Hello Google Local Guides community!
I am writing this post since I’m applying to the Google Local Meetup event. I almost never participate in lotteries, but I really like the idea of such an event, and I really like to join this community, not just by the virtual me, but also by the real me. Btw, do you guys know whether we’re allowed to go there by our own? I remember I’ve been reading through the event’s details, but I don’t remember whether it’s allowed or not.
Sharing something special on Google Maps… Uhm, I cannot say I love sharing something special. Although what I like is how good Google is at motivating me to add my photos to Maps. And by the motivation I don’t mean this lottery with the Local Guides Connect Event (which is a great idea by itself!), but with its algorithms to ask me for the photos to share. I make photos very often, and I love taking photos in general. When I visit a place, especially a place of some officials, especially in authoritarian regimes, I add their working hours and other info that may be useful for others. At first I was thinking I would love to save that information somewhere, and when I found out I can add it to Google Maps, then I realized how cool is that, to collectively overcome difficulties (anywhere, ha, but here I mean the places on maps).
After living in such states I noticed they are highly bureaucratic and poorly managed, especially their officials. There are even the places where making things complicated is the only way of officials to work. E.g. Russia and their USSRish satellites.
Google Maps clarifies so many things about the place: office hours, some reviews, how popular the place is at particular time, etc. etc. What I love about it is the anonymity: in some places telling the truthful (but helpful!) review may help others so much! I don’t know whether the owner of the place (or the person who added the place, if it’s not a business) can remove the review they don’t like, but if not (if it’s removal is reviewed for inappropriate content first) than it’s great. I think that is a crucial detail for some regions.
Questions about accessibility on Maps is what makes me very sad, since that is a topic not many care about in the countries I lived my entire life. I hope we’ll change it for better any soon! Maybe with the help of Maps, since people start questioning the environment around them, after they were questioned by a robot first.
What I absolutely love is how the community gets better and better at making things better! You are all great! Keep going! See you one day! Cheers! 
Ah, and I love to make photos, illustrations and work with visuals: maybe I can use my skills to improve the guides somehow?