTANICAL GARDEN is one of
do well and look great in your garden, look for
Cape Town’s natural treasures, nestled the label and find the species in the nursery, on the slopes of Table Mountain… if Centre for Home Gardening, within you really could say a 528 hectares
Kirstenbosch Gardens.
estate could be ‘nestled’, that is. ROCKING THE GARDENS Kirstenbosch Gardens has become renowned for more than the diverse flora and the natural beauty, as music lovers flock to the gardens to enjoy the summer evening music concerts. Local and international acts including Prime Circle, Goldfish, Michael Buble and Josh Groban, have preformed while audiences stretch out on picnic rugs under the stars.
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The garden has a long history and was formally established in 1913. The name ‘Kirstenbosch’ was thought to be adopted from the last name of the Kirsten family, who once occupied the surrounding area. The name of the garden translates to ‘Kirsten’s Bush’.
TIME SCHEDULE AND ENTRANCE FEES Kirstenbosch Garden is open everyday of the year, from 8am until 7pm in summer (September until March) and from 8am until 6pm over the cooler autumn and winter months (April until August). •
Entrance fee is R32 for adults
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Entrance fee for South African students is R20 (make sure you have your student ID card with you)
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Entrance fee school children (6-17 years old) is R10
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Children under 6 years old and Botanical Society members have free entry.
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SA senior citizens have free entry on Tuesdays (f it is not a public holiday).
For more information about gardens, the events, facilities and how to become a Botanical Society member, visit www.sanbi.org/frames/kirstfram.htm
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Volunteering in Tanzania “We will be spending the first six weeks learning Swahili, six days a week. Learning a new language is doing my head in, it is really hard!” a township. People noticed me all the time,
Volunteering is something that many
calling me a ‘mizunge’ which means ‘white
think of doing, few do and even fewer fly person’. Although the people are all very across the world to do.
friendly, saying hello, sometimes it gets a bit
Monique Boucher had an online chat
much having people notice you all the time
with Jolene O'Connor, a Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW) volunteer, to find out how the first two weeks of her eightmonth programme in Tanzania (Africa) has been so far.
and staring at you. Despite the poverty, I feel really safe here.
The food is driving us (volunteers) crazy, it is always the same thing with very little flavour. Our daily diet consists of porridge, eggs, beef stew, rice, beans, and cabbage. I miss
M.B: What is Tanzania like? J.O: Tanzania is really different from what I
a good green salad but on the upside, the mangoes and pineapple taste amazing!
am used to. It is a really poor country. We have to use toilets that are holes in the
“I miss a good green salad but on
ground and there are no showers. Adjusting has been hard, initially I stayed with a family and had to walk home through
the upside, the mangoes and pineapple taste amazing!”
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M.B: What have you been doing? J.O: We will be spending the first six weeks learning Swahili, six days-a-week. Learning a new language is doing my head in, it is really hard! We are in Iringa and leave for another village, Njombe, on the 1st of February where we will stay for another two weeks, continuing our training. After that we come back to Iringa for our last two weeks of language training.
M.B: What about using translators? J.O: People here don’t speak English, especially in the rural villages so we have to learn Swahili. Apparently most people pick it up in about three months. I can already communicate a fair bit and understand quite a lot.
Above: Jolene O’Connor , back at home in New Zealand, before she left for Tanzania (Photography supplied)
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M.B: When can we expect photos on your
FUNDRAISING
Facebook group page? J.O: I will try to post some photos online as soon as possible. It is a bit hard as I rely on internet cafés where connection is really
Jolene O’Connor had to raise NZ $11 000 to cover costs. She organised various events and raffles to raise funds and spent her free time, after a long day of
slow and expensive. I may try finding someone here who has internet at home to help me. Things here are not as cheap as
cycling as a bicycle courier, pounding pavements selling raffle tickets.
one may have expected. Cell phone credit and internet fees all come out of my own
“This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do!” she had said in the midst
pocket.
of her fundraising efforts last year.
“Things here are not as cheap as one may have expected.”
She managed to raise half the funds she needed and for the rest she dipped into
M.B: I know that you were not able to raise
her savings. You can support her work by visiting her fundraising page at
all the funds it took to get you there and that you have spent your own savings on this
http://www.fundraiseonline.com.au/ JoleneOConnor/
trip. Could people continue to donate funds
to make a donation.
to this cause? J.O: Yes, people are welcome to give. I just had another donation today which I
Visit refreshtoday.blogspot.com/ for more information.
really appreciate.
Once language training is over, O’Connor will be working to set up education and support initiatives counselling youth on how to deal with relevant issues such as HIV/ AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy, early marriages and child abuse .
For more information about Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW) visit www.spw.org Find out more about volunteering in South Africa by visiting the Volunteer Centre at www.volcent.co.za for more information about various programmes that need assistance.
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Value of Volunteering Cémanthe Harries, MD of Inspiring Change, volunteered to assist a well-known charity assisting homeless people in the UK, over Christmas. She shares with (Re)Fresh what she learnt about the real value of volunteering. I am all for charity work, giving your time to worthy causes, but from hindsight, I recommend mentally preparing yourself for the fact that a) people you may help may not be as friendly or grateful as you would expect and b) the other volunteers may not be as selfless as you would expect. Giving up your time for others is selfless act, however after speaking to many of the volunteers I found that, for many, their goal was “to see what it was like’ and “to feel good about myself before Christmas.” I was happy to be helping provide homeless people with a warm meal and companionship over the festive season, as were many of the other volunteers, but what we experienced was quite different. We spent four hours standing around, waiting for something to do while an aggressive homeless man shouted at the lead volunteers because the centre was not open until midday. We waited another hour, standing in a cold drafty corridor, talking and laughing with fellow volunteers until the guests arrived. That evening, when the centre hosted over 200 guests giving them a warm place to stay, my perception changed. I realised that even if you do not get the thanks for your efforts and even if your reasons for volunteering are a bit selfish, it is still worthwhile. Yes, you do get to feel good about yourself but more importantly, you provide much needed services. The people you help may not always show their appreciation, but the majority welcome your contribution. This raises the question: Is volunteering for you or for the people you help? I believe it can be both. Volunteering is good for you, good for others and good for the world so go on and give it a try. But remember, go in with an open mind and don’t expect a ‘thank you’ afterward.
(Re)View: Art
“There is nothing that inspires me more than the beauty of God's creation… Each face is so unique and they are all created in His image. If my Art manages to reflect even a fraction of that beauty, it is serving its purpose.”
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PRESTIGIO
“My friends and family encouraged me to take my craft seriously,” said Amy Olivia Soule, creator of the hand-crafter stationery range Prestigio, when she spoke to (Re)Fresh, “but it was only when I clicked on the link to build my own website that I started to get really excited about it. Suddenly it seemed possible and I started brainstorming ideas for a business name and website layout.” Prestigio is Italian for ‘prestige’ and was chosen to reflect her love for Italy. “Most of my stationery is created for PRESTIGIOUS events in ones life.”
Soule thoroughly enjoyed building her own website and said that once she had her own URL, she couldn’t wait for the orders to come in. She works on personalised order basis and believes in helping clients create the decorative stationery to best suit their occasion, no matter how much time and effort that takes. She enjoys creating stationery that will be unique, designed particularly for the client’s special occasion, matching the theme, colour palette and incorporating just the right accessories. “I am happy to work with a client until their idea is as perfect as they want it to be.” Email refreshednow@gmail.com to feature your Artwork/Photography/Craft in (Re)Fresh
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Soule works from home and is inspired by design, photography and scrap booking. “I love speciality stationery stores and can spend hours in one. When I find an ornate piece of paper, I can see possible designs in my mind and just itch to get home to begin creating.”
She loves vintage design which inspires her natural inclination words classic roses in cream, gold and rich red shades, small wooden woven wreaths and hearts as well as ornate lettering. “Sometimes I buy lettering and it will inspire the entire design around that single letter”.
Soule is currently studying photographic make-up artistry and plans to study further in photography this year. She would love to
Above: Amy Olivia Soule of Prestigio (Photography supplied)
study art direction at AAA in 2010 but for now she is happy to concentrate on her growing business. “I would be honoured to be invited to create wedding stationery from invitations and menus to thank-you notes, in a matching theme.”
Three things I couldn’t live without? “Hmmm…I would have to say my camera, my dog, a Jack Russell called Lexi, and the opportunity to take up challenging adventures, are my top three.” Something that no one knows about me... “I love secluded getaways where I can sit for hours, undisturbed, taking photographs of whatever I can
PRESTIGIO www.prestigio.synthasite.com/ Email: ao_soule@yahoo.co.uk Telephone: 082 576 3883 Fax: 021 762 7466
(Re)Viewing Art— Poetry
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Ode To The Night By Cindy A Eve Newton-Ferres Stars scattered…… Diamonds strung across a velvet sky The moon…. Pendulous, round, bright hangs expectantly, Ghostly wisps stream, swirl driven by breaths’ unseen. Silent whispers, Tree leaves rustle, The quiet night shattered, Foxes scream. Tides rise and fall verdant depths darkly green, Silent sentinels glide, ghostly white in nights velvet clasp. A deathly rattle, metal against metal,
Silence settles, scarcely light as the day slips into night. 12.07.08 Cindy A Eve NewtonNewton-Ferres Online: Blog: http://www.calane55.wordpress.com Web: http://www.calane55.successuniversity.com
(Re)Design Your Life: Healthy Balance
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Detox ‘Yes’ to Detox Diets: Feeling sluggish, bloated and zapped of energy, Carene Daniel, travel consultant and (Re)Fresh reader, decided to try a detox diet and has loved the results. I needed a fresh start and a way to put the bounce back in my step. Inspired by my vegan housemate, I decided to follow a detox programme. It is a three to four week programme but after only two weeks I feel fantastic. I had hoped the detox would help me lose a bit of weight, but I believe the real reward is the way the detox has made me feel. I have more energy and my moods are more stabilised… no more PMS moments for me! I feel like a new person.
My colleagues noticed the drastic difference in me and begged for the programme. I start each day by drinking two glasses of water followed by a cup of boiling water with fresh lemon squeeze into it which has helped give my skin a great glow.
I divided the plan into foods you should eat and those you should avoid.
Say ‘YES’ to… Raw food (nothing processed, including tinned food), fruit (eat a maximum of three to four fruits a day because fruit is very high in sugar), vegetables - lots of mixed salads, meat (preferably white meat like grilled fish or chicken and in moderation), Rooibos tea with fresh lemon and little honey (remember, not too much honey because it is also high in sugar), fresh 'juices', Nuts: walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, Rice cakes (which are actually quite yummy!), rice, (preferably brown rice), sushi, and finally garlic and lots of it because it has antifungal and antibacterial properties
Say ‘NO’ to… Diary products including milk, cheese, cream etc, sugar, coffee, fruit juices (very high in sugar), grapes and other acidic fruits , alcohol, smoking, raisins, Soya milk, rice milk or others, provitas or rye vitas, wheat, yeast, gluten (i.e. bread).
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Debate ‘No’ to Detox Diets: The health benefits of detox diets have been in debate for years. Many people swear by a regular detox to cleanse their systems but as many dieticians disagree saying that any diet that eliminates whole food groups should be approached with caution. “Our physiological mechanisms are adequate to detox our bodies, so these fad-type diets are not really necessary,” says Erika Ketterer, registered dietician from the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA) “Certain people it may find it helpful to “detox” by cutting out the usual junk foods like fries, alcohol, caffeine, chocolates and sweets, helping them “kick-start” a healthy eating plan but this should only be done for one or two days.”
Ketterer reminds (Re)Fresh readers that “detox” diets are especially not recommended for pregnant women, people with diabetes and Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD), low blood sugar levels or kidney problems.
If you felt alone in your quest to lose a few pounds, rest assured you are in good company. Sixty percent of the world’s population have admitted to struggling with their weight, 50% considering themselves overweight, according to research results of the Nielsen’s Global Online Consumer Survey series conducted in 52 countries.
The survey reveals a move away from extreme diets and detox programmes with less than 10% planning to turn to diet plans or slimming programs. Instead, people tended towards friendlier approaches to weight loss with 69% planning to exercise more, 78% cutting down on fats, chocolates and sugar, eating more natural and fresh foods, eating the same foods but in smaller portions, and cutting down on processed food.
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Keys to Success Cémanthe Harries, Life Change Specialist and MD OF Inspiring
Change, helps us re-evaluate the life we really want to be living and shares the last of the ‘10 keys to Success’ as continued from the November and December edition of (Re)Fresh. Manage Your Time
“We all have 24 hours in a day, and yet some people get more done because they organise their activities and get the most from their day.”
Time cannot be managed but how you spend your time can be managed. We all have 24 hours in a day, and yet some people get more done because they organise their activities and get the most from their day. Start by setting daily planner with hourly or 2 hourly time slots for various activities. Book specific time slots in your schedule to complete tasks. Create an overview of your goals and tasks for the months ahead.
Know How to Market Yourself Each day we encounter marketing or sales whether it be something we buy or how we sell ourselves in an interview and even when we chat to friends about what we’ve been doing. These are opportunities for presenting ourselves and how you present yourself that will determine other people’s impression of you. Create a good impression by deciding how you want to market yourself. Think about how you want to be seen and how you would like to be thought of. Think of yourself as a ‘brand’ and decide how you would like your brand to be perceived.
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These are last of the ‘10 keys to Success’ as continued from the November and December edition of (Re)Fresh Create Win-Win Situations Now that you have created your brand, spent quality time for your own activities and organised your time more effectively, you will be able to create real “win-win” situations with people you meet. A “win-win” situation is where both parties benefit from their association with each other. Look for where you can create a win-win situation in your everyday life… perhaps you have a skill you can offer someone in exchange for a skill they could offer you.
Create a Systematic Process for Your Life Using these ten keys for success, create a process which you stick to on a daily, monthly and yearly basis. Map your progress, set yourself targets and be accountable for achieving these goals. You owe it to yourself… if you are the only person consistently with you for your whole life, be true to who you are and what you want. Now go and create it!
“A “win-win” situation is where both parties benefit from their association with each other. Look for where you can create a winwin situation in your everyday life…perhaps you have a skill you can offer someone in exchange for a skill they could offer you.” Read the full, unedited version of this article, visit http://www.inspiringlifechange.com/article10keystosuccess.pdf
Cémanthe Harries, Life Change Specialist, is the founder and MD of
Inspiring Change (UK). Contact Cémanthe Harries at cemanthe@InspiringLifeChange.com for a free consultation or visit www.InspiringLifeChange.com for the full article.