To the question "What does the Local Guides program mean to you? ", I would answer the quote : “Say yes to new adventures.” It tells how much of an adventure it is to go to new places, get out of our comfort zone. But without willingness, you will not do it. Indeed, the Local Guide program is an invitation to…
… discover new places
If anything to remember from this Local Guide experience, is the ability to discover places you’ve never been before. By leaving a review, you give the opportunity for others to go to somewhere new. I think about this restaurant in Quiberon, France called Chez Homard. This is not the kind of places I typically go to. I decided to go there because (or thanks to) of the pretty good reviews about the place. And that is the power of reviews.
A really good lobster dish we discovered at the restaurant Chez Homard
… share adventures
“I discovered a face of my area that I couldn’t even imagine !” Discovering new places is an adventure in itself : how did we get there, what did we enjoy, why was it life changing, … When we visit a place, there is a story behind it, and the Local Guide program allows anybody to tell the world about it. For example, I discovered the beach on the picture by chance, while wandering in little roads, and it was one of the greatest places I’ve ever seen.
Kernevest beach, Quiberon, France
… exchange experiences
Each of us has a story to tell about a place we’ve been to that we really liked. When we write about what we liked or not, we give a vision to the world. By reading a review, we imagine the place, without even being there already. We exchange feelings, memories that are common to a stranger who we share a place with. I love the idea that my reviews can entice people to go to a not-well-known restaurant, to see a different aspect of this fancy and Instagrammable cafe, … Our experiences are unique, so we all see the same places but with different eyes (both in literal and figurative sense).
A review I gave for a really lovely and original cafe in Rennes, France
In a few words, the Local Guide program helps people around the world connect through something we all love : discovers. We are all part of this worldwide community, and we share this common passion by writing about it.