Being a local guide means exploring new places, giving my take on these places with the knowledge that others would benefit from it as well as having to meet other local guides and making new friends while learning in the process. This in summary is what the local guides program means to me!
Prior to being a local guide, I was always the go to person when it came to reviewing and recommending places to my friends, so much so that when the opportunity came to start improving places on maps, I was happy to join in! On being a local guide, I have learnt how to properly review places with practical examples from other local guides and putting this knowledge to use on maps has been nothing short of exciting.
Exploring one of the two suspended lakes in the world. The Ado Awaye suspended lake is located in Oyo state
Exploring the city has always been something I love to do. Irrespective of where I find myself, the feeling of having conquered the area can never be equated. This, for me, is never about visiting every nook and cranny. It is about locating the tourist sites as well as the hidden gems the city has to offer. It is about finding great food spots irrespective of the kind of meals served. It is about experiencing the hospitality of the city.
One of the organised meetups where I got to learn a whole lot!
Besides having to explore the city, I know how much of a rut I have found myself in in the past due to the fact that I couldn’t find a place or didn’t know what to do or where to go. With the local guide program, I have been helped and have also been able to help others with my words and images to make their explorations so much easier.
Being able to also update the maps with new places gives me a lot of joy as businesses are now seen more than they are heard. Businesses are now more easily located and even after they have changed locations, updating the map to reflect this makes me happy.
Connecting with old friends and making new friends at Connect Live Lagos
In as much updating the maps and reviewing places is fun, nothing beats meet ups! This is when I get to meet up with other local guides, learn from their diverse wealth of knowledge, chill, relax and make new friends. In a city like Lagos, life can sometimes get so busy that interacting with others becomes a chore. Meetups take care of that.