So for the last 3 years running now, I have been going to the Philippines for vacation, as well as to see family. On average, I stay for 2-3 weeks, and have quite a blast.
Nevertheless, there are some things from the States I always miss without fail when I’m over there. Here are the top 5, in no particular order:
1) HD Channels: HD televisions are over there now, but no HD Channels as of yet. I’ve gotten so spoiled with the clarity of HD, so sue me. By extension, I end up missing my TV and game consoles as well.
2) Watching U.S. based sports live/at a decent hour: Watching the baseball playoffs or NBA games at 8 A.M. wasn’t my cup of tea – that’s breakfast or sleep time as far as I’m concerned. NFL games are very rarely live over there too. And forget about watching hockey, it’s not even shown at all.
3) USDA Grade Beef: Oh don’t get me wrong, the food over there is awesome. The best Japanese restaurant I have ever been to is in the Philippines. The seafood, the poultry, the pork and the fruits (Oh, the fruits!) are amazing. Beef though — not so good.
4) Convenient public transportation: I’m from NYC so this will always be an issue no matter what country or city it is. When you live in a city that has subways and buses that run 24/7 (and run well I might add), you get snippy. Not that I should complain since my family is always kind enough to make sure I have a ride when I need itl. So this is pretty much complaining for the sake of complaining, I admit.
5) Everything closes: Again, this is an NYC-centric complaint. Being able to find something that’s open no matter what time it is and get anything you want is pretty much a New York City convenience. You don’t appreciate it til you wake up at 5 A.M., thirsty as all hell, and there’s nothing you can do about it since you’re out of water and the stores don’t open for another few hours.
Yet, these are all minor inconveniences in the big picture. I get to spend time with my family and friends from far away and get to enjoy all the things that I miss the most when I’m in the States. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
