Tour guide in Nagoya Géraldine J.

Hi ! I'm Géraldine and I am originally from Montreal, Canada (il me fera plaisir de répondre en français). I'm an avid traveller, having explored more than 75 countries, lived in 4 and returned to many multiple times. Aside from traveling my greatest passions are photography, running, hiking and eating ! I am a true foodie and I enjoy both cooking and going out on food adventures. I also love animals and I can tell you with a straight face that being called a cat lady is not an insult ! Another thing I am passionate about is my work with refugees in developing countries. I am also a very curious person and I love to learn. When I am not doing one of the above, you can find me reading or researching about whatever has sparked my interest on that day ! The timeline: I have been living here about 13 years over the past 23 years now. I first came on a working holiday visa back in 2000. Disembarking in Shimonoseki after traveling on an overnight ferry from South Korea, I spent six months living in Kyoto in a traditional house with a Japanese girl I had met on a solo trip in California the previous year (we are still friends to this day !). I learned Japanese at that time and during the following six months when I lived with a Japanese family in Osaka. Fast forward to 2015, after another stay as an exchange student in Tokyo back in 2004/05, when I decided to move back to Japan after receiving a scholarship from the Japanese government. After seven years in Tokyo, life has taken me to Hiroshima where I have been living for more than a year now. The story: Why Japan ? I chose to come to Japan after my first trip in Asia, a six month adventure backpacking across the continent. Although I did not visit Japan then, I met so many Japanese on the road that it got me curious about what kind of place Japan was. My mind was then set on coming over and finding out for myself. I was never attracted much by manga or anime, samurai or geisha, but rather by the ordinary Japanese. So for the past 23 years, I have been learning, studying, analyzing the Homo Japonicus under every possible angle. The good, the bad and the ugly. As a PhD candidate in psychology with a background in criminology and international relations, I have been able over time to come up with some theories of my own, but I have, most importantly, acquired a deep knowledge and understanding of the Japanese psyche through my lived experience in Japan and over the course of my studies. I have come to love so many things, and despise if not as many, quite a few things, about this fascinating country that I call home. Now, this is the Japan that I would like to share with you. Guiding: I have extensive experience guiding in Japan over the past decade. I have guided guests from all walks of life and from all socio-demographics. As a freelancer, I work with three major travel agencies and I am used to guide individual guests and groups. I love guiding people simply because I love sharing and interacting with people. As a traveller myself, whenever I book a guide, I want to get the most out of that experience in terms of content, value for my money and most of all, have a memorable time. I found that for me it means having a guide who is attentive to my needs, open-minded and willing to share their own experience and that is exactly what I seek to offer to my own guests. Although I have a background in academia, I am not here to give lectures. I enjoy sharing the little trivial things that make life in Japan different. I am also not afraid of discussing some aspects of Japan that might shake some long held myths about the land of the rising sun. There are no topics I will not discuss with you. Finally, I am always happy to customize my tours to your requests. Until we meet, all the best ! Gigi I have been working as a freelance guide in Japan since 2016 providing tours to individual guests, families and groups. I am currently under freelance contracts with three major travel agencies. I was also an adventure travel guide in Egypt for a year back in 2009/2010. I hold an MSc. in criminology (Université de Montréal) and an MA in international relations from Waseda University (Tokyo). I am currently a PhD candidate in community psychology at ICU in Tokyo. I have a Japanese driver's license and I also have an up-to-date Japanese Red Cross first aid and CPR certification. As a former law enforcement officer back in Canada, I also have advanced life saving skills. I have no restrictions and I am happy to customize my tours to adapt to your needs.