The Tour Guide
Name: Nuala Young
Age: 54
Job Title: Guide/Lecturer
Top survival tip
Enjoy it and don’t be too pompous. I think it is important to appreciate where each group is coming from, both geographically and psychologically.
The day-to-day
I mainly show groups around Oxford, usually doing the tour in English, French or German. Increasingly, I am taking groups further afield now that my children have grown up. I have had the opportunity to guide people around Bruges, Edinburgh, Paris and Ireland.
The reaction from others
Sometimes confusion, sometimes curiosity and sometimes envy. Occasionally people show contempt for tourist groups and therefore my job
The past
When I first went to school, I wanted to be a teacher. When I was 14, I really thought I would like to be an architect or university lecturer. I suppose what I do now uses some of the same skills as a teacher.
Getting started
Because I was committed to the peace, anti-nuclear movement and my children I just took part-time teaching jobs. In fact, I had about eight different types of teaching jobs before I took up guiding. I was then given a contact number for the association of guides from a friend. This seems to be a typical scenario – people are more likely to be accepted if they know someone already doing guiding.
Skills and personality
Being sociable is an important skill – I love meeting new people and having interesting discussions. Also, having a passion for real history – not just laws and dates, but what people were thinking and how they were living – is a real bonus. Therefore imagination and communication are important. My enjoyment of the countryside and interesting or beautiful buildings makes my job much more fun too.
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