Honestly, Local Guides program is a new term to me, eventhough it has been about 3 years I use Google Maps. It was the time when I was assigned to our office in Surabaya, Indonesia. It was not my hometown, means that the town was new to me. Google Maps helped me a lot to discover many places there. So, I did not feel lonely anymore staying in the hotel.
My knowledge of Google Maps grew alongside with my frequent uses of it. At this stage, I did not just using map to discover new-to-me place and direct me toward the destination. I found “Reviews” where people write down his or her review about the place. By reading it, I knew the place more detail. It was very helpful and prevented me from useless guess.
I love travelling, and Google Maps becomes my not-separated partner on the road. Never leave home without Google Maps. Actually, I never stop thinking of how can Google Maps prepares datas which are very huge in quantity and very precise in putting location. Yes, it is about technology. And, Google Maps has successfully implemented technology and optimized it for the sake of helping people. This technology is real and living in our live nowadays.
Since few months ago, I was attracted to respond such kind of notification I received from Google every time I had just visited a place. Google asked me many questions about the placed I had visited and I diligently answered all the questions one by one.
My response was improved then. Not just answered the yes-no-not-sure questions, I began to give star review as well. I try hard to be honest to myself always when considering of how many stars I will put on my review of a place. The stars I put on my review will attract people who read it, no matter how small it is. Just like water flows, posting review on Google Maps has come into my life and become part of my activities.
I started my experience as the one who was guided by Google Maps. Now, Google Maps lets me taking a part to be the one who can guide others. To me, it is a kind of mutual cooperation, a model of relationship where people helps each other voluntarily. We can find it flourish in our traditional life. For this, I began to make my review more complete by writing down my experience of a place. As my knowledge about the application grows, now I also attach some photos of the place every time I post my review. My review becomes more comprehensive from time to time, and hopefully can help others in better way…
Surprisingly Google told me that I have been a local guide…that was for the first time I knew the term “LOCAL GUIDE”. And, I can tell you here that this LOCAL GUIDES program is a very meaningful, useful, and powerful program for guiding people reaching their desired destiation and empowering them exploring many new places, a loyal and dedicated buddy in adventure…