My Story
How I became a city guide
In January 2023, I became a certified guide by the The Dutch Guide Organization Guidor, after concluding with good grades the practical exams in The Hague (city walking tour) and at the National Museum (Rijksmuseum) in Amsterdam (paintings presentation).
But how have I ended up as a city guide in the Netherlands? You'll find my story below. ;-)
I’m from Portugal, a country of seafarers who reached, between the 15th and the 16th centuries, faraway countries such as India, Brazil, China and Japan, becoming a world trading maritime empire. Discoveries and travelling are in our veins and the contact with other cultures always fascinated me. In Lisbon, I studied History at Nova University, located opposite the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Also there, I finished a Post-Graduation as a qualified History teacher.
In December 2007, I came to the Netherlands with my husband, also Portuguese. We didn’t have any friends or family here to show us the way and we decided to travel around the country. Meanwhile, I began to write a blog, sharing our trips in the Netherlands and across Europe. Many times, I was told “You should be a tour guide”, but I needed to wait some time due to health reasons.
In 2017, I underwent a complicated surgery and I spent great part of the year between homecare and the hospital, managing very delicate situations. Later on, I restarted my life slowly, doing some voluntary work with local organizations such as International Almere, Corrosia (Team Franc 2018) and the Heritage House (during the Heritage Days).
In September 2018, I became a Portuguese language teacher at Volksuniversiteit Almere and started to follow a training in Amsterdam to become a National Guide in The Netherlands. For 14 months I studied History of the Netherlands, Architecture, Dutch Landscape, Cities Geography, Dutch Painting History and Guiding Methods and Techniques. All the training was in Dutch: lessons, books, study visits, presentations, bus and boat tours, city walking and museum tours. I studied hard and I got very good grades which I’m very proud of.
In December 2019, I finished my studies but soon afterwards, Covid- 19 pandemic started.
Meanwhile, in March 2021, I had the pleasure to do the first virtual city tour for the “Welcome to Almere” event first online edition organized by Almere's City Hall. In the same period , I launched my professional website and Instagram account.
My aim is to help expats in their journey, by organizing city walking tailor-made tours (solo/with partner/kids) and welcome their friends or relatives when visiting the Netherlands, as well as Portuguese native speakers, in this beautiful country, where I live for 16 years already.
You can always reach me at sandra@sandrastours.nl to discuss your visit. Let’s keep in touch!
Education and Work & Volunteering in NL
Work
- Qualified & Certified Guide in the Netherlands
- History and Portuguese teacher (including at Volksuniversiteit Almere)
Languages: Portuguese, English, Dutch
Awarded Photo
Co-winner of the first prize Tourism Flevoland 2009 Photography Contest
Education
- 2023: National Guide Certification by GUIDOR (Dutch National Guide Organization)
- 2018-2019: National Guide in the Netherlands at ROC-Amsterdam, The Netherlands (14 months)
- 1994-1996: Post-Graduation as Qualified History teacher at Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas/ Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
- 1990-1994: History licentiate degree (4 years) at Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas/ Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
Volunteer Work
- Kunstaambassadeur Almere (Almere Art Ambassador/ Roy Villevoye’s, “Twee Vrouwen”)
- Creator and guide of the Welcome Tour for International Almere (2019, 2020)
- Hostess and guide at the Openmonumentendag (Heritage Day) Almere (2018/ Polderblik, 2019/ Stadhuis, 2020/ Nieuwe Bibliotheek)
- Team Franc (one of the invited curators) at Corrosia Theater Almere Haven (2018)
- International Almere Board Member (Secretary) (February 2018 - September 2018)
- Hostess of the International Almere's "Dutch Language Café" (February 2018 - September 2018)