My Tour Guide Journey: Part 2 – “Marilynn”

Nearly two years have passed since I first met Marilynn Geiger, a 40-year veteran tour guide in Geneva, who planted the idea in my mind that I might one day become a tour guide myself.

During this time, there have been several developments in my career as a multinational marketing executive, and I began to feel that it was the right moment to start thinking seriously about the “second act” of my professional life. After leaving Philip Morris, I began working as an independent marketing consultant on a range of projects for different companies. I enjoyed the independence and the experience of being my own boss. However, because most consulting work is done virtually, one important dimension was missing — face-to-face interactions with people, something I have always greatly enjoyed.

At the same time, I realized how much I value being outdoors, walking through the city, and sharing my knowledge of Geneva’s history, architecture, and culture. The idea of becoming a Geneva professional tour guide kept returning to my mind. Offering Geneva walking tours and Geneva guided tours seemed like an ideal way to combine my passions with a meaningful new professional chapter.

Perhaps most inspiring of all was seeing Marilynn continuing to work as a tour guide at the age of 86. Her energy and enthusiasm made me realize that guiding visitors through Geneva could be a fulfilling path well into the future. I began to imagine offering my own Geneva private guided tours, sharing the stories of the city with visitors from around the world.

With this in mind, I decided to arrange a coffee meeting with Marilynn to learn more about her long career and to understand the first steps I might take if I wanted to become a Geneva tour guide.

We met at Le Fix Café in the Sécheron neighborhood of Geneva. I arrived early and took a table on the outdoor terrace, enjoying the warm spring weather. Right on time, Marilynn arrived — on her bicycle — which was impressive to see considering her age and perfectly reinforced my impression of her as a strong and determined woman with places to go.

After some friendly small talk, we settled in with coffee and croissants and quickly moved into a fascinating conversation about Geneva’s history, architecture, culture, and the arts. We compared notes on books we had both read about the city, and she shared a number of titles that I had not yet discovered.

Throughout our discussion, Marilynn told many engaging stories from her decades of experience leading Geneva walking tours and Geneva guided tours for visitors from all over the world. She spoke about the joy of meeting people from different cultures and sharing the rich history of the city, but she also candidly described some of the challenges and realities of working in the tourism industry.

She explained the structure of the tourism ecosystem in Geneva — how tour guides operate, how walking tours and excursions are organized, and even some of the internal politics that exist within the profession. Her animated storytelling and sense of humor made the conversation both informative and entertaining.

Marilynn also introduced me to several important organizations involved in tourism in Geneva, including the Geneva Guides Association and the Geneva Tourism & Congress Foundation. Most importantly, she told me about a course offered at the University of Geneva on Culture, Tourism, and Heritage, which provides valuable training for those interested in becoming professional guides. She strongly encouraged me to explore the program and explained that earning this certificate would be an excellent first step toward becoming a Geneva professional tour guide.

I took copious notes throughout our discussion, and the one-hour meeting passed in the blink of an eye. Suddenly I had homework to do — books to read, programs to research, and a clearer understanding of the path that lay ahead.

As we finished our coffees, I thanked Marilynn warmly for her time and generosity in sharing her experience. We agreed to meet again in about a month to continue the conversation.

Looking back, that first coffee meeting with Marilynn was incredibly insightful and inspiring. One of my immediate takeaways was a simple thought: “I want to be like Marilynn when I grow up.” Her passion for sharing Geneva’s stories confirmed my own desire to pursue this path.

At that moment, I knew that the idea of becoming a Geneva tour guide was no longer just a passing thought — it was the beginning of a new journey that could eventually lead me to offering my own Geneva walking tours, Geneva guided tours, and personalized Geneva private guided tours for visitors eager to discover the city.

And so, my path toward becoming a Geneva professional tour guide had officially begun.

Tour guide discussions with my mentor, Marilynn Geiger

While attending the wedding of my friends Bart and Evelyn at the Mairie des Eaux-Vives in Geneva, I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people who were friends and family of the bride and groom. In particular, I met an elderly American woman named Marilynn Geiger, a friend of the groom’s family, who was extremely interesting as she told me about her second career as a tour guide in Geneva.

I listened very attentively as Marilynn described her nearly 40-year journey guiding visitors around the Geneva region and sharing her knowledge of architecture, history, art, culture, and modern-day life in Switzerland. I was especially struck by how passionate and enthusiastic she was about her career. She spoke about leading visitors on walking tours of Geneva’s Old Town and accompanying groups on bus excursions to important sites throughout the region. Her dedication to providing high-quality Geneva guided tours was truly inspiring.

I have always had a deep interest in history, architecture, art, and culture, and I obtained my Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 1984. Having lived in Geneva for over 15 years, I have spent a great deal of time exploring and researching historical sites in the city and surrounding region. Over the years, many family members and business associates have visited Geneva, and I have personally provided walking tours of the city center, historic neighborhoods, and key landmarks, as well as guided tours of Geneva’s museums and archaeological sites. In many ways, I have already been offering informal Geneva walking tours without realizing it.

Overall, Marilynn and I immediately connected and enjoyed a wide range of conversations that evening about Geneva and Swiss history, architecture, art, culture, and tourism. Meeting her created a spark in my mind about how I might become a Geneva professional tour guide myself one day.

My career as a multinational marketing executive is beginning to approach its final chapter. However, I know that I want to continue working for many years to come. Most importantly, I want to devote my time to something I am truly passionate about — history, architecture, art, and culture — while spending more time outdoors, meeting new people, and sharing knowledge in a meaningful way.

I also genuinely enjoy showcasing the wonderful sites that Geneva and the surrounding region have to offer. For these reasons, becoming a Geneva professional tour guide and offering customized Geneva walking tours and Geneva guided tours feels like a natural next step. I think that I would be very good at providing visitors with engaging, insightful experiences led by a dedicated professional tour guide in Switzerland who is passionate about bringing the city’s stories to life.

Thank you Marilynn for planting this idea in my head!