Hola….!
Hope all are doing well.!
Connect Live 2025 may be over, but my heart is still with the event. The people, the management team, the souvenirs, the women’s meetup, followed by the mega meetup, it all feels like it happened just yesterday.
Even though it was only two days, it felt like having endless conversations over tea, calling people down to the lobby to play UNO, or just sharing thoughts that went on for hours.
I’ll definitely write about my experience at the event, but some gifts and people deserve a separate mention
First of all, as someone with PTSD who usually doesn’t travel without family, Connect Live gave me a family I can depend on. I’m deeply thankful to my fellow Local Guide, @Sagarkanherkar who picked me up from home and safely dropped me back. Both @Shrut19 and Sagar constantly checked in to see if I was doing okay, and that’s something I can’t fully put into words.
Thank you so much to @ShubhamWaman @DurgaK03 @Rushikesh_joshi @Praniketmore for being my UNO partners and engaging in endless, meaningful conversations. I’m proud to say I didn’t feel stressed for a single moment. Thanks to @AjitThite for asking me if I’m okay.! Love you guys. I appreciate all your efforts..!
A big thank you to the Team Google @Kristen_NYC @TinaWill @David_K @Latika_Malhotra @KevinKwok @Julie_A for the thoughtful gift and the handwritten note that came with it. (#3)
Thanks to @shaileno for gifting me the mini Bhagavad Gita as part of the Temple Challenge (#4)
I also want to thank Team India and the local guides from abroad for the beautiful and unique souvenirs from their hometowns. (#5)
Each gift was special in its own way, but I’d like to give a special shoutout to Ajit Daa for the handmade keychains, @Gurukrishnapriya for the handmade origami flowers.@Kumaarsantosh for the sustainable bags, @abhishekpatk for the fabric bag & @MathanVibranarayan for the wooden bookmark, I’ll wait for the cactus plant though (Just Kidding..!)
@Velvel for the beautiful keychains & @SwetaDhondoo for the dodoo.
I always tell people who travel to send me postcards (we don’t send those in India though) but this time finally got one, Thanks to @emilyg 
Thanks to @Globe_trotter_Ish for organizing the first ever Women’s Meetup, and a huge thanks to all the ladies for bringing such beautiful handmade souvenirs. Special thanks to Praniket More, Rushikesh Joshi, and Shubham Waman for giving us the specially designed stickers for the Women’s Meetup 
(#7)
Thanks to Shubham for the quirkiest gift I’ve ever received for my birthday : the crafting scissors, thanks to Praniket for the lovely Ganesha idol and my dearest Secret santa for the beautiful diary.
(#8)
A big thank you to the organizing team of the Mega Meetup @TravellerG @SonamW @Gvipin @SharmaKK and for the gift set, which included a special steel cup and some beautiful stickers (#9)
I lost my Google pen, but Shruti gave me hers as a keepsake, and that means the world to me
All these gifts are a reminder of the beautiful community and relationships we’ve built in such a short time. Thank you so much for being part of this special event and these lifetime memories
Though the event has passed, its echoes linger in my heart, like soft whispers of a story still being written. The faces, the laughter, the moments shared, these are the quiet landmarks of a journey we all took together, and no time or distance can ever fade them.
And its great pleasure meeting you all
@Raj_Tayade @MohanG @Nidhish_Jaju @Shubhu1 @Supriyadevkar @MerlinThomas @PritishB @NandKK @Shaunak @PrasadVR @ChinonsoOnukwugha @TusharSuradkar @Viranchi @Rahul001, @IndianRavi
@Ketan_Kangankar @MayuriKubal @NareshDarji @Tejal
Adding other local guide names in the comments, If I missed anyone, my apologies!!
Until we meet again, may the memories keep us close..!
Cheers..!
#ConnectLive2025 Meet-ups Connections & celebrations
Can’t wait to hear more stories from this amazing community:cherry_blossom:
hope to have many more in future !