My Tour Guide Journey – Part 1 – “A Wedding”

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!