The default server filter is set to a max ping of 100.
Since you are half way across the world, those servers will have a way higher ping for you, thus won't show up.
Since the filter is shared amongst all tabs, it also won't show the server your friends are in since it has a ping over the allowed 100.
Solution:
Increase the max ping in your server filter to 999 and you'll get to see every server.