My recipe of Halo Halo... Sana'y magkita tayo ulit

Quick! before they start crying! I hurried my husband Nick out of the house last Saturday night. It was a bit naughty of me, I know, but I wanted to get out of the house even though Aurelia was still reading in bed, Gabriel was placing his cars on his pillow and calling out mama! and Juanan was rolling over in his cot trying to fall sleep. Our wonderful yaya was taking over the situation before 14 Beaterio Street turned to treasured silence until 5am the next day. 

Nope, I did not feel guilty when I had my first sip of a cold minty mojito in a bar close to Nick's work. We were the only people having a drink in the bar. It was pretty quiet. The music in the background was our only companion. 

After the aperitif, we went to the restaurant where Nick and I had our last dinner in November 2011 before Gabriel was born, two weeks after. Where has the time gone? I thought when I looked around the restaurant to refresh memories. It felt like it was yesterday when I savoured that buttery sole fish being hugely pregnant. Instinctively, my fingers, cold by the air conditioner, touched the area close to my eyes searching for any new patas de gallo or wrinkles. What an irony to smile happily when I found them! I was three years older, but with three young children and more life experience, hence a little bit more mature.

It has become our tradition to farewell each posting with a leisurely dinner.  Nick and I started this tradition in Buenos Aires in 2009. Our favourite restaurant was called Standard, well known by its famous milanesas (thin slices of veal, beef or chicken which have been dipped into an  egg wash, coated with breadcrumbs and seasoned with salt and pepper). We liked the food and the ambience but above all, we were very fond of Sebastian the waiter, who spoke good English, had lots of tattoos and had his ear pearced with a big hole, so big that you could see the restaurant through it. I was sad to find out when we left Argentina that Standard had to close down, and with that, part of our memories too. 

Last Saturday we had a pause from the chaos we were living at home (paintings on the floor, boxes half full with books and piles of blankets, sheets and toys and clothes everywhere in each room…). It was a magnificent dinner, and not only because of the delicious pasta I had, but also because we took the precious time to meditate, to think and reflex about what we could have done better or what we did during our time in the Philippines and or what we will miss after we leave.

As my husband said last night during his speech in our official farewell reception at the Ambassador's residence, "Arriving in a new country and starting a new life is not easy. But having made a life, it is much harder to leave that country, to say goodbye. Manila has been our fourth overseas posting and it's been the most eventful, the most exciting, and perhaps, the most challenging". Indeed, I say proud of him.

I was told once by a wise friend that when you leave a country you should always leave something to do in the future so you have a reason to come back again. For me, it is the traditional dessert of the Philippines, the Halo Halo. 

This national treat literally means "mix - mix" and it is extremely sweet to my liking. It consist of a blend of fruits, sweet preserves, sweet beans, evaporated milk and shaved ice. It is topped with a scoop of ice cream, leche flan or ube. I have seen that it is usually served in tall, clear glasses that show its colorful mixtures. 

If you are curious about the recipe, go to this link:http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Halo-Halo.

However, I have made up my own recipe of Halo Halo:

Preparation time: three years. 

Utensils: a big old white house in 14 Beaterio Street, in a village called Urdaneta

Method: preheat the oven 200C and mix mix…

1. A girl called Aurelia, who adapted beautifully to this new country. 
2. One pregnancy and a boy called Gabriel.
3. Another pregnancy,  very difficult, but a healthy boy called Juanan.
4. Two wonderful, loving and warm yayas called Brenda and Jennifer, who also had a baby two months after Juanan was born and whose daughter Jamaica became Aurelia's best friend.
5. A reliable, friendly and caring driver called Frank, who brought us fresh fish from the market every week and occasionally, 10 kg of sweet bananas from his uncle's land in Bulacan.
6. A big bunch of close friends, expats and filipinos, who have been there for us, in good and bad times.
7. Three good doctors who made sure our family was healthy and in their good expert hands
8. Three holidays within the Philippines: Dumaguete, Boracay and Bohol.
9. A few big typhoons and a 7.4 earthquake (in Dumaguete where we were on holidays!)
10. Three trips to overseas, Australia, Spain and Australia again.
11. Unforgettable meals, although only two of them were filipino food.
12. An unfinished Michelin-starred cooking degree. My destiny was different and I accepted.
13. Volunteering work in a beautiful day care center in Paranaque. Loved the children and their big open arms that embraced me so tied that I couldn't help myself but escape a couple of tears.
14. A re-discovered passion for running that encouraged me to participate in my first 10 km race in Australia last Easter and helped me to have a morning routine of running at 5.30 am, after having had a cup of coffee, five times a week. I achieved my non-sense goal I set myself after that race  of running 200 km in 6 weeks. I struggled a lot with the heat. 
15. An a lovely tailer called Flor, who came to this house from time to time and made dresses and mended some clothes. Her company was always welcomed by the family, and she became part of it. I gave her my sewing machine as a thank you gift and this is what she said in a text sent tomy phone this early morning "you have given us fish to eat by working to you, but giving me tool to fish, I now eat fish even not working to you. Thank you very much"

Sana'y magkita tayo ulit…I hope we meet again Filipinos…at least for the Halo Halo.