What does the Local Guides program mean to me? A lot of things, actually.
Before jumping into that, I would like to define the word quest (n.) which is a long or arduous search for something, to which you will find out the reasoning in a second.
To get started about why I adore being a Local Guide,
- Primarily, it is like a moral compass everywhere I go and I do not just mean in the physical world of Maps.
Just like we have that voice in the back of our head that dictates right actions from wrong, the angel and devil on our shoulder, the same can be said for Google in my pocket. In an age where technology is SO readily available and information is in SUCH abundance, we don’t require the structure of traditional schooling because a lot of people, including myself, can be self-taught. Even after graduating from school, we can keep teaching ourselves with the help of online resources given to us by an organized search engine, Google. So whenever I have a doubt, a problem, a question, need inspiration, need motivation, need to find something, I always turn to Google for answers. And I always find the answer I am in search of and it always makes my life easier. For this reason, I will forever be thankful for having this resource at my fingertips.
- Secondarily, to piggyback on the first point, being a regular contributor, I know in the back of my mind that the opportunities to contribute are unlimited and always available wherever I go.
I keep that in mind wherever I go somewhere new, try new places, work in new areas, travel abroad, etc. I compare being an LG like being on a quest (which is why I defined it above) except the quest is a never-ending one where I have the remainder of my life to do good for humanity. Whether I am uploading photos/videos, writing a review, editing a place or adding a new one, writing a post on Connect, looking for a meet-up, or trying to implement some small change, I know I am a part of something greater than myself. Everyone can benefit from knowing more info and having more insight of various topics in life, and nobody ever died from knowing too much, right? That is why shared knowledge is best. That makes me proud to be a part of a group of Guides that do their best to help anyone in the best way they can, which aligns with Google’s goal to make people’s lives easier and to help them make decisions on the daily, small or large. The best part is that we contribute for the sake of doing good, not because we expect anything in return. Expecting something in return is never a reason to do something in the first place, in my honest opinion.
- Finally, being a Local Guide means being a better human, and to me that means SO much!
We never know how big of an impact a piece of information can be worth to a person. Maybe it is a wheelchair accessibility question that we answered that just made somebody’s day so much easier, or a mother with kids looking for the best place to keep her kids entertained and be able to have a moment to eat for herself, or a person with anxiety being able to find a cafe where an unregistered emotional support animal is allowed, or a college student being able to finish their most important thesis in a quiet cafe with a cup of good coffee because they’ve been up all night, a dad working two jobs delivering pizza and being able to easily find locations on Maps to support his family, what foods a person is deciding to eat because they are battling a health issue and they need insight so they Google it; it is those small things that can mean a world of difference to a person.
Personally, on this rapidly changing globe, I foresee that in the next few decades there will be more focus on a reduction effort of things that harm the environment which is my goal to shed light on how humanity can help that cause. This will be an area of focus with my contributions regarding businesses, posts, places on maps, and any area where I can have an impact. We only have one planet and it is in humanity’s best interest to preserve it for future generations so I would like to help.
Since I feel that it is our lifelong responsibility to be a good person, and that being a local guide helps me do that, I will continue to do it forever because everyday, everywhere, people are simultaneously on their own individual quests of their lives. Lifelong searches for accomplishing their goals, daily activities, hourly decisions, and we help them in that sense because when they turn to Google, we are here to contribute.
maybe next year!! Great article!!
