TOURIST GUIDE: JOB OR FUN ?

Ashok SILWAL
ashoksilwal@gmail.com

There are many who think
That being a tourist guide
Is not a real job,
But rather a pastime,
A fun activity,
A walk among friends…..
Between smiles and scrutinizing eyes,
Between a few words
And a break in a typical restaurant!

Let me re-establish some balance here.
Given that:
“The only way to do great work
Is to love what you do.”

When you work as a Tour Guide
You have to do it with love
And therefore also with smiles
And joyful mood,
With enthusiasm and passion.
That is why it might seem like a game!
But be careful not to confuse!

As a Tour Guide,
Your best “judges” are your guests
And they did not come just to play!
Of course the game will
Make things more fun,
You will remember more and better.
It is not forbidden to use
Irony, funny stories, dance, songs;
They are part of the ability to communicate.
They are often your trademark.
And they do not take anything away
From the specific skills of a Tour Guide,
On the contrary!

To be good guide
You need a lot of skills and qualities:
Knowledge, culture, patience,
Adaptability, sensitivity, intuition,
Ability to solve concrete problems.
You must be able to answer specific questions:
About history, traditions, religions,
Symbols meanings, botany,
Social transformations, anthropology, psychology,
Life …

Sometimes they ask you incredible questions….
Sometimes you have to find
A pair of shoes rather than a medicine,
An hygienic swab rather than a toothbrush,
A gold necklace rather than a bar of soap…
Then the Tour becomes a firework,
A sort of game in which
It is better to smile, to laugh.

Often, before and after ,you have
To plan your movements, to book tickets,
To find a car, an hotel…
The cliché of the guide
Who only accompanies and explains
Is outdated.
You have a thousand tasks and responsabilities
Before, during and after guiding|
That are not really a game!

Of course, perhaps, more than in other professions
You are in contact with people
From all over the world;
And this aspect is often playful.
But sometimes also ,
You have to smile even if you don’t feel like it.

It is always a question of balance:
A bit of a professor, a bit of an actor!
A bit of a teacher, a bit of a “clown”!
Seriousness and distraction..
You also need to feel and know
How to sense who is in front of you.

I just would like whose
Who think that being a guide
Is just a fun walk, to reconsider their ideas.

Yes!
It is a profession that, on certain occasions,
Offers opportunities for fun;
But it is never a game!

It is passion for your country,
It is respect for your guests,
It is love for culture,
It is enthusiasm to share,
It is physical fatigue,
And…. it is fun too sometimes…

If you are able to dose things well
Then you can “marry” profession and fun.

I LOVE BEING A TOUR GUIDE
Trying to “marry” profession and fun,
For the joy of my guests and for myself.

…
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