Happy 9th anniversary Connec. It’s been an amazing journey of learning, sharing, and connecting with incredible Local Guides worldwide. Grateful for this inspiring community and excited to join the 9 questions for Connect’s 9th birthday celebration.
My entry is below…
1. Where are you from?
I am from Barishal, Bangladesh.
A beautiful riverine city.
2. When did you join Connect?
I joined Local Guides Connect on [30 November 2019] and it has been an amazing journey of learning and sharing ever since.
3. How did you learn about Connect in the first place?
I first knew about Connect through Google Maps mail notifications while contributing reviews and photos. Curiosity led me to explore it further, and I discovered an inspiring global community of Local Guides Connect.
4. What time of the day/week do you like to check what’s new on Connect?
I usually check Connect every Morning and especially on weekends when I have more time to read posts in day time.
5. Have you attended or hosted a meet-up on Connect?
Yes! I have attended and also hosted several meet-ups, focusing mainly in Crisis Situations, Accessibility features, Map Editing, PhotoWalk, Support Small businesses and Aaising Awareness in my local community. These events have been great opportunities to meet passionate Local Guides.
6. What’s your favorite moment on Connect?
My favorite moment on Connect was in 2021, when I was honored as a Guiding Star in the Helpful Hero category. It was not just an award it felt like recognition of every small effort I made to help people through my contributions.
7. Tell us about one Connect feature that you love.
I love the Meet-ups section on Connect because it helps us connect with like-minded people, collaborate on meaningful contributions and learn from the experiences of Local Guides worldwide. It’s simple but very effective. Through this feature, Local Guides can organize or join local meet-ups easily share experiences and learn from each other face-to-face. For many, this is the best way to build connections. It’s like turning the online community into real world friendships.
8. What one feature would you add to Connect if you could?
I would add a Nearby Local Guides Finder. Many people want to collaborate with other Local Guides in their own city for meet-ups but they don’t know who is active nearby. A simple feature to find and connect with Local Guides by city or region would encourage teamwork and make local initiatives grow faster.
9. Tell us about one thing you’re planning to share or do on Connect this year.
This year, I plan to focus on supporting new local businesses through my contributions. For example, a new venture called Live Bakery has recently started in my city. Just a few months ago, it didn’t exist, but now several outlets have already opened in Barishal Sadar, and more are on the way. I want to help these new entrepreneurs by adding their shops to Google Maps with accurate information, photos, and reviews so that more people can discover them easily.