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“One chicken spaghetti at iced tea without ice, and one yumbuger po.” “Will you add more?” “Wala po... I mean no thanks” “That will be 7.30 euro.” “Thank you!” After ordering, I looked around for a free seat. Jollibee was very full that day, apparently always full. There is a table for two near the counter and I immediately sat there. Thankfully, CLAYGO is implemented, as there weren’t enough crew to clean the tables. I took a picture of my order to post to my Instagram—a proof of after four months of craving for Jollibee, I finally managed to visit again this nostalgic bee. My first bite of that crispy fried chicken skin was the most satisfying as I can hear that unforgettable crunch. The skin is the most important part of the chicken joy as it brings joy and many battles had been fought for it, thus it’s always saved for the last and carefully guarded especially from my dearest little sister. The gravy sauce for the rest of the chicken joy was delicious though not the same and as always, not enough. The spaghetti was so-so, Italianish pinoy spaghetti to be more precise. It does not have the true taste of the true Jolly Spaghetti, but then again I am in Italy. The yumburger with its sweet mayo spread, tender meat, and soft burger buns was amazingly the same from home. Later on, a woman was searching for a seat, assuming that she is by herself, I immediately offered the other seat. We were both surprised that we almost have the exact same order, though she had cheese yumburger. “Saan ka nanggaling?” Where are you from? “Sa Bilbao pa po. Nagpasko po ako dito sa Milan dahil may kamag-anak ako dito” I’m from Bilbao. I spent my Christmas here in Milan because I have relatives here. I visited Milan to celebrate the Christmas holidays with my relatives living there after spending it a year ago by myself in Lisbon. But really, it’s just one of my reasons. “Kayo po, saan kayo nanggaling at bakit kayo napadayo dito?” How about you, where are you from and why are you visiting here? “Para bisitahin mga kaibigan ko dito.” To visit my friends here. The woman—we forgot to ask for each other’s name—is an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and she used to work in Milan but moved to Belgium with the rest of her family when she found a new job opportunity. Some of her friends were still there and she decided to visit them. She and her family hadn’t been home in years. The funny thing was that both of us had one main reason to visit Milan, and that’s because of the iconic Bee. Jollibee is a famous fast food restaurant in the Philippines—more famous than those golden arches, to be honest—and they expanded internationally. Milan and London are the only places in Europe that have it. The woman also took a picture of her order just to tease her children who hadn’t had Jollibee for years. While she was eating, her eyes had that spark and wearing a wistful smile that made me think that she truly miss the Jollibee food or is it? Most of the customers are OFWs from different places in Europe, who probably hadn’t been home in years. Their life here in abroad are difficult especially for those undocumented and for those who had built their families here as plane tickets are expensive with more passengers to pay for. I was homesick. However, as one of the few who have an opportunity to go home after eight months, eating in Jollibee and spending the holidays with my relatives while speaking in Tagalog are nothing compared to the OFWs. For the OFWs who are very homesick, it is a privilege. Because the Bee might not be the most delicious restaurant in Milan, but it is a reminder of our home.