I was introduced to what I now know to be “tour directing” incidentally. While living in Boston I worked for an organization that partnered with public schools to design and lead city-based explorations that supported academic goals. When I moved abroad to work internationally as an educator (History teacher & school principal) I took on the development and presentation of cultural immersion, student exchange, and academic travel programs. My “guests” were the teachers, students & parents of the schools and institutions I worked with in Egypt, India, Israel and the US. My “itineraries” ranged from highly detailed academic-based trips (Paris, Rome, numerous sites within Egypt) to weekend adventures and field-trip reconnaissance. For many years I also worked as an archeologist (Egypt, Israel) often pairing my excavation destinations with extended group trips throughout the countries I was digging in.
In 2016 I took a life-shifting sabbatical. I chose to solo trek along an ancient pilgrimage path called the Via Francigena, which runs door-to-door from Canterbury Cathedral in England to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The experience was equal measures of planned and spontaneous, terrifying and exhilarating, successful and disastrous. Once completed I knew that I had to find a way to bring travel exploration more directly into other people’s lives.
That’s when I discovered ITMI and began my “professional” tour directing career. I’ve built up my formal professional development through as many TripSchool courses, destination trainings and webinars as possible. I’ve continued my international travels as well, and recently received a UK residency visa with permission to work. I intend to continue taking on both student and adult tours within the US, and I hope to expand my experiences within the UK.
Oh….and my Covid-Pivot? I’ve founded a small travel company focused on designing virtual tours for travelers, and destination training support resources for Tour Guides. It’s called GuideGuides. Lockdown in England has had me building websites, developing social media accounts, creating virtual itineraries, learning video making and sound editing, researching & re-researching destinations, writing scripts, networking with fellow travelpreneurs, puzzling over SEO/online marketing techniques, recruiting fellow creatives, and baking. A lot of baking.
