Google Local Guides is more than an app to visit new places. Google Local Guides and google maps has become for me:
1- The place I look for a near gas station when I am in a highway driving like when I drove from Michigan to Miami.
2- The place I look for a hotel when I need a hotel near a particular building or event like it happened two days ago when I went to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, and the hotel was five minutes walking distance.
3- The place where I read reviews of professionals like when I was looking for a driving instructor for my daughter (I found this amazing teacher in Keys in Hand that made all the difference).
4- The place I read some suggestions to places to visit when I am in NYC. Some of the local guides have great suggestions.
5- The place I look for pictures (satellite pictures) of my country and city of origin when I am missing being there.
6- The place I do some “investigation,” when I receive advertisement mail that appears fishy.
7- The place I look to understand the fires in California, specially in Malibu.
8- The place I ask for directions when I am going to new addresses.
9- The place I calculate distances from point A to B to plan my trip.
10- The place that gives me traffic update and modify my route has needed while driving.
11- The place that guide me when I am walking in NYC, and it could be at the street level or Subway.
But more than all of the data, Google Local Guides has given me the opportunity to take pictures with a mission. And in doing so, it has enriched my life immensely. With a simple phone, and the objective to share the places I go, the action to take those simple pictures has given me the opportunity to stop and be in the moment.
That appreciation of time, of place, of light, make the ubiquitous sometimes magic, like when today, I took a picture of Interlochen Arts Academy cafeteria as the sun was coming transforming the simple cafeteria into an endearing place.
Without my commitment to take pictures to share to in Google Local Guide, that action would have never happened.
So in the end, by giving, I am enriching my life immensely, one picture at the time.