Hello, guys!
I am Alifia, a local guide level 7 from Indonesia. I come from Singkawang, West Kalimantan. But currently I stay in Bekasi to continue my study in President University.
Firstly, I will tell you why I want to be a local guide on Google Maps. Actually, it started when I was looking for tourism destinations in Egypt. When I was in Egypt, I always used to Google Maps to everywhere I wanted to go. It was a little bit difficult for me to speak with local people because of the language barrier and the other things. Besides as a direction, many reviews, Questions and Answers, photos, videos on Google Maps helped me a lot to make a decision to where I should go at that time. After I visited some tourism destinations there, I thought it is better if I can share my experiences through photos, videos, short story and brief explanation to other people. After that, I was trying to register myself as a Local Guide on Google Maps and I am grateful for that because being a Local Guide on Google Maps makes me more concerned towards place around me and I can become a more useful person by sharing my experiences to other people.
For me who love reviewing tourism destination places, become a local guide like being a tourism ambassador which is I can do introduction and promotion about tourism destination indirectly to other people. Giving good reviews on contributions can be giving good value and increasing value of tourism destination itself. Besides that, I can increase my knowledge and communication skill both written and unwritten which is needed to tell a good contribution. I think, everyone can be a tourism ambassador from their region through Google Maps, Local Guides Connect and the community.
In reviewing, I always write a review of place with dual language which are English and Indonesian Language (my mother language) because I want to make a reader feel easier to understand the review. And then, for sharing and reviewing tourism destination I usually concern the concept of 3A (Accessibility, Amenities and Attraction). I think this is an important part for the reader to make a consideration and decide to where they want to go and what things they should prepare.
I will show you one of the recommended tourism destination in Indonesia which is Lumbini Natural Park. My friends and I had a domestic tour to North Sumatra and we choose this place as one of our tourism destinations. It’s a Buddhist temple and replica of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Burma, Myanmar. It’s the second highest replica after Burma and also it’s the highest pagoda in Indonesia and it recorded as a MURI (Indonesian Record Museum). It’s awesome! It’s worth it to visit and recommended place for religious tourism. I think it is instragrammable spot and we can take photos inside and outside of the temple.
Don’t worry about the access to go there! The place is reachable and we can go there by any transportation. There is no entrance fee but you should give some fee for maintaining. There are some regulations like take off your sandals/shoes and put it on the place provided and do not bring your food and beverages. We can do some activities inside of the temple such as putting the coin one by one into wisdom bowls and writing our hopes on the tree of hope. Besides that, we can find a toilet there and many small stores and booths which sell food and beverages close to there. If you travel to Berastagi, don’t forget to come here!
Besides that, my contributions on Google Maps always about giving stars, uploading photo and video, adding information and missing place, answering Questions and Answers and so on. Hopefully, I can be more consistent to involve myself on Google Maps, Local Guides Connect and to the community.
The last but not least, I will show to you how proud I am become a Local Guide especially become a part of Jakarta Local Guides. I already attended some meet-ups, but the most memorable for me is when I became a committee and MC for the 2nd Jakarta Local Guides. I felt I can be myself and be more authentic. I’m pretty sure this community can give me more good effects in my life.
That’s all and big thanks for Google Maps, Local Guides Connect and Jakarta Local Guides!
See you in California!
