A hard day’s night

Those who help us have fun during Christmas are precisely the ones who are working hardest, and the hospitality industry offers the best example. Neal Debono and Roderick Sciberras, assistant director of operations, and restaurants manager at the Grand Hotel Excelsior respectively, tell Ramona Depares about celebrating the season on the job. How long have you been working in the hospitality industry? ND: Since a very young age; I’ve been working at the Grand Hotel Excelsior for the last three years after graduating from the Institution for Tourism Studies. RS: For the past 15 years. What attracted you to this industry? ND: For me, it is a way of life. I simply cannot imagine myself doing anything else. RS: I have always been a people’s person and love meeting people from different cultures. How do you cope with working when others are celebrating? ND: In all honesty, this has become second nature, so much so that it would feel very odd not to work during the festive season. To be fair, it never really bothered me, even when I was just starting. If it were a big deal, I probably would not have proceeded with this career in the first place. RS: After 15 years, I’m used to it, but...