Working as a tour guide in Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Albany, Montenegro, United States and Canada has provided an opportunity to create meaningful experiences. Making sure everyone has the time of their lives in a safe, fun and adventurous environment made me develop myself as an active listener and with skills such as stress resistance, careful and efficient planning and always being one step ahead.From active campsite travels, to roadtrips through national parks I was there to make sure their holiday was the most memorable one.

This job has learned me that small touchpoints with guest are equally as important as the service and products being delivered. Therefore, it has made me consious that any employee can make or break a costumer journey.

Together with Sabien van Dijk, we take a closer look at a living system, warm network or also called: a community. Diving into the existing network of Innovation Square, I hope to learn more about all the elements and process that make a community by doing action research.

Working on different festivals like Concert at Sea and Lowlands have given me insight on the complicated organization behind such festivals. Learning to be part of these organizations within, have provided me memorable experience which I can also use during my studies.

Going to another country for 5 months without speaking the language seemed like a great challenge. Nevertheless, I took this chance with both hands and gained more experience than I had imagined. Learning how to talk guests into renting kayaks and showing them the most beautifull sights of Menorca (eventually also in Spanish), teaching and instructing kayak tours overseas with telling inspiring stories and working in an international team that showed me intercultural differences created an valuable experience.

Taking responsibility over groups of 5-12 kids, creating unforgettable (safe) experiences and teaching kids how to ski has been my daily routine over these 3 months in Austria. Developing myself for the first time as a teacher in all kinds of languages and hand gestures made it challenging but fun at the same time.