I hail from a small town in West Bengal, India, where I grew up amidst picturesque landscapes. But like most of my other friends from Haldia, we all left our little abode to pursue our careers, and work did take me places! I started using Google Maps to share pictures of the numerous places I visited during my business trips. The more I traveled for business, the more I met new people, gained experiences and tried new food! And that led me to venture out on my own. While work took me to the US and Europe, the sheer fascination of Africa and Asia led me to travel more in these continents.
And yet, after visiting ~35 countries and sharing pictures, reviews and experiences on Google Maps from all these places - one day, I noticed my school friend @user_not_found adding a photo of the place in Haldia where we used to hang out, and that happened to be it’s first photo on Google Maps. And that got me thinking - how is Google Maps different from the other social media websites? In its essence, Google Maps helps people find and appreciate places. For some, these are places they always knew, places that they now want their friends to know, and for the world to acknowledge. And that led me to add various photos of Haldia in my next trip to my home town - as well as places (including the hospital I was born in), shops that we always knew existed, and many more!
And that, exactly, is what I love the most about Google Maps - that it is not just a platform to share reviews, catalog new places and document new visits - it is also an avenue to reminisce childhood bonds, showcase local talents to the entire world, and take pride in the place that I will always call my home.
