This is Kuya. He believes that Filipinos are hardworking and responsible. He secretly told me to deduct one day salary to our receptionist (other nationality) because she was always late and he didn’t like it. He said he wanted to replace her with a Filipino because they (we) are good and pleasant.

Today, Kuya is absent because he is sick. Without him, the kitchen is messy. Everybody is going to the pantry to make their own coffee and washing their own cups. I made one too early this morning, and it never tastes as refined as Kuya made it.

When he is absent, no one dare to be furious about it. He might be feeling drained at times because every day he woke up at 4am and take off by 11pm. Sometimes, I caught him drifting to sleep in the kitchen, I told him just to continue, really I don’t mind.

He’s been working in our company for long years as a tea boy and sometimes a bank messenger.  I never heard him complaining about his work so far and he never failed to do his own too.

I think he is more hardworking than us, I couldn’t even stand waking up every day at 4.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs