If I had to describe myself in 140 characters, it would go something like this: Designer, dog-mom, sustainability and animal welfare advocate addicted to (street) art, movies and freshly brewed coffee. Craft beer is pretty nifty too.
Why does it matter? It matters because who I am is what I bring to the Local Guides community.
It all started around two years ago, when I moved my whole life across countries once again — this time to sunny Perth, Western Australia. Finding myself in a foreign urban landscape, I felt the need for a way to decipher the endless suburbs, intricate lane ways and labyrinthic cycle paths. I wanted to become a “local” and find my place in the community. This is when I grabbed my phone and turned to Google Maps to uncover all the things that are dear to me. Armed with my curiosity and not-so-fast WiFi (if you’ve been Down Under, you’ll understand!), I found it all. From amazing outdoors spaces, edgy street art and indie movie venues to quirky coffee shops, bars and all the top dog-friendly spots.
If this was the end of it, it wouldn’t be much of a story. But it is not the end.
I see creativity as a process of absorbing what is around you, remixing it through your unique point of view and returning it to the system in a new form. Google Local Guides allowed me to do just that. Once familiar with Perth, I felt ready to give back and add value to the local community. At first it was photos (as a Designer, visuals are my go to thing). Then, I started answering questions contributing reviews and saving places to public lists. It felt good to add my little layer of information to the city’s shared map for everyone to see and enjoy. And I don’t plan to stop anytime soon! Actually, I plan to get more involved in the Community by diving into Local Guides Connect and by *crosses fingers __*__ attending Connect Live 2019!
Will you help me stick to my plan?