Berlin, Germany
0
Tours Delivered,
Since Dec 12, 2023
5.0
Hours, Avg. response time
Guide #54629
After growing up in the Midwest, I arrived in Berlin in 2005 after I'd won an academic scholarship from the University of Minnesota to complete my double-major in History and German. I put my degrees to work immediately after graduating and began to extensively research the city, explored places off the beaten path, had conversations with Berliners, and then put it all into an easy-to-follow, entertaining narrative that thousands of visitors to Berlin have been enjoying for nearly 20 years now. During this time, I became a founding member of the 'Berlin Guides Association' (BBS) which comprises some of Berlin's best tour guides today. The association functions on the principle of improving the skills of our members and building a community of support and knowledge. I've served on its Board of Directors in several capacities since its founding in 2014. Furthermore, I've been the local Berlin tour guide for the Rick Steves tour groups that visit Berlin since 2008, and I've been personally trained by Rick himself since I began leading his 'Best of Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna' and the 'Best of Germany' tours in 2022. On a personal note, Berlin is also where I met my wife, who was born in the Soviet sector of East Berlin and holds a birth certificate stamped with the hammer and sickle. As her entire family grew up in the former communist East Germany, their shared stories and firsthand experiences have provided me with incredible insights into the daily life and social dynamics that were all so unique to that period. I feel that my intimate connection to their past has helped me to add a human dimension on my tours that has - in turn - helped visitors to gain a more comprehensive and empathetic grasp of a past that is still so recent. Berlin is one of the most fascinating cities in the world and I'm glad to now be working with ToursByLocals as one of their expert professional guides to connect with people who are curious about my adopted home. I hope that my knowledge in German history and ability to offer a unique perspective, forged through a dual lens of American roots and German residence, will ensure that your trip to Berlin will be a memorable experience. - B.A. History, B.A. German: Freie Universität Berlin & University of Minnesota - Native English Speaker - Full-Time Local Berlin Guide since 2007 - Certified Member of the Berlin Guides Association e.V. & Current Board Member - Rick Steves Berlin Local Guide since 2008 - Rick Steves’ Europe Tour Guide since 2022 - Cecilienhof Palace Licensed Tour Guide
Berlin
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(17)
Jim has an encyclopedic knowledge of Potsdam and German history. He brought along a tablet loaded with pictures of the...
My half day exploring Berlin with Jim M was exactly what I was looking for. Jim actually met me at the zoo when I...
This was a wonderful tour with an amazing guide. We learned so much.