Patricia knows the importance of first impressions, because when teachers and students step off the plane for their EF tour, she’s one of the first things they see. Patricia, a Tour Director who takes student groups through Spain’s capital city of Madrid, is many things: a mother, a gardener, a music aficionado, a warm and welcoming smile. But in addition to being mindful of the first impression she imparts on a new group, she acknowledges that many of the students on her tours are traveling outside the U.S. for the first time—which means it’s their first impression of a new part of the world, too. And in Madrid, a city of more than three million people, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or struggle to make personal connections. Patricia helps with just that, using her warmth and local perspective to help the city feel like a tight-knit community.
In Madrid, you are in a capital city [with] millions of people around, but you feel like you are in a village.
Having lived in Madrid for over 25 years, Patricia ensures her students have an authentic experience when they travel through all the interesting places in Madrid, Spain. As she leads her groups through the city’s cobblestone streets and ancient neighborhoods, the personal connections she builds are the catalyst for turning students from tourists into seasoned travelers. And that just so happens to be her favorite part of the job—seeing students transform in real time. As a Tour Director, Patricia makes it her mission to give students the confidence they need to tackle their next adventures.
Patricia is just one of the many Tour Directors
with a story to tell
Our Tour Directors are pretty special. Equal parts history teacher, cultural connoisseur, architecture expert, restaurant recommender, and sightseeing savant, they’re trained guides who know the ins and outs of all the cities you’re visiting—and they can’t wait to give you a window into their world.
