Local Guides program mean to me affection from people to people.
I started this program 3 years ago and it was a huge life change. I have always enjoyed talking about food, culture and learning about other places and their lifestyle and local guides brought it to me intensely. I made friends, I exchange experiences, life stories, recipes, desires and dreams.
Since then, many things have happened in our lives and around the world. During this pandemic, I realized how much the people I met virtually or personally through the program matter to me, since I care about them and want to know how they have been. This affection go beyond borders, age, languages or cultures.
When I went to Europe and Israel last year, I tried to find as many Local Guides as I could… now calling them for friends.
In London, for example, I hangout with @IrenaS and @FazZ and it was WONDERFUL. I would never know so many places (especially to eat) if it weren’t for them.
Some of my friends became Local Guides because I always said about the program with love and proud. Others came to me to ask about where to go, what to do in the city. I love that!
My biggest passion is taking pictures of food and public places (like squares, museums and gardens). I believe that when we are in these places, we always want to have good memories, especially if we are accompanied by friends, family or lovers. When taking pictures, we want to register to see in the future, and nothing better for me than combining the useful with the pleasant: registering my moments and still helping people around the world with my images and reviews. One of my favorites is my first picture on Google Maps (the reason that I discover the Local Guides program and became one).
To eat is care about yourself and to other. Help people to find where they will organize their events, celebrations or only a quick lunch is very grateful. Is good to talk and to show how I see, feel and how was my experience about a place and people use that for their own life. For them to sow affection with other people, in their lives, to they have their good memories. And I’m proud to help on this choose and to know that my life can help other lives. In that way, I made myself present, I made myself useful to others.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful Connect post. It is so meaningful for everyone here on Google Maps Local Guides Connect to be involved in such a fabulous community.
There is so many people here helping each other and helping their own local communities by sharing everything wonderful about where we live and where we go on Google Maps.
We are all so lucky to make friends everywhere just by being members right here on Connect.
Then even luckier to get the chance to meet up with such wonderful people from Connect when we travel to their countries. It is superb to see these meetups here in posts like this, so thanks again for sharing this with us!
It is really lovely to see @IrenaS and @FazZ here! #London calling! Incredibly kind people who are always so much fun, living in amazing place to see and be!
You are so right with this pandemic affecting us all so badly. Every city and town in lock-down is something that is totally surreal! It is hard to believe.
Thank goodness it is only temporary. The sooner it is over the better, and the lesser number of lives lost, of course is the vital point at hand at this time. Our hearts and souls go out to all those who have lost loved ones.
It is in these times when we realise that being a member of this community and being able to stay in touch and never loose sight of how lucky we all are to be able to at least keep up our connections. It is in this way we can help local businesses too by sharing their businesses from Google Maps to everywhere on the internet.
Then people can still buy all they need online, helping people to earn income while this pandemic continues, until it ends. And then for everyone to continue to share businesses via the internet, via Google Maps to keep the strength of having people all around the world helping each other, helps people stay connected as well!
Thanks again for this wonderful reminder of the friendships we make here on Google maps Local Guides Connect and the ways we can all help each other through these hard times.
We are having a virtual Tonight’s meetup view Jitsi tonight with a few LG’s you all are welcome to join! More details here: Telegram: Contact @SavchenKhedoo
@SarahKa beautiful message, I’m only going to have 5 weeks in this forum and this post makes me happy because wherever I go I will find local guide friends!
@SarahKa I am from Cartagena, Colombia. My neighborhood is called Crespito, on the edge of the Juan de Angola pipe … looking forward to meeting many local guides!
Muito legal sua história, @SarahKa ; Eu tenho um sentimento igual. Uma das viagens mais legais que fiz recentemente foi para o Uruguai e Argentina e foi único explorar cidades novas junto com os Local Guides e estava conversando com alguns amigos numa meetup virtual sábado, hoje provalvelmente conheço pessoas do mundo inteiro graças ao programa e sempre vou tentar conectá-los em minhas futuras viagens. Desejo a você muita sorte na sua aplicação e fico na torcida pra gente se ver em San Francisco e aqui no Brasil também.
@AlexandreCampbell querido! Muito obrigada! Esse programa é incrível mesmo, minha vida realmente mudou após ele. Tanto a forma que vejo a cidade quanto às pessoas que aqui conheci (virtual e pessoalmente).
Inclusive, adorei que a gente tenha feito aquele primeiro contato e acho que vamos ter muitos planos de ação em comum, além de ideias e vontade aqui no connect, no Maps e além deles também. Espero que possamos nos conhecer em breve! Estou na torcida por nós, muita sorte e bons caminhos.