ABOUT ME Training Languages Work experience Organizations Children and Nature Skills Interests “I am born in Barcelona, and I have been always in love with my city. I had great teachers in high school that transferred to me their passion for our history and architecture, and they encouraged me to never stop reading and learning about Barcelona.” ☺ Click here for a tale that expresses beautifully my professional philosophy! Training, Licenses & Certifications: - 2000. Official Guide of Catalonia License, by the Tourism Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya. - 1995-98. Degree in Translation and Interpretation (French, Russian and Italian) by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Languages: √ Mother tongues: Spanish and Catalan. √ Fluent in English. Courses taken in several local language schools, and the Miami Dade community college (USA). In 1998 I passed my English Proficiency Exam, by the Cambridge University. √ Fluent in French. Courses taken in the Barcelona Autonomous University, the Institut Franais de Barcelone and the cole des Roches (Paris). √ Fluent in Italian. Courses taken in the Barcelona Autonomous University and the Official Language School of Barcelona. √ Advanced level of Russian (but sorry, not fluent enough yet to offer tours in this language). Courses taken in the Barcelona Autonomous University, the Official Language School of Barcelona, the Pushkin Institute of Moscow and the Saint Petersburg State University (Russia).

Work Experience:

☼ After university I spent one year traveling, and when I came back I got a job as part of the Information staff of the Sagrada Família, the unfinished Gaudí church and the most visited monument in Barcelona. As well as helping the visitors, my responsibilities included giving private tours to personalities, press and special guests. I worked there for almost three years, enjoying the company of employees who had spent a large part of their lives in such an amazing building, and appreciating the advice and explanations of the architects that are continuing the works. Having the chance of discovering the amazing Gaudí world from its insides has been one of the best experiences in my life.

 ☼ After I passed the official exam to be able to work as a tour guide in the city, I started working as a fulltime freelance tourguide. My clients are local and American travel agencies, cruise ships, five-star hotels, companies and privates. Among my clients stand out tourism agencies such as Icono Serveis Culturals (Barcelona Online, Hotel Arts Ritz-Carlton, City Council of Barcelona...), Miki Travel, GTA, BGB, City Guides, Baleares Consignatario, APIT, Alsatouring, Barcelona Hostess, Javier Serret, AFI, Protravel Inc. (U.S.A.), The Total Traveler (U.S.A.), Ovation Tours (U.S.A.)...

☼ I also work occasionally as a freelance written translator for some translation agencies and other direct clients.

☼ In 2003 I assisted the journalists Dominique Auzias et Patrick Maringe in the updating of the new edition of the popular French guidebook Le Petit Futé (Barcelona 2004). Since then I have given also many tours for journalists writing articles about Barcelona.

Organizations & Associations:

2000-08. Member of APIT, the Professional Association of Tour Guides of Catalonia.

Member of wwguides.com

Member of globalguides.com

Children and Nature:

♠ Member of Scouts of Catalonia from 1987 to 1998.

♠ 1995-1998. Leader of the 7 to 11-years-old section of the Gandhi Scout Group.

♠ 1995. Official license of camp leader for children and young people, by the Generalitat de Catalunya regional government.

Skills:

♣ Smiling!

♣ Quickly understanding my guests’ interests and adapting the tour so I can show them the Barcelona they will love.

♣ Adapting my explanations to make them enjoyable for your kids.

♣ Giving you lots of ideas for the rest of your stay in Barcelona: restaurants, shops, shows, attractions…

♣ Attention to detail.

♣ Flexible and resourceful.

Interests:

♥ Barcelona, its history, its art, its legends, its shops and restaurants... I have to confess that I am a guidebook addict, and I buy every single new book about Barcelona that I find in the stores. I read them, and take notes, and use them to introduce new material in my speeches. I also collect articles from the press and brochures talking about Barcelona, its monuments and its secrets.

♥ Gourmet cuisine (local traditional and contemporary gastronomy, food shops and markets, restaurants...)

♥ New buildings and urban projects in the city.

♥ Local trees, flowers and plants.

♥ Dancing (swing, modern, belly, folk...)

♥ Traveling (been in most countries in Europe and several times in the States).

♥ Reading (novels, women literature, books on Barcelona and its surroundings, psychology...)

♥ Energy therapies and natural healing.

Training Languages Work experience Organizations Children and Nature Skills Interests

BARCELONA AND CATALONIA PRIVATE GUIDED TOURS WITH OFFICIAL GUIDE

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