For the first time, since I arrived here from the Philippines, I was able to attend a real Filipino birthday party. My friend Juliet, married to a Dutch guy and living in Maassluis, made sure of that.

Weeks before the big event, Juliet already planned her menu. Days before, she already shopped for ingredients. The night before, a friend (Chelsie) came by to chop meat and prepare the chicken lollipops with her. On the day of her feest, I also arrived early so I could help with some kitchen stuff. Everything that happened with her party was just so Filipino.

I certainly enjoyed the party. I met many Filipinas and felt a little more like home. I vividly remembered how parties at home were done. It is usually when the cooking skills of elder women in the house come together -- of mothers, aunts and grandmothers.

During these big get-togethers, the younger generation fade into the backstage, doing only chopping and assisting. It is during these moments that the older women of the house (and other houses for that matter) shine brightly from the moment of conception of the menu to the proverbial tasting of the pudding.

It was funny to think that Juliet, Chelsie and I were like these women of the house that day. We were certainly younger though but we definitely fitted the above-mentioned description. There were at least seven hoofgerechten served -- beef caldereta, steamed tilapia, loempiang shanghai, witte rijst, gambas, barbecued meat and chopsuey. The chicken lollipops were served as finger foods.

After the eating came in the videoke singing. My fiance' was however surprised that the Dutch partners of the Filipinas who attended were more into the videoke than the Filipina themselves. I guess this was mainly because the Filipinas wanted more to talk to their fellow dark brown/black-haired counterparts. Besides, they have their own magic microphones at home so they're probably thinking, they can also just sing at home.

Compared to the mostly simple Dutch birthday parties, the Filipino party is one party which the women of my race slave almost all day to prepare. Certainly, zeven hoofdgerechten (and up) will need a lot of help, and that's where Bayanihan (taking the effort to help another person, mostly in physical work) comes in -- a tradition that is also known for being Filipino. It reminded me a lot of my race that I actually look forward to the next Filipino party. =) #