TBK Gives - Parties in Bahrain vs Parties in the Philippines

Ironic invite, most people could not attend BECAUSE they had to work on a Friday!

Ate Hazel reminded me of a difference between our two countries when she

(eventually) came to my final Pinoy Fiesta in Bahrain. It was a really bad day for me. My houseboy Lee had told me he could no longer work for me so I advertised for another. My ex Houseboy , Joshua, wrote to say he could help me out for two Friday's as he had local leave . Then Ate Shane recommended someone who used to work at the hospital- Cristina. She did a great job the first week so I asked her to come and cook for 11 people I had invited for lunch the following week, as Joshua would be doing the cleaning. In the week I bought the food, ordered a table and chairs, did the menus and enlarged the recipes for the kitchen wall and got everything set up. I went to sleep early on Thursday , exhausted after a hectic week at work and getting everything ready for the big lunch at 1 pm.

Joshua starts work on the Guinataan Bilo Bilo at 6 am after his coffee!

When I awoke on Friday at 2 am there is a message from Cristina asking if she can start work at 1 pm. I replied asking how she could cook lunch for 11 people in 1 minute, and started cooking. Joshua woke at 5 am and helped make the Guinataan Bilo Bilo, waking up his aunt on the phone to check the procedure!

By 11 am I had made the Manok and Baboy Adobo and Chicken Pastel and Joshua was still struggling with his balls. Then Corleen eventually strolls in and tells us he is a Guinataan expert and saves the day! By 1 pm the table is laid for 6 and we await the guests. Having been cooking since 2 am and having had little sleep for 2 nights we started eating at 1. 15 pm and got washed up by 2 pm. I then retired to bed amazed that not one person had turned up.

Browning the Baboy and Manok ( cut in 9 KFC style) for my Adobo

Just after I got to sleep Ate Hazel arrived with Ice cream ( Not just any ice cream- Baskin Robbins) and Corleen and Joshua eat half a tub before waking me up to say "Ate Zel is here , Tatay "

Good job I did not hire a larger table and chairs and hire a van to get it to my house

When she asks where everyone is I say I have no idea as no one had the courtesy to let me know they were not coming ( apart from Andrea and Princessa who had to work). She explained to me that in the Philippines if one person was invited to a party they would take their family and friends! I told her that in Bahrain I had learnt , by 10 years bitter experience, that people do not bother to reply when they are invited to a party, in case they got a better offer somewhere else!

The leftover food

You only find out from the social media days later why they did not attend. In my case John Michael went to church and forgot, Aravelle had to take her husband to hospital, Christina got another job and had to work ( but never had the manners to tell me) and Shane and Raph, Hazel told me , had to go to church. So food for 20 went in the bin. And I wasted 5 hrs. of my time and a lot of my money cooking for no one.