Yngve Leonhardsen (Norwegian)

Six years ago I began working as a guide in Oslo. I enjoy meeting people from different nationalities and showing them my city – hearing their impressions and discussing matters of interest. My languages are English, German and Czech. Norway is a beautiful country to travel in and I´ve had the pleasure of going on several longer tours with tourists throughout the country, sharing my knowlegde of history, society and politics. I have an academic background and work as a translator and freelance journalist, often outside Norway. The more I travel abroad, the more I like coming back to Norway.

Rosanna Padoin (Italian)

Buon giorno sono la vostra guida, mi chiamo Rosanna. Ho il piacere di darvi il benvenuto a Oslo! Quante volte ho iniziato la giornata salutando così nuovi amici. Dopo 3 ore insieme, è talvolta come avere tanti cugini in visita e spesso le amicizie si manifestano. Io amo il mio lavoro e vi voglio bene quando vi porto in giro per la mia città. Io sono nata in Italia e cresciuta a Lugano prima di venire a vivere a Oslo nel 1963. A presto, vi aspetto!

Good morning, my name is Rosanna and I am your guide today! I have the delightful pleasure to welcome many new friends to visit Oslo. I love my work and I look forward to sharing some of the most joyful moments of your vacations. Be blessed in all you do! Happy trails where ever you go! I am waiting for your arrival!

Einar Sem-Jacobsen (Norwegian)

Born in Norway, I moved with my parents to the US when I was 7 years old, returning after 5 years and, later, attending a university in California. I am therefore fortunate to be able to command the English language quite well. I have worked for a number of years in the tourist- and aviation industry world wide. With this background, and my interest for history and geography, some years ago I studied for one year and thus became an authorized guide. I live in Oslo but have travelled extensively throughout Scandinavia and Europe. In addition to welcoming tourists to my country and guiding them to both historic sites and the modern life of Norway, I am also an authorized golf referee. I have worked as an NGS guide for 3 years and enjoy meeting people from around the world.

Stefania Montagna (Italian)

A dynamic, outgoing and smiley student in Cooperation and Development, I started working as a guide four years ago, aged 20. I have a passion for interculturality and international settings, which is why I have already lived in four different countries (the USA, Norway, France and Venezuela), of which Norway is however my favourite!! I love the country, its beautiful landscapes, its tradition and its people. Therefore, guiding represents for me a wonderful opportunity to combine two passions. Besides travelling and meeting new people, I also love reading, learning foreign languages and dancing.

 Tonje Røisum (Norwegian)

After completing High School, I travelled to England and worked for the Red Cross. After taking several exams in the UK, I travelled home where I continued my studies at Business School. I worked for a while as a Tour Leader in Spain and then started my own survey company for insurance. Taking my first Guide Exam in 1996, and continuing to take further exams with Oslo Guide Service and the Official Oslo Guide Exam, I have guided primarily in English ever since. It is a job that I really enjoy, and particularly the opportunity of meeting and working with lots of new people. Art is my hobby, and every year I travel to France to stay in Matisse’s house to paint. For me, guiding is more than a job: it allows me to share my knowledge with visitors to Oslo, something that I, and hopefully my groups, enjoy every time.

Matias Balbo (Argentinian)  

Argentino de origen italiano, nací y viví en Rosario donde descubrí la pasión de recorrer el mundo estudiando libros de lengua inglesa antes de recibirme como técnico electrónico. Más tarde conocí la cultura brasilera a través de la literatura y música, y en sucesivos viajes a Brasil. Regresé a Rosario para estudiar italiano, al mismo tiempo que realizaba trabajos como guía de montaña y camarógrafo de viajes. También, deportivamente, compartía otra pasión: recorrer mi país corriendo maratones y completando el famoso cruce de la Cordillera de los Andes.
Al finalizar los estudios lingüísticos (ingles, portugués e italiano) inicie un viaje por Latinoamérica, el cual despertó en mi, un gran amor y curiosidad por las diversas culturas y costumbres de nuestro mundo. Al regreso, viaje desde “el país del tango” para instalarme en el viajo continente. Allí trabajé en hostelería en Cataluña, Londres y Madrid. Deje huellas en el sudeste asiático, Europa, China, Centroamérica y Marruecos mientras colaboraba con reportajes en la sección turística del mayor periódico de Rosario, La Capital.
En el año 2006 viaje a Noruega para incorporarme a NGS donde puse en práctica mis conocimientos y experiencias para compartir como guía turístico lugares fascinantes y paisajes con turistas de todo el mundo.

Alessandra Gallina (Italian)

Quando sono partita per la Norvegia pensavo di restarci solo per una stagione, il tempo di visitare il paese dei fiordi e fare un’esperienza di lavoro per me nuova. Ad una settimana dal mio arrivo, però, ho incontrato un bel norvegese che ha modificato i miei progetti esistenziali... In Norvegia ci sono tornata diverse volte, ci ho anche vissuto ma soprattutto ho avuto la possiblità di farla conoscere a tanti turisti che ho accompagnato in escursione. Nelle 4 stagioni che ho passato a lavorare come guida turistica (in italiano, francese e inglese) spero di aver saputo raccontare in modo adeguato i vari aspetti della cultura di questo paese e le curiosità sui suoi abitanti. D’altra parte, adesso, è anche un po’ il mio paese...

Simone van Ginkel Evensen (German)

I was born in Germany, moved to Africa with my parents when I was 5 years old and went to an English school there until I was 15, whilst German was the language we spoke at home. Due to Civil War, we travelled back to Stuttgart, where I completed my education. I studied English, Maths and German within Book Keeping and Accountancy, and afterwards moved back to Zimbabwe where I began working for Thomas Cook for 3 years. This brought me back to Europe, and Norway, where I married, taught myself Norwegian and have 3 great children, now aged 11 – 20.
I’m interested in many things, particularly working with my hands and I studied to be an Interior Consultant before starting my own small interior and art workshop, which I work with in late summer and winter. Every Spring, I begin guiding again in English, German and Norwegian, which I have been doing for 3 ½ years.
Always positive, I enjoy learning lots of new information to pass on to our visitors; things about daily life in Norway and what it means to be a Norwegian.

Brit Gjertsen (Norwegian)

I was born in Norway, but as I have my close family spread all over the world, and having worked for the Foreign Office, M-G-M and IBM, the English/American language comes as easily to me as Norwegian. I love meeting people, all forms of art – but especially classical music, paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, opera and ballet – and to show tourists my city and my country, of which I am very proud.  French and German are my other two languages, but with five English-speaking grand-children, that is the most spoken language after Norwegian. We have close ties with England, Canada, USA, France and Germany. My grand-father, my father, my brother, my husband and my two daughters plus heaps of aunts and cousins have travelled and explored the world, whereas I have been more of the constant here in Norway. But years spent in France, UK and the US have given me a fair understanding and respect of other nations than Norway! And I have many years ahead of me as a guide, I think, as the women in my family live past their hundred years!

Stefano Milanese (Italian)

As a student of Scandinavian languages and cultures in Italy, I couldn’t keep myself from coming to Norway, which I did first as a student at Kristiansand’s University in 2003 and 2004, and then as a tourist guide for Norwegian Guide Service in Bergen in 2005, 2006, 2008. I had already begun working for NGS in 2004, while in Kristiansand.
I like Norway. To me it’s a very peculiar country, full of contradictions but characterised by unique nature and amazing natural phenomena. I can’t help but be always stunned by the summer’s never-ending light and its effects on the kind and quiet Norwegian people.
Now that I’m approaching my fourth season guiding in Italian and English I’m full of enthusiasm and wish to meet up again with my colleagues (my ”Norwegian family”) and the tourists. For them I always try my best and they repay me with questions and feedback. I deeply believe there’s always something to learn from people.