This post is in response to the invite by @AnubhaBangia and @KashifMisidia and thanks a lot for that. I am very happy and feel proud in joining #MyConnectCaravan initiated by @NareshDarji
My Connect journey started since 2019. I joined the Local Guides Community through mails I received then. I got welcome message from Connect Moderators by giving guidelines about LG Connect and how to write posts. I started writing posts. My first mentors and motivators in Connect were @DeniGu, @ErmesT, @AdrianLunsong @PaulPavlinovich, @AdamGT , @julian44 who moulded my way of writing posts.
Writing Posts
Many of my posts got global attention. Impressed by the Connect Writing Challenge by AdrianLunsong I started writing posts and thereafter many posts became trending.
This post got interaction and comments as if we were chatting through WhatsApp.
LATEST PHOTOS OF TYPEWRITER ART
I got appreciations and global recognition for my Art works
My posts regarding trees became more trending and I was happy to get more interactions from the readers.
It became a hobby to take up challenges
My next big step is writing a post in Connect to take up the TeamCountry challenge by ErnesT which paved the way in forming #TeamIndia group.
Under the guidance of TravellerG Sir and other senior Local Guides we formed #TeamIndia group to motivate Local Guides to write posts for TeamIndia challenge which was actively participated my many Local Guides.
On the onset of covid, which changed the physical meetups into online meetups. This made us interact with more national and global Local Guides.
#TeamIndia conducted many online meetups like WGS Weekly Grooming Sessions and Knowledge Sharing Meetups which was attended by many International Local Guides also. We celebrated TeamIndia Anniversary Celebrations.
TeamIndia 1st Anniversary Post
Recap of Weekly Grooming Meetup Sessions
I also got the chance that only a few Local Guides got to attend a quiz conducted by AdrianLunsong was really a wonderful experience. This made me meet many Local Guides globally post ccovid.
Attended quiz with @deepakjhic, Vandana, Sanju and Rashmika.
During covid I conducted a meetup RELIEVE THE LOCKDOWN which made the Local Guides to show their Local Art Shops. The participants learnt to make origami Google stars. Cohosts Jose Benjamin, Falguni and Deepak
Interaction with Local Guides made us to become a family. We are closely knitted together.
Meeting Local Guides in person A MOMENT OF JOY
It was when I wrote a post about Kanchipuram Temple, in the initial years a young chap VickyKrish replied me stating that he is from Kanchipuram and thereafter sent me a private message giving his number. That’s the first time I came to know about private messages.
Thus I joined the Chennai Local Guides WhatsApp group.
I got many new friends, I learnt about meetups. I conducted my first meetup with the help and guidance from other Local Guides.
My first ever meetup SPICY SUNDAY was a great experience, around 16 LocalGuides participatd. Here the first time I met Local Guides @Selvamani_R @Jose_G_Benjamin @VickyKrish
First meetup hosted by me.Start of meeting Local Guides
Thus my journey started. I joined many other Local Guides meetups. There I met many senior Local Guides @RtnArulPrakasamT,@JohnPeter, @TravellerG, @aaryesdee @jaisoncbe and many others. I was happy to know from them about Connect in detail. My participation increased rapidly. My husband and Local Guide SreenathP accompanied me in all the physical meetups.
Divine Walk-a meetup of Local Guides
Then the most awaited wonderful Google sponsored meetup Recap of Rock and Learn by RtnArulPrakasamT happened in Chennai. I wasn’t able to participate due too my leg fracture but my husband attended.
Post Covid Meet-ups:
Immediately after partial and restricted relaxation of Lockdown I conducted virtual cum physical meetup first of it’s kind now Hybrid Meetup TravellerG and Deepak as cohosts. Deepak of Chennai was with us in the physical Meetup, while TravellerG interacted with online attendants.
Recap of LGs Help Fishermen’s Businesses
During online meetups many Local Guides became close friends @Anil6969 , @AjitThite Naresh bhai @AmbrishVarshney @Falguni @Tejal @Shrut19 @RosyKohli @Arati_Sindhe, @SharmaKK @TusharSuradkar , @Kumaarsantosh and many others from India Kashif bhai, @doc_dells @Erna_LaBeau @indahnuria @Ddimitra and many others from abroad.
My unforgettable Meetup
I very much longed to see them in person. I attended @NareshDarji meetup. My first outstation meetup was my Vadodara meetup. This gave me opportunity to meet many Local Guides. It was a pleasure meeting them.. I have shared my experiences in the post below. Also I met @Jitendra_pandya ji @VikramSingh_Valera @HinalLad @KetanChhaniyara Anubha and many others
My most favorite moment in my journey is my Connect Live, Bangalore.
CONNECT LIVE, BENGALURU
The much awaited meetup a chance to meet my fellow Local Guides and Googlers @Kristen_NYC @Latika_Malhotra @TinaWill @kevinKwok @David_K and a few Google developers in person. I was very much thrilled to meet them.
I myself personally made 150 Origami flowers with Google colours to present our Local Guides, which took me 2 months to complete.
I have shared my experiences, how I felt happy to see all in one place. It was a dream come true.
Happiness through Connect Live
Moment of happiness. Meeting my favorite buddies.
I not only met my favorite Local Guides but thrilled to meet young Local Guides like @isha, @Rahul001 @SarathUpendran @MathanVibranarayan @SonamW @Manishhh Supriyadevkar, Shreya_Musings, Sagar, Mayuri Khubal, Prince, Gaurav, Shubhangi, Merlin, and to meet our Local Guides and share our experiences which makes our contributions in Maps more valuable.
BENGALURU MEGA MEETUP-MEET AND GREET
After attending Connect Live Bangalore, the next unforgettable Meetup by TravellerG where we could get to know about checking the new features. Really it is of a great help TO WRITING REVIEWS IN GOOGLE MAPS. These are some amazing features in Maps.
All smiles after the meetup.
I had the chance to share my experiences and thoughts to our young Local Guides in Bengaluru. I felt very happy to see my junior members. Here I met my most favorite old friend @SalmaanN and @curatorofmemory
I felt that my journey is incredible and consistently contributing.
SPOTLIGHT SERIES
In The spotlight series challenge by AdrianLunsong I had the privilege to write the first post. This post is a member of #IndiaCommunitySpotlight by curatorofmemory a week-long celebration by #TeamIndia. This post continued in three parts. While writing those posts I proudly say MERA BHARATH MAHAAN. I could resonate with my Country’s Heritage and Culture.
INDIA IS A LAND OF DESTINATIONS
There was another series about writing effective REVIEWS AdrianLunsong and I wrote the post given below.
My reviews are mostly on travel and Places of Interest and what could one expect visiting those places.
KOCHI MEGA MEETUP
Then to encourage our younger Local Guides I attended the Kochi Mega Meetup conduced by Rahul001 and SarathUpendran under the guidance of TravellerG Sir. Another meetup by Sonam Wagde about sustainability. Both meetups were very very informative.
I met many new Local Guides here and old Local Guides as well. . Kochi is a very beautiful place. Utmost importance is given to Accessibility and Sustainability.
After the Mega Meetup we 5 Local Guides, myself Sonam, Rahul, Sarath and Manishh stayed back and explored many parts of Kochi andmade many corrections and additions in Maps.
I conducted Backwaters meetup for stunning photography and also check the Accessibility features. Photography is a memory.
In person Kochi Backwaters Photography Meetup
It gives me immense pleasure to interact with our Local Guides and these unforgettable moments. Also this was the time I got selected in #Spottedonshorts by Youtube shorts and I got help from Sonam. I was one among top 100 contributiors I was invited to an event in Google Ananta, Bangalore.
‘11 of 11’ celebration Meetup
I take pride in cohosting 11 of 11 meet-up by RtnArulPrakasamT as part of 11 year celebrations of Local Guides Community. Our Local Guides, who contributed got T.Shirts with Indian Local Guides logo from the host. It had a tremendous reciprocation from our Local Guides.
Local Guides got this blue color T.Shirts for their contributions.
Below is the recap post. This is different kind of meetup asking Local Guides to post
11 photos in Maps on
11th of February from
11.00 AM to 11.00 PM
11 of 11 PHOTO MEETUP CHALLENGE
Learnt many many things from meeting our Wonderful Local Guides friends.
I AM VERY THANKFUL TO GOD FOR GIVING SUCH A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. WE LOCAL GUIDES WILL STAY CONNECTED FOREVER.
I have many more Local Guides left to be mentioned. Very sorry for not mentioning. Please pardon me.
… you have succeeded 100%…
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