I interviewed Alex (who was my guide during my Tauck tour in Spain) in two engaging sessions. With my passion for understanding people’s personal journeys, I delved into how Alex’s unique experiences shaped his views and career choices. Through these conversations, Alex shared not only the influences of his bicultural background but also his reflections on what the future holds.
Alex’s journey from Paris to Florida and back to Europe is one filled with passion, spontaneity, and a love for sharing stories, all while embracing the unknown. He’s the kind of guide who makes every stop memorable, with just enough humour and insight to leave a lasting impression.
When you first meet Alex, you sense there’s something special about him. It’s not just his warm smile or his laid-back demeanour—it’s the way he moves between worlds, effortlessly blending cultures, languages, and stories in a way that makes everyone feel at ease. His journey from Paris to Florida and back to Europe is a testament to his spontaneity, love for people, and hunger for new experiences. But beneath it all, Alex’s story is one of embracing the unknown and finding joy in every connection.
Born to an American mother and a French father, Alex grew up straddling two worlds. “My mom’s American, and my dad’s French,” he says with a grin, effortlessly switching between his French upbringing and American flair. “They met in New York, but my dad convinced her to move to Paris. I’m the oldest of three boys, so we grew up in Paris, but we’d go back to the States every summer. That’s why I eventually chose to go to university in the US—to have my own American experience.”
Alex’s choice to attend Flagler College in Florida was as practical as it was strategic. “It was close to my grandparents and cheaper than most American universities,” he laughs. “But also, I wanted to embrace this American identity everyone in Paris seemed to label me with, despite never having lived there.” But when Alex arrived in Florida, life had other plans. “I was the French guy in Florida,” he says with a chuckle.
While studying business and psychology, Alex stumbled upon his true passion—something that would forever change his life trajectory. “I started working in a French restaurant and saw how food and culture connected people. I got hooked on that feeling,” he recalls. His dreams of becoming the next big Wall Street guy? “Totally scrapped,” he admits, shaking his head. “I saw people in the kitchen working 10-12 hours a day out of pure passion, and I thought, ‘This is crazy,’ but then I fell in love with it. The hardships, the passion—it made sense to me.”
After college, Alex returned to Paris. Unsure of what came next, he found himself brainstorming one day. “I thought, why not give tour guiding a try? I love people, I love Paris, so I started guiding tours. And, well, here I am,” he says with a smile.
For Alex, tour guiding wasn’t just a job—it was an extension of his love for human connection and storytelling. Whether leading a group of study-abroad students through Europe or explaining the deeper meaning behind a Da Vinci painting in the Louvre, Alex quickly realized the power of his work. “At the end of one tour, a group of students came up to me and said I was the best history teacher they’d ever had. That was one of those moments where I thought, ‘This is why I do this.’”
Another memorable experiences as a guide, he told me, also took place in the Louvre. “There’s this Da Vinci painting—one of those pieces that, if you really look at it, it’s powerful beyond words. I was guiding a grandmother, her daughter, and granddaughter. They started crying as I explained it. The cycle of life, generations—everything hit home for them, and I found myself tearing up with them. That’s the magic of art and history. It connects people in ways that nothing else can.”
But Alex’s journey didn’t stop in Paris. Two years ago, he attended a wedding near Madrid, where fate had another surprise in store. “That’s where I met my partner,” Alex says, smiling. “It was a high school friend’, of my now partner’s, wedding. We started a long-distance relationship, and a year later, I moved to Madrid.”
Now based in Madrid with his partner, who works as a consultant, Alex balances life between guiding and embracing new adventures. “In 15 years? Who knows,” he shrugs. “I just want to keep enjoying what I do. If I’m not happy, I’ll find something else.” But one thing is certain: Alex’s love for guiding hasn’t faded. Despite leading similar tours for over 15 years, he keeps each one fresh and exciting. “The off-season is my reset button,” he explains. “I spend that time reading, investigating, and finding new ways to present the same places. There’s always a new angle, a fresh way to tell the story.”
What sets Alex apart is his respect for local culture. Whenever his group arrives in a new city, he hands the reins over to a local guide. “They know their town better than I do, and it’s their story to tell. I trust them to guide my group while I give them the context to work with.” It’s this humility and openness that make Alex’s tours so unique.
When it comes to hidden gems, Alex is all about the food. “For me, it always comes down to the local spots—places where you can get authentic food without the tourist traps,” he says. “In Paris, there’s a small restaurant where the food is fantastic, the wine is plentiful, and you get that gritty, authentic experience. That’s the real Paris for me—the layer beneath the fancy image.”
As we talk about his love for different cultures, Alex offers a fascinating comparison between France and Spain. “The French can be quite serious and proud, very aware of the relationship between the individual and society. In Spain, people are more carefree. There’s this nonchalance, this happiness that makes life flow a little differently.”
He recalls how in France, people are mindful of personal space, moving out of the way as they walk down the street. But in Spain? “People walk right at you!” he laughs. “At first, it frustrated me, but then I realised it’s just a different way of being. You adapt, and it becomes part of the charm.”
Growing up in both French and American cultures has given Alex a unique perspective on identity. “I’ve always felt like a satellite,” he reflects. “I’m always ‘the other.’ In America, I’m French. In France, I’m American. Even in Spain, I’m not quite one of them. But it gives me a certain freedom to roam and see the world from multiple perspectives.”
This bicultural background has fuelled his passion for connecting with others. “Most people don’t think too deeply about their identity. But when you’re constantly navigating between two cultures, it’s something you live with every day. For me, it’s an endless quest, but that’s the beauty of it.”
For Alex, the people he meets on his tours make it all worthwhile. “When I meet fun, good people, it’s like all my efforts are paid back a thousand times. This group we have now? Just amazing. We have such diversity—fascinating backgrounds—and we come together as this little collective. It’s special.”
And that’s what makes Alex’s tours stand out—the stories, the fun facts, but more than anything, the connections. As he says, “If you’re not enjoying it, people notice. That’s the last thing I want—to be the Debbie Downer on my own tour.”
As our conversation winds down, Alex reflects on his future. “I think one day I’d love to be a teacher,” he says thoughtfully. “Teaching is the most important profession in the world. You get to shape young minds, and that’s something I’d love to do.”
He’s not sure when or where that might happen, but for now, he’s happy guiding tours, exploring new places, and embracing the unpredictability of life. “In 15 years? Maybe I’ll still be guiding, maybe I’ll be teaching. Who knows? I just want to keep enjoying what I do.”
As he prepares to leave for lunch, Alex leaves us with a final thought that sums up his philosophy: “It’s all about the people. The places are amazing, but it’s the people that make it all worthwhile.”
#CultureAndConnection #TravelReflections #GuidedByLocals #ExploringEurope #FindingPerspective #JourneyToLearn #WorldOfStories
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