Intervju: Melvin – konobar s Filipina s osmijehom za svakog gosta

Interview with Melvin: A Waiter from the Philippines with a Smile for Every Guest

U našem šanku svakodnevno se isprepliću razni jezici, kulture i životne priče. Među nama je i Melvin Simpliciano, kolega konobar s Filipina, koji je svojim trudom, osmijehom i smirenošću osvojio i goste i tim. Upoznajmo ga malo bolje kroz nekoliko pitanja. Neki odgovori će vas možda iznenaditi!
At our bar, different languages, cultures, and life stories intertwine every day. Among us is Melvin, a fellow waiter from the Philippines, who has won over both guests and the team with his hard work, warm smile, and calm demeanor. Let’s get to know him a bit better through a few questions. Some answers might surprise you!

1. Kako si odlučio postati konobar i što te privuklo tom poslu?
How did you decide to become a waiter, and what attracted you to this job?

Zapravo sam studirao nastavu iz prirodnih znanosti, smjer srednje obrazovanje, ali nažalost studij nisam završio. Davne 2018. godine odlučio sam se prijaviti za posao u Kraljevini Saudijskoj Arabiji (KSA) – to mi je bila prva opcija na pameti, i tada nisam imao nikakvo radno iskustvo.

Zapravo, ispunio sam prijavu na licu mjesta i odmah su me zaposlili. Nakon dvije godine i tri mjeseca stigla je pandemija, što je za nas u ugostiteljskoj industriji bilo izuzetno teško – izgubili smo posao i ja sam se odlučio vratiti na Filipine i pokušati s novom karijerom. Da, ponovno sam se upisao u školu i započeo zdravstvenu izobrazbu – smjer njegovatelj/medicinski asistent. Završio sam školovanje, ali nisam mogao pronaći posao koji bi mi odgovarao.

Jednog dana, moj rođak mi je predložio da se prijavim za posao u Ujedinjenim Arapskim Emiratima (UAE). Tada sam odlučio ponovno okušati sreću i otišao tamo, gdje sam uspio dobiti posao kao barist i konobar. Bilo je to dobro iskustvo, ali nakon deset mjeseci želio sam steći još više znanja. I tada mi se u životu pojavila Hrvatska i Europa – bilo je to teško, ali promišljeno preseljenje u još jednu novu zemlju.

Danas mogu reći da je biti konobar jedna od najboljih odluka u mom životu.

Što me privuklo ovom poslu?

Apsolutno volim svoj posao.

Volim upoznavati nove ljude, volim što mogu raditi svojim tempom i što mi posao odgovara u svakodnevnom životu. Naravno, to nije posao za svakoga – ne bih ga preporučio nekome tko ne voli rad s ljudima. Nije pošteno prema gostima ako ih poslužuje netko tko ne voli svoj posao.

Biti konobar vrlo je fleksibilan posao, što mi jako odgovara. Također, plaća je nešto bolja, pa mogu pristojno živjeti od svog rada. Smjene su obično kraće, a to mi jako odgovara. I još nešto – većina ljudi koje upoznam u ovom poslu su zabavni i otvoreni, što čini radnu atmosferu još boljom.

I was actually studied Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education but unfortunately I did not finished, wayback 2018 I decided to apply for a job going to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(KSA),it was the first place I had on my mind and I don’t have any experience on that time. In fact, I had filled out an application right there and was hired on the spot. After 2yrs and 3months pandemic came, and that was very hard for us in the Food industry we lost our job and I decided to come back to the Philippines and pursue another career and that is to study again, yes I study again I took up HealthCare Services/ Nursing Assistant. I graduated as Nursing assistant and I can’t find a good job that fits for me. So one day there’s an opportunity that my cousin told me to apply a job in United Arab Emirates(UAE) and that time I decided to go again to find my luck in UAE and by that time I was actually able to get a job as Barista/Waiter. It was a good experience but after 10 months of being there I want again to gain more knowledge and it was great that croatia europe came in my life and it was very taught decision that I move again in another country but I know this is my call and because of that i can say that being a waiter is a great thing that made in my life. What attracted me to do this job? I absolutely love my job. I love meeting new people, being in charge of my own pace, and it’s convenient. It’s not for everyone and I wouldn’t recommend it for people who don’t enjoy customer service. It’s unfair to customers when they get a server who hates this job. Being a waiter is often a very flexible job which is why it is appealing to me, also, being a waiter pays a bit more. So I can actually survive off of the income. Also, the shifts are generally short which I enjoy. Another thing is that a lot of the people you meet who also work in the industry are generally fun and outgoing.

2. Kako se razlikuje posao konobara na Filipinima i ovdje gdje sada radiš?
How does the job of a waiter differ between the Philippines and where you’re working now?

Ne mogu govoriti u ime svih OFW-a (Overseas Filipino Workers – Filipinaca koji rade u inozemstvu), već samo u svoje ime. Ipak, mogu podijeliti općenito mišljenje temeljeno na razgovorima i iskustvima koje dijelim s drugim Filipincima koji rade izvan domovine. Glavna ideja je da, ako imaju dovoljno novca, većina bi se vratila kući kako bi bila sa svojom obitelji. Uostalom, otišli su iz zemlje zbog zarade – a ako više ne moraju toliko zarađivati, zašto bi ostajali daleko od obitelji?

S druge strane, neki – uglavnom oni koji dugo ostanu u udobnim zemljama poput europskih, gdje sam sada i ja – s vremenom promijene mišljenje zbog razlike u standardu života. Kako neki znaju reći: „Zašto bi spavao na podu kad već imaš udoban krevet?“
Takvi ljudi često nastoje dovesti i svoju obitelj sa sobom, pogotovo ako su u zemlji gdje se članovi obitelji mogu lako pridružiti. Jer zašto ne bi i svojoj obitelji poželio udoban život, zar ne?

Kao Filipinac, mogu reći da je razlika između rada u mojoj zemlji i ovdje u Hrvatskoj ogromna – ne samo u kulturi, nego ponajviše u plaći. Sad mogu svojoj obitelji pružiti puno više.

Kad sam još 2017. radio na Filipinima, primao sam minimalnu plaću u svojoj provinciji, tzv. “provincial rate”, i to je bilo oko 9.000 pezosa mjesečno. Bilo je jako teško preživjeti s tim iznosom i zato sam odlučio otići raditi u inozemstvo, kako bih pomogao svojoj obitelji.

I can’t speak for all OFW’s but myself alone. Although I can share a general opinion based on conversations and trends that I see with my fellow pinoys working overseas. The main idea is if they have enough money they would often choose to go back and be with their families. They left the country for money in the first place and if you don’t need to earn that much anymore why would you stay away from your family?

But some people, mostly those who stay too long in a very comfortable country (such as Europe as where I am right now), tend to change their minds in the long run due to the difference in living standards. As some people would ask, “Why go sleep on the floor when you already have a comfortable bed?” These people on the other hand would try to take their families with them especially if it’s a place where dependents can easily be taken in. Why won’t you wish for a comfortable living for your family too right?

As a Filipino, the difference between working in my country and here in Croatia Europe is not just the culture of course the salary it has a big difference in fact I can give now more to my family.
During the time that I worked in the Philippines wayback 2017 I just got a minimum wage on my province it’s called provincial rate and I just got a salary of almost 9 thousand pesos per month. And it was very difficult for me to survive so I decided to work abroad to help my family.

3. Koji ti je najneobičniji ili najsmješniji trenutak koji si doživio tijekom smjene?
What is the most unusual or funniest moment you’ve experienced during a shift?

Uvijek postoje gosti koji su pod stresom. Čini se nemogućim ispuniti svačija očekivanja o dobroj usluzi jer neki ljudi jednostavno ne znaju pravila ponašanja ili su samo – nepristojni. Imao sam goste za koje sam odmah znao da su na nekoj razini psihopati.
I meni zna biti teško i naljutim se na gosta, ali uvijek mogu riješiti problem riječima. Koliko god me netko loše tretirao, nikad ne bih dirao hranu. Ne znam je li to iz poštovanja prema kuharu, prema samoj hrani ili možda čak i prema ljutitom gostu.

Ako situacija postane previše loša – ako te gost vrijeđa, imaš puno pravo da ga ne poslužiš i samo se udaljiš.

There are always some disstressed customers. Seems to be impossible to fulfill everyone’s expectations on good service as simply people don’t know the etiquette themselves or are just plain rude as people. I have had some customers who I just knew were some level of psychopaths. While I get also distressed and mad at the customer I can always solve problems with words. However bad he/she has treated me, I won’t mess with the food. I don’t know if it is respect for the chef, the food itself or on some level also for the angry customer.

If it is too bad – if the customer insults you, you have the right to not serve him/her and just walk away.

4. Postoji li neko filipinsko jelo koje bi volio posluživati ovdje i zašto?
Is there a Filipino dish you would love to serve here, and why?

Adobo je jedno od najpopularnijih filipinskih jela i mnogi ga smatraju nacionalnim jelom. Obično se priprema od svinjetine ili piletine, ponekad od obje vrste mesa, koje se pirjaju ili kuhaju u umaku od octa, ulja, češnjaka, lovorovog lista, zrna papra i sojinog umaka.

Mnogi Filipinci smatraju adobo nacionalnim jelom Filipina – zato želim da ga i ti probaš!

Adobo is one of the most popular Filipino dishes and is considered by many as the national dish. It usually consists of pork or chicken, sometimes both, stewed or braised in a sauce usually made from vinegar, cooking oil, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and soy sauce. Many Filipinos consider adobo, the national dish of the Philippines that’s why I want you to try this dish.

5. Kako si se prilagodio životu i radu u stranoj zemlji?
How did you adapt to living and working in a foreign country?

Dosad sam živio u tri različite zemlje.

Pokušavam ostati svoj i izbjegavati predrasude. Trudim se naučiti što više o kulturi i povijesti nove zemlje. Učenje jezika je važan dio tog procesa. Također tražim nove okuse i jela koja mi odgovaraju.

Potpuna integracija nije uvijek moguća – ponekad može značiti da izdaš samog sebe, a to nije vrijedno toga. No, uvijek se možeš prilagoditi novoj sredini, kakva god ona bila.

Evo nekoliko mojih savjeta koji bi ti mogli pomoći:

1. Trudi se učiti jezik zemlje u kojoj živiš.

2. Nemoj ismijavati neobične običaje koji ti možda djeluju slični, ali čudni – poštuj ih.

3. Trudi se stvarati prijateljstva, nemoj se zatvarati i družiti samo sa „svojima“.

4. Pokušaj se dobro integrirati u društvo, ali ne zaboravi svoje porijeklo – time ćeš steći veće poštovanje jer pokazuješ želju za prilagodbom, a istovremeno ne umanjuješ vrijednost vlastite kulture.

5. Budi marljiv i ne oslanjaj se na socijalnu pomoć, posebno ako živiš u jednoj od bogatijih zemalja.

I have been living in 3 countries so far.

I try to be myself and avoid prejudgments. I try to learn as much as I can about culture and history of new country. Learning language is an important part of the process. I try to find new food preferences suitable for my taste.

Fully integration isn’t always possible and might be at high cost of betraying yourself which isn’t worth it but you can always adapt yourself to the new environment whatever it is.

Here as some of my tips that might help you:

1. You must do your effort to learn their language.

2. You must try to not sarcast from their weird tradition that look alike in your culture and respect it.

3. You must try to make friendship and not to be close mind or only hang out with your people.

4. You must try to integrate well in the society without forgetting your origin – this will bring to you more respect for trying to adapt to their culture without feeling inferiority to yours.

5. You must be hardworker and not rely to welfare in case you are living in one of these rich countries.

6. Što ti najviše nedostaje s Filipina dok si ovdje?
What do you miss the most about the Philippines while you’re here?

Kad napustiš svoju domovinu, neminovno počneš čeznuti za mnogim stvarima iz rodnog kraja. Od tradicionalnih delicija, blagdanskih običaja poput vatrometa za Novu godinu – evo nekoliko stvari koje mi najviše nedostaju s Filipina:

Ulična hrana
Nije tajna da Filipinci obožavaju jesti. Ako pogledate popis jela koje Filipinci iz inozemstva prvo požele čim slete u domovinu, ulazite u carstvo ulične hrane: isaw (pileća crijeva), roštilj na filipinski način, kwek-kwek (prepeličja jaja u narančastom pohu), riblje i lignjine kuglice.

Inuman – druženja uz piće
Bilo da piješ alkohol ili ne, sigurno si barem jednom bio na inuman okupljanju. Ta okupljanja su neizostavni dio mnogih slavlja, bilo da je riječ o obiteljskim okupljanjima ili druženju s prijateljima.

Karaoke
Nema pravog okupljanja bez karaoke. Netko će uvijek izvaditi Magic Sing mikrofon ili onu veliku karaoke kutiju. Karaoke su važan dio naše kulture, posebno povezane s druženjima i pićem.

Balut
Balut je kuhano oplođeno jaje s razvijenim ptićem, koje se poslužuje sa solju i, po želji, s octom. Nije za svakoga, ali mnogi Filipinci i dalje obožavaju ovu lokalnu delikatesu.

Trgovački centri (mallovi)
Filipinska kultura „mallova“ nema premca. Odlazak u shopping centar jedna je od omiljenih aktivnosti – osobito tijekom blagdana, kada sve pršti od svjetala i ugođaja.

Božić
Božić na Filipinima je poseban doživljaj. Slavimo ga već od rujna – čim počnu tzv. BER mjeseci (September – December). Svugdje se čuju pjesme Jose Mari Chana, a šareni “paroli” (lampioni) krase kuće, zgrade i ulice. U ponoć 25. prosinca okuplja se obitelj oko stola i jede večera zvana Nochebuena.

Nova godina
Iako se Nova godina slavi posvuda, nitko to ne radi kao Filipinci – vatrometi i petarde doslovno posvuda, prava eksplozija veselja.

Lokalna kuhinja
U mnogim se zemljama može pronaći filipinska hrana, ali ništa ne može zamijeniti domaći, kućno pripremljeni obrok. Jela poput adoba, tinolang manok (pileće juhe), calderete (gulaša), kare-karea (gulaša s kikiriki umakom), siniganga, i naravno, sisig koji cvrči na tanjuru – sve to izaziva zazubice. A hrskava kožica lechon kawalija ili crispy pate? Samo razmišljanje o tome stvara glad!

I ono najvažnije – ljudi. Moja obitelj i prijatelji.
Kad me uhvati nostalgija, teško je ne sjetiti se sretnih trenutaka. Možda idealiziram prošlost, ali svakako mi nedostaje onaj osjećaj da si okružen voljenima i možeš vidjeti prijatelje kad god poželiš. Odrasla prijateljstva su već sama po sebi izazovna, a kad si još i u inozemstvu, sve je još teže – svi su zauzeti poslom, ili te svakodnevne obveze sprječavaju da održiš ili započneš nova prijateljstva.
Nadam se da ću se jednog dana vratiti u svoju domovinu.

When you leave your home country, you are bound to miss a lot of stuff from the motherland.
From traditional delicacies, holiday activities like New Year fireworks, and many more here are a few things that i really miss about the Philippines.

Street Foods
It’s no secret that Filipinos LOVE to eat. If you look at the list of things Filipinos abroad would want to eat once they land in the Philippines, chances are you’ll find a decent amount of street foods, including isaw (chicken intestine), Filipino-style barbecue, kwek-kwek (quail egg wrapped in orange batter), fish and squid balls.

Inumans (drinking parties with friends or families)
Whether you are an alcohol drinker or not, you’ve been to at least one inuman gathering. Inumans have always been a staple of many celebrations in the Philippines, whether it’s during a family gathering/event or hanging out with friends.
Karaoke
A gathering with family and friends wouldn’t be complete without someone bringing out a Magic Sing or a huge cabinet-looking karaoke machine. This is also an essential part of the drinking culture in the Philippines.

Balut
a developing bird embryo that is boiled and served with salt and the optional vinegar. Balut is not for everyone, but many Filipinos still love the local delicacy.

Malls
The Philippines’ mall culture is arguably second to none. Visiting the mall is one of the most popular hobbies many Filipinos enjoy. They usually become livelier during festive seasons such as Christmas.

Christmas
Christmas is definitely a unique experience in the Philippines. Filipinos celebrate the holiday season once the “BER”-months start from September to December. It means you’ll get to hear the Christmas songs by Jose Mari Chan playing on a loop in many houses brightly colored “parols” or Christmas lanterns hang around every house, building, and other establishments. Once the clock lands on midnight on December 25, families gather around the dinner table to eat during what is called Nochebuena.

New Year celebration
While the New Year is celebrated around the world, no one does it better than the Filipinos. A perfect way to describe it is firecrackers and fireworks everywhere.

And I will not forget The Local cuisine
There are plenty of places where Filipinos can eat local dishes in many countries, but nothing beats the original home-cooked meals found in the Philippines.
Dishes such as adobo, tinolang manok (chicken soup), caldereta (meat stew), kare-kare (stew with peanut sauce) and sinigang are probably on the top of the list. Just thinking about the sizzling hot sisig on a plate is already enough to make your mouth salivate. Perhaps the crunchy skin of a lechon kawali or crispy pata might also do the trick.

And the most important is that i really miss the people, my family, and friends. It’s hard not to feel nostalgic about happy times when I’m feeling homesick, even if I may be misremembering life to be ‘easier’ back then. It’s a different kind of life, but there’s definitely something comforting about being with the people you care about. I miss that you’re surrounded by loved ones and you can meet your friends anytime. Adult friendships can already be difficult, but it’s extra challenging when you live abroad and everyone’s either busy with work, or you’re too occupied with life tasks to even start or keep new friendships. I hope one day I will be going back to my home country.

7. Koji je tvoj savjet za nekoga tko tek počinje raditi kao konobar?
What’s your advice for someone just starting out as a waiter?

Konobarenje je puno teže nego što izgleda.
Kad ga jednom savladaš, možeš pristojno zarađivati – naravno, ako radiš u pravom restoranu. Evo nekoliko savjeta koji ti mogu pomoći da se snađeš:

1. Poslužuj s osmijehom.
   (I ne samo prvih nekoliko sati ili dana – već cijelo vrijeme dok si na poslu.)

2. Provjeri narudžbe.
   (Uvijek ponovi narudžbu gostu – ponekad možeš zapisati nešto pogrešno.)

3. Predloži neka jela.
   (To se zove sugestivna prodaja ili “sparkling”. Samo zamisli – kad gostu predložiš da uzme, recimo, pekingšku patku, tvoj će šef biti zadovoljan prodajom, a gost jelom.)

4. Nemoj tražiti napojnicu.
   (Gosti vrlo brzo prepoznaju one koji rade samo zbog napojnica. Zato budi svoj, budi susretljiv.)

5. Uživaj u svom poslu.
   (Neće svi gosti biti nasmijani – neki će biti i bezobrazni, a možda ćeš i ti imati osobne probleme.
   Što god bilo, moraš se smiješiti dok radiš. Komuniciraj s gostima i kolegama – upoznat ćeš puno zanimljivih ljudi.)

6. Uči.
   (Dok si već tamo, iskoristi priliku i uči o kuhinji, o jelima – pitaj chefa, proširi svoje znanje.)

7. Budi dotjeran.
   (Bilo da radiš u finom restoranu ili kafiću – moraš biti uredan. Operi lice prije smjene, počešljaj se, dotjeraj bradu ili se obrij.
   To sve ima utjecaja – što bolje izgledaš, to će te gosti bolje tretirati.)

Nisam spominjao tehničke vještine jer ćeš ih ionako s vremenom naučiti. Ovo su neke osnovne stvari koje se često zanemare, a čine veliku razliku.

Znam da će ti ovi savjeti pomoći – nadam se da ćeš ih slijediti. Sretno!

Waitering is much more difficult than it looks. Once you master it, you can make a decent living if you work at the right restaurant. Here are a few tips to help you figure it out.

1. Serve with a smile. (Not just for the first few hours or days, but throughout the time you are there)

2.Cross-check orders (always repeat the order to the guest, some times you might have noted wrong order)

3. Suggest few dishes (it’s called suggestive selling or sparkling. Just imagine when you suggest an order of ” Peking duck” for example, your boss will be happy with the sales and guest happy with the meal.

4. Don’t solicitate for tips. (Guests are very sharp in recognising those who just work for tips, so be yourself & be helpful.

5.Enjoy your job.
(You may not always find happy guests, some might even be rude, or maybe you have personal issues.
Whatever it might be, you NEED to be SMILING while at work, always keep interacting with guests, colleagues, you will get to meet more and more people.)

6. Learn. (Now that you are there for a limited period, learn about cuisines from the chef, just to expand your knowledge.)

7. Groom. (Whether it’s a fine dine restaurant or a cafe… You must be groomed very well, wash your face before the shift, style/comb your hair.
Trim/shave your beard. All this matters because the better you look the guests will treat you with the same goodness.)

*I have not mentioned more technical skills because you’ll learn them anyways. These are some more essential things people always miss.

I know it will help, hope you follow them, good luck.

8. Kako održavaš dobar odnos s gostima, čak i kad su zahtjevni?
How do you maintain a good relationship with guests, even when they’re demanding?

Svaka interakcija s gostom ostavlja dojam – kako to izvesti bez da se emocionalno upleteš ili počneš raspravljati?

Savjet: Nemoj sve shvaćati previše osobno. Ukloni sebe ili gosta iz situacije ako je potrebno.

Budi poput patke – neka sve što kažu sklizne niz tvoja leđa kao voda s patkinog perja.

Ne shvaćati osobno znači shvatiti da su oni zapravo ljuti na život, a ne na tebe. Ti si im samo zgodna meta.

Možda su imali loš dan, dobili su otkaz, izgubili člana obitelji ili ljubimca, izgubili puno novca, doživjeli prometnu nesreću (još gore ako su bili krivi), ili su jednostavno odrasli s roditeljima koji su druge tretirali bez poštovanja…

Ništa od toga nema veze s tobom. Ti si samo tamo, i zgodna si prilika da se netko iskaljuje.

Ove su osobine ključne za konobare i sve koji rade s gostima:

🔹 Pozitivan stav:
Teško je riješiti problem gosta bez pozitivnog pristupa. Kad je gost ljut ili frustriran, to je tvoja prilika da zasjaš. Moraš ostati fokusiran i pronaći rješenje.

🔹 Odgovornost:
Možda problem nije tvoja krivnja, ali jest tvoja odgovornost. Gosti cijene kada konobar preuzme inicijativu i učini sve što može kako bi riješio situaciju, pritom ih redovito informirajući.

🔹 Smirenost pod pritiskom:
Možda se teško mjeri, ali iznimno je važna. Ljutiti gosti znaju postati emotivni ili čak vikati. Kao konobar, moraš ostati smiren, sačuvati pribranost i smiriti situaciju.

🔹 Aktivno slušanje:
Dobar konobar zna da je aktivno slušanje ključno. Pokaži da slušaš rečenicama poput „Razumijem“ ili „Naravno“, i ponovi ključne informacije gostu kako bi znao da si ga čuo i shvatio.

Every customer interaction has an impact,how do you do it without getting emotional or argumentative?

Piece of advice don’t take it too personal. Then remove either your self or them from the situation.

Be like a duck let what they say roll off your back like water off a duck.

Don’t take it personal means remember they are actually mad at life not you personally. You’re just a convenient target.

Whether it’s a bad day, just got fired, lost a family member or friend, lost a pet, lost a huge amount of money, got in a car wreck and now need to buy a new car (even worse if they were deemed at fault) or they were just raised by parents who treated people that way…

None of that has anything to do with you. You’re just there and a convenient stranger, a good target.

The following traits are essential for customer service staff,

Positive attitude:
It’s tough to create a positive outcome for your customers without a positive attitude. When a customer is upset or frustrated, you had the opportunity to shine the brightest. You must stay focused on working through the issue and finding a solution.

Responsible:
Your customer’s problem might not be your fault, but it is your responsibility. Customers appreciate when a waiter takes ownership of the issue and does everything in their power to reach a resolution, communicating with them along the way.

Calm under pressure:
This trait may be tough to quantify, but it’s an important one to every employee. An angry customer might get emotional or even yell. As a waiter you must stay calm and maintain composure to de-escalate the situation and work toward a resolution.

Active listener:
A great waiter knows that active listening is crucial. Verbalize that you’re listening with phrases like “I understand” or “of course,” and repeat key information back to the customer to ensure they feel heard and understood.

9. Imaš li neku životnu filozofiju ili moto koji te vodi kroz posao i život?
Do you have a life philosophy or motto that guides you through work and life?

Trenuci slabosti:

• Proći će.
  (Svi negativni osjećaji, misli i okidači na kraju će nestati.)

• Ne brini se za stvari koje ne možeš kontrolirati.
  (Ti možeš kontrolirati SAMO sebe – svoje postupke, reakcije i način na koji pristupaš situacijama. Ne možeš kontrolirati nikoga drugoga, pa nemoj ni pokušavati. Prihvati što se događa i usmjeren si samo na slušanje i očuvanje svog stava. Kontroliraj svoje osjećaje i emocije i način na koji ih izražavaš.)

Trenuci pozitive:

• Cijeni dobre trenutke u životu.
  (Zaslužio/la si ih. Uživaj u tim trenucima u potpunosti.)

• Uspio/la si.
  (Opusti se i stvaraj lijepe uspomene.)

Ovo je jednostavno i podsjeća te na trenutke u životu koji su preplavljujući i stresni. To neće trajati vječno, osim ako ga sam/a ne odlučiš učiniti vječnim. Bol će popustiti i prestati boljeti na kraju. No, moraš uložiti napor i pokušati promijeniti stvari u svom životu koje će ti omogućiti da rasteš. Možeš promijeniti samo sebe. Ne možeš promijeniti nikog drugoga. Ali možeš utjecati na promjenu svojim primjerom.

To su samo moja razmišljanja.

Nadam se da će pomoći.

Yes definitely. Here are some of them.

Down moments:

-It will pass. (All negative feelings, thoughts, triggers will go away eventually.)

-Don’t worry about things you can’t control.( You can ONLY control yourself and your actions, reactions, and how you approach situations. You can’t control anybody else. So don’t even try. Accept what is happening and focus on just listening and keeping your composure. Control your feelings and emotions and how you express them.)

Up moments:

– Cherish the good moments in life. You earned them. Appreciate these moments completely.

– You have made it. So relax and make some good memories.

it is simple and it reminds you at moments in your life that are overwhelming and stressful. It will not last forever, unless you make it last for ever. The pain does subside and it stops hurting eventually. But, you will have to put some work in and try to change things in your life that will allow you to grow. You can only change yourself. You can not change anybody else. But you can influence change by you showing it.

Just my thoughts though.

Hope it helps.

10. Koji su tvoji planovi za budućnost – želiš li ostati u ugostiteljstvu ili sanjaš o nečemu drugome?
What are your future plans – do you want to stay in hospitality or dream of something else?

Bio sam jedno od onih djece koje je bilo previše pametno za svoje dobro. Nisam imao pojma što želim studirati i uglavnom sam prokockao dane na fakultetu.

Neću vas dosađivati cijelom svojom pričom. No, reći ću, ne bih bio to što jesam danas da nije bilo ovog posla.

Rad u industriji ugostiteljstva je stresan, ali i vrlo nagrađujući. U suštini voliš taj stres, nosiš se s gostima koji te grde zbog stvari koje nisu pod tvojom kontrolom, samo da bi vidio osmijeh na licu tog jednog gosta kojem si stvorio uspomenu. Uzbuđenje od rada na užurbanom danu i zajedničkog truda s timom. Prihvaćanje izazova razmišljanja izvan okvira kada konvencionalna rješenja ne funkcioniraju.

Upoznat sam s mnogim kulturama i stvorio najbliže veze s nevjerojatnim ljudima. Imao sam priliku živjeti na mjestima na kojima ljudi samo sanjaju… poput (KSA, UAE i sada EUROPA).
U industriji ugostiteljstva, dobiješ ono što uložiš. Bilo je dana kada sam sumnjao u svoje zdravlje, bilo je dana kada sam se pitao zašto sam odabrao ovu karijeru, i opet se vraćam. Postoji određena privlačnost koju neki ljudi prihvate. Samo određena vrsta ljudi može raditi u industriji ugostiteljstva, dani su brutalni, ali neki od nas uspijevaju vidjeti iznad toga.

Razlog zašto volim industriju ugostiteljstva je jednostavan: zabavno je – u smislu uživanja. Sve te dinamike, promjena odgovornosti i osjećaj koji imaš kad počneš s treniranjem i završiš u menadžerskoj poziciji, na kraju dana to je više nego zadovoljavajuće.

I to ne prestaje samo na radu s gostima, imaš priliku upoznati i socijalizirati se s ljudima iz cijelog svijeta, iz raznih zemalja i s različitih mjesta.

Za kraj, industrija ugostiteljstva je prilično zanimljivo i ugodno područje za rad. Kao i svaki drugi posao, ima svojih uspona i padova, i to je najbolje u tome: uvijek postoji prostor za inovaciju i uvijek će biti inovatora.

San o nečemu drugome?
Za sada, želim putovati po drugim Schengen zemljama i iskusiti različite kulture.

I was one of those kids that was too smart for his own good. I had no idea what I wanted to major in, and pretty much wasted during college days.

I’m not gonna bore you with my whole story. But I will say, I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for this job.

Working in Hospitality Industry is so stressful yet so rewarding. You pretty much love the abuse, you will deal with many guests yelling at you about thing out of your control just so you can see the smile on the face of that one guest that you’ve created a memory for. The thrill of dealing with a busy day and busting your ass with your team. Accepting the challenge of thinking outside of the box when conventional solutions aren’t working.

I’ve been introduced to so many cultures and made the closest bonds with some amazing people .I’ve got to live in some places that people only dream of…such as (KSA, UAE & now EUROPE)
In Hospitality Industry, you get what you put in. There are days where I question my sanity, there were days where I questioned why I choose this career, and yet I keep coming back. There’s a certain allure that some people embrace. There’s only a certain kind of person that can work in Hospitality industry, days are brutal but some of us are able to see past that.
The reason why I love hospitality industry so much is simple: it’s fun – as in enjoyable. All the dynamics, all the shifting with different responsibilities and the feeling you have when you start training and end up in a managing position, it’s more than satisfactory at the end of the day.
And it does not stop with the customer-facing part of the hotel, you have the opportunity to meet and socialize with people representing a wide range of nationalities, in and even wider range of places all around the world.

In conclusion, the hospitality industry is a pretty interesting and pleasant domain to get involved in. As any other job, it has its ups and downs, and that’s the great part of it: there is always place for innovation and there will always be innovators.

Dreaming of something else?
For now,
Just to travel other Schengen Countries and to experience different kind of cultures.

Melvinov osmijeh, pristup poslu i otvorenost podsjećaju nas da svaka uniforma skriva jedinstvenu priču. A naš tim bogatiji je upravo zbog takvih priča.
Melvin’s smile, approach to work, and openness remind us that every uniform hides a unique story. And our team is richer precisely because of stories like his.

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