Being homesick is something that almost everyone has or will experience at least once in life. It might be from moving to college, going on vacation, being far away from home, or, in this instance, moving away from the place you grew up. The world is filled with different landscapes, states, and cities, and people grow to miss the familiar as time goes on, especially when it was the place they spent a lot of time.

Anthony Padua was born in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and he has a lot of good memories to cherish from the time he lived there. He misses quite a few things from the time he’s lived there, including the house he grew up in, the weather, the scenery, and, most importantly, his friends, family, and the food, specifically “Filipino spaghetti and tocino,” he said. When he lived there, he loved to spend time with his cousins and friends as well.

Manila can be described as hectic, hyperactive, and vibrant. The warm climate is something everyone enjoys. It is usually sunny and humid, although during colder times, it rains super hard. “When it rains, it floods,” said Padua. There are lots of plants around and it is overall considered a beautiful city.

When Padua moved to the United States, he had to get used to the things that were different, like the new cities he would live in, the houses, and the food. He had to make new friends at new schools, but there were enough similarities to make it comfortable. “Things aren’t all that different,” he said. “Holidays are still celebrated and people still go to school.”

Padua remembers all the shops, street vendors, and more that he left behind. Although he hasn’t visited lately, he definitely plans on going back soon. He said that “the food and cheap prices” are what he misses the most and would encourage others to visit the Philippines, because he believes that everyone should have a good experience.

He would recommend learning the language, though, or enough to communicate “so you don’t get scammed while you’re there,” he said. Like anywhere else in the world, there are individuals who can keep visitors from having a good experience, and that is one way to prevent a negative trip.