Zjuul Smolders

I am Zjuul Smolders, I will be 23 in July, I come from a small village in Belgium and I want to become a tour leader.

Ever since I started travelling abroad with my parents I fell in love with it. Now I have that "Travel Bug" as some might say.

While most of my friends go on holidays to southern Spain to go clubbing, I try to go to unique destinations around the globe.

I have tried to convince some to come with me but not everyone is interested in going to these places.

That is why most of the time now, I travel with a company on a group tour, solo or with my family.

I have traveled outside of Europe to Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Southern Mexico (mostly Chiapas), Jordan, Egypt and Turkmenistan. By the end of this year I will have been to Peru and India as well.

I am a Cmas 2 star scuba diver, which only adds to this "Travel Bug". As a 2 star diver you are allowed to go 30 meters deep.

To get this certificate i had to take multiple theoretical exams and had to go through extensive first-aid training for incidents that occur both above and below the surface.

- Cmas 2 star scuba diver

- Driving license

I want to become a tour leader because to me it seems like the best job in the world. Being able to travel the world as a job seems surreal.

I know there are disadvantages to it and I am not oblivious to those.

As a tour leader you are not on vacation. It is hard work. From the preparations to actually being there.

You have to be professional, responsible, careful, flexible, attentive, you have to divide your attention evenly between customers, you have to be the bridge between the group and the company as well as the local partner. When something goes wrong with the itinerary or with one of the customers, the tour leader will be the one that has to act.

I would like to believe i have those qualities.

For me the benefits far outweigh these disadvantages. The few group tours I have been on, I saw the tour leader not just as the leader but as an integral part of the group and a close friend. I loved how they were able to connect with the local partners. They get to see the world from a different perspective as most, which for normal customers would cost a small fortune.

I only recently started working and saving. It goes without saying that that's necessary in today's world to eventually buy a house and maybe settle down one day. Working as a tour leader could help me tick of some bucket list locations without harming that part of my life as a young adult. I do not see my age as a disadvantage. I might not have the same amount of experience as others, but i have a lot of potential and this job could help me develop it.

Due to the irregular hours and the industry I work in, I have 73 vacation days per year. During this time I could lead 2-4 tours a year and still have enough time for all my other obligations in life.