Dear Kuya

Dear Kuya: This is a title of a song by sugarfree about someone's older brother working abroad, working overseas. When I first heard of the song, I felt something about it. Something emotional.

Side Story:
I can relate to the song though not because I work abroad but because I work overseas. Yes, i am still here in the Philippines - my country, but I work far away from home. Well, it only takes 45 minutes (by plane) or 3 hrs travel time (by car then by plane) to a maximum of 14hrs (by land then by ship - RORO). However, my company only gives us roundtrip tickets for free every 6 months. That is quite long really... Well, we are allowed to go home for a vacation leave for as much as 3days (too short of a time) provided we are to shoulder all the transportation expenses. And man, that is too expensive. Getting on a plane (roundtrip) will cost you around 3.5k to 7k - almost half of my monthly salary. That is too much for a vacation that will only be for 3days. Damn!!! Taking RORO is much cheaper. Way way cheaper around 2k back and forth. However, in doing so, you will already lose precious time just by travelling. maybe you'll likely to lose half of your 3days leave so it is not worth it. By the way, I forgot to mention where I am. I am working here in Boracay as a Civil Engineer for a Condotel (Condiminium - Hotel). Boracay being the tourist capital of the Philippines has an atmosphere of being in a foreign land. And me being stucked here working for 6 straight months makes me feel like I am really abroad. Hahaha!!!

Anyways lets get back to the topic "Dear Kuya". I wrote this blog because I can really realte to the character in the song referred to as Kuya. I am also a KUYA (means Older/Big Brother). I am a kuya to a younger brother. My brother and I were very close, we have been close since my mother passed away and became even closer when our ATE (Big Sister) got married. There is this incident one time when I was kind of missing my family especially my brother. I, having a personality of not being vocal about my feelings for my family is not so eager to make phone calls or even text messages to ask them how they are doing. To my surprise, my brother texted me and this is what he wrote:

Engineer!hehe.kuya,mzta k nman jan?hehe.galingan mu ha.lam mu ba cpag ku na mgaral ngaun na22kac aku after prelimz.di pla pdeng paeasy2 lng.lam mu b 2wing mganda per4mance ku sa skul kw naiicp ku.hehe.idol kac tlaga kta kuya.hehe.gnun pla tlga un nuh?saya pag filing mu aus ung gngwa mu lalu na s skul.hehe.naiicp ku parang gni2 n rn ung nki2ta ku sau b4.hehe.iba pla tlaga my goal ka.yaan mu gwin ku lhat pra ma2wa c erpats xka ikaw.hehe.sumday mgi2ng proud dn c papa skn kht di gya ng sau.hehe.kuya ingatan mu sarili mu ha.wag k mgaalala ccpagan ku pa tlga!tnx ha

Well, what my brother actually said is that he is doing well in school and it reminds him of how he sees me back then when I was in college (when I am doing great in my academics). That I was kind of like an idol to him.He said that he'll do anything for my father to be proud of him even if not as much as my father was to me.

The truth is, it was me who idolizes my brother. It was my brother who inpires me to excel. It was him who influences me more than I influence him. It was I who is envy of him ever since because he is much better than me in a lot of ways and it was him that really makes my parents proud especially my mom. That is really how I feel back then.

But any person, any KUYA that will receive that kind of message from his brother would certainly feel emotional. He will be proud of himself. Touched by what was said to him. He will feel that all that he has done is being appreciated. He will have self satisfaction.

I never thought that it was how my brother feel about me. All along, I thought that my brother is kind of mad about me. Me being very Bossy at home. Bullying him most of the time. And being so damn moody and very stubborn that I always blame him for the misfortunes that may happen to me. Well, that is me. Somethings just never change or very hard to change.

To my brother, thank you! Thank you for understanding your KUYA! I really appreciate what you told me and I will try my damn best to change my attitude for better.

Here is the Lyrics of the song:

Dear kuya, kumusta ka na dyan?

Anong balita, malamig ba dyan?

Dito mainit, pero kung bumagyo

Para bang lahat ng tubig sa mundo ay nandito

Matagal na rin, mula nang ika'y

Magpasyang subukan ang swerte

At abutin ang iyong mga pangarap sa ibang bansa

Kung saan ikaw ay lagin mag-isa

Kami tuloy dito, nag-aalala

Nasan ka man ngayon

Ano man oras na ika'y may kailangan

Tawag ka lang sa amin

At parang nandito ka na rin

Oo nga pala, kung nasa 'yo pa

Ang checkered na polo ko, sa 'yo na yan

Hanap ka na rin ng maraming mapapaglibangan

Dahil balita ko mahal daw ang sine dyan

Dambuhala raw ang mga pinapakain dyan

Tataba ka malamang

Miss mo na bang magtagalog?

Kuya pag may kumausap sa 'yo

Galingan mong mag-ingles, galingan mo kuya

Reapeat chorus...

Dear kuya, hinahanap ka ni mama at daddy

Sulat ka palagi

Miss ka namin, pati nga kapitbahay nagtatanong

San ka raw nagpunta? San ka raw nagpunta?

Nasan ka na kuya

Reapeat chorus