Two months ago I had the opportunity to go to Russia, or more specifically, Moscow. For the ones that have not been there I got to say that the train stations are huge, it takes plenty of time just go under and then you must walk and walk finding the right train line and be sure that you’re in the correct side. And that’s the easiest part. What it’s complicated is to understand the signs, the instructions, the names and not be able to just ask someone. Because everything is in Russian, literally!
In one of my first days in Moscow, I needed to take what I thought was the train so I could go back to my hotel. I had the number, the color, the name, the entry, and the side. And I could see the instructions on the wall about how to get there but since it was in Russian I did not understand it. After two hours or constantly walking and getting into trains, check that my stop was not there and go out (all in a matter of seconds) I gave up, I sat for a moment and started from scratch. By then I knew that there was something wrong because I could not be that bad. And after do a new check-up, the light on my brain went on…
It was not a train, it was a bus! But I did not see it before because I hat not have learned to distinguish between the icon for a train, a bus, and a tram. For me, they were all trains.
I would like to say that this is an isolated event but is not, I have plenty of this type of histories. And that’s exactly why I began to collaborate in Google Maps. I’m a local guide not because I’m inspired by food, nature or a unique love for traveling but because I’m terribly bad with direction and without the help of Maps I would not even dare to explore my own city. So my intention has always been helping to improve the platform that it has saves me and millions of people around the world.
Help others finding exactly what they’re looking for in a simple manner. From making sure that the place still exists, trough verifies the routes, until corroborating the name, number, or reviewing that the food in the menu is still current. Leave a comment about my experience or a photo that someone can use to locate it easily. Any little detail that for me seems irrelevant but for others may be important, I enjoy sharing!
Give out my opinion and answer questions only take a couple of minutes and will help people for years ahead. Will break frontiers and bring us together. So, how cannot be passionate and proud of my job as a Local Guide.
