29 Filipino-Americans Share What They Miss Most About The Philippines

"Nanay ko." *loses it*

To celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, BuzzFeed Philippines went around New York City asking Filipino-Americans what they miss most about the Philippines. Safe to say that Filipinos love the two F's: food and family.

1. "I miss all my family & best food."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

2. "Isaw!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*Barbecued pig or chicken intestines. Much better than it sounds, promise.

3. "Cheap stuff, fishballs."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

4. "I miss & L<3VE all Filipino Dishes, & desserts like ube halaya!!!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

5. "I miss my family <3"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

6. "Fishballs sa kanto."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*On the street corner. Where you make tusok-tusok the fishballs.

7. "I miss my family."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

8. "I miss Peryahan."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*Amusement parks or fairgrounds built to celebrate local feast days.

9. "Namimis ko yung kinilaw na isda at ang pamilya ko na dalawang sister ko."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*"I miss coconut fish stew and my two sisters."

10. "I miss everything about my life in the Philippines."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*She said this while she was getting a pedicure. Still, fair.

11. "Pesang dalag w/ miso, star apple, ube, hito, Divisoria, Shoe Mart Makati."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*Mudfish soup with miso sauce, star apples, ube, catfish, the Divisoria neighborhood, and the mall SM Makati.

12. "We miss our high school batch! ('85)"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

13. "Halo-halo, kwek-kwek, bangus."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*A dessert, deep-fried hard-boiled eggs, milkfish.

14. "I miss the beaches!!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

15. "I miss the loud music outside my house!! <3"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

16. "I miss my girlfriend!!! Valerie... :P"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

17. "I miss the hot sand!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

18. "The warm water :)"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

19. "Aileen, Ezar, Cathy, Baven, Henry, JunJun: I love my kids. Muawh, from Mama w/ love. <3"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

Lucy Vanguardia listed all of her children back in the Philippines. Mia and I cried afterwards.

20. "Hot summer."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

There's a bonus Fil-Am kid in the back.

21. "Everything!!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

We got this answer a lot. When asked to specify, everyone had a difficult time articulating what they missed about an entire life oceans away.

22. "I have everything here!!!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

While others knew exactly what to say.

23. "The province."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

24. "Nanay ko. <3"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*"My mother."

25. "Warm weather!"

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

Yup, they're twins.

26. "I miss my family."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

27. "Going to PBA games."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*PBA: Philippine Basketball Association.

28. "My lola's kisses."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

*Grandmother's.

29. "I miss my mom."

Mia Fermindoza for BuzzFeed

Happy Mother's Day, Ma.

How about you? What do you miss most about the Philippines? Share it in the comments below!