My brother called me yesterday to tell me that he is finally starting to work after more than a year of job hunting in the Philippines.
He is my younger brother and I missed him so much. He is not that sweet to me but I can surely feel how much respect he has for me. He may fail to show his love to a "kuya" (older brother) like me but I can see it everytime he talks to me. Every time he calls me and share what new stuffs he received. He is our youngest yet the tallest. We have so many bonding memories as brothers then. In victories and defeats, he was with me. He is also the close witness to my not too smooth life. During my struggles and hardships, he was with me. He is like a buddy to me.
We both are like in a race to help our parents. Our hearts beat in common to support our parents and help them out from a low-class life. Our older siblings have their own families already and so it was like the two of us who are under the care of our parents.
2010 I've finished my degree and he played a big part of it. He inspired me, push me and cheers me up as a support. It was too hard for both of us that we been through many trials and scarcities just to support our education. Well, he was in the high school then so it was not too much on his side but not in me. I needed to do multiple rakets just to support my education. Through all those happenings he was with me and I've promised him when I finish my studies I'll support him and make sure he'll have his too. So I did support him until he got his diploma.
2014 he finally graduated from Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM). He took that course as we always wanted to work on a ship. Prior to his graduation, he has been to many challenges as usual and it wasn't easy! 2013 when the Super Typhoon Yolanda struck our place and destroyed our living, almost killed our hopes. Due to that incident, the passion inside him to finish his studies were burned out. He wanted to stop and find job instead to help our family live and start again. But I stopped him and insisted to continue and finish his studies. That made me work harder. Support my parents and my brother's education.
His 4-year degree course was not enough to land to a ship job. He needed to study again and obtain some basic training for a Seaman's book and other certificates. That was another thing to support my brother. I was all out!
2016 he went to Manila to look for a job after he finished some training, hoping that he got all that he needs to finally live in his dream job. But it turned out not! He started to work as a trainee under a shipyard agency. Promised them with his batch that they would be able to work after the 6 months training. They were on a training again to become a chef. My brother was in full hope that after the training he could finally work on a ship as a cook.
Finally, he made it!
I was jumping with joy that time when he told me he completed his training. I thought, we finally have a chef in our family. But it wasn't the final one. They would still need to take a final cooking exam where every one of them needs to cook and will be judged according to their cooking skills from the preparation to the finished dish. (I was imagining the hell kitchen show).
My brother was in dismayed again after he was failed in the final exam. Most of them failed actually. I didn't understand why?? There was a lot of questions we have that time. He was so disappointed and I could feel how devastated he was. But I needed to uplift him again and encourage to be strong instead. He suspected though that the management don't need new employees that time due to an internal problem and they were unlucky enough to be included in the lists of not needed.
After what happened, he remained in manila and was stuck for how many months looking for another opportunity. It was difficult for him this time as his passport and seaman's book was on hold. meaning he can't do any overseas application unless he gets his passport back. I didn't understand once again why they need to hold his documents but my brother explained it was in the contract and all their training expenses are supposed to be deductible from their salaries once accepted. But since they failed, they need to pay them back all they received from the training including their stipend. WHAT A CRAZY JOKE! We couldn't afford to pay them so my brother was stuck. He needs to apply in the local and save money to redeem his documents.
During my wedding day I asked him to go home and celebrate with me. He still doesn't have a job that time so I needed to pay all his transportation expenses. It was fine with me since I also don't want to celebrate my big day without him.
So he came! And that moment, he gave me a WARM HUG. It wasn't just a congratulatory hug for a brother's wedding but a grateful hug. I felt that when he whispered me the word thank you for all you've done It was a sweet voice coming from a dear brother and I couldn't hold my tears since it was too strong. I could see him in tears too while locking me in his tight embrace. Oohh I can still feel it now.
Now he gave me a call to say that he is finally working. Still under training though but it is a sure path to his dream job. He doesn't need to pay to redeem his documents in his previous agency. His agency now will get them for him so that's pretty cool and advantage for him.
I hope he can read this. If in case it reaches to you in any way, I want you to know that I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU and will forever support you in all your pursuits. God bless you!
Thank you for reading and make sure to cherish every moment you have with your siblings :)
Shalom!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!
