Let’s celebrate Connect’s birthday together

[Ority]

Update 8/3/2023: We have awarded the Connect challenge badge to everyone who answered at least two of the prompts below. Thank you all for your participation and the beautiful memories shared. See you in the next challenge!

Update 8/2/2023: Thank you so much everyone for celebrating Connect’s birthday with us and your friends in the community! We will soon start awarding the Connect challenge badge to everyone who answered the prompts below. Please allow us some time as we go through all your wonderful comments!

On July 15, Connect turns 7! Thanks to our dedicated community, it has been seven years of fun, discoveries, and building friendships; an incredibly meaningful journey.

To celebrate Connect’s birthday — and all of you! — we invite you to share in the comments below:

• What’s your favorite memory since you joined Connect?
• Something you learned here?
• Optional: Tag a friend you’ve made through Connect so they can join our challenge, too!

Everyone who participates before July 31 will receive the new Connect challenge badge.

Even if you already have the badge, don’t miss the chance to participate as we’ve prepared a surprise for the Local Guides who win three challenges on Connect.

So let’s take a trip down memory lane together. Share a favorite memory, something you learned thanks to Connect and tag a friend in the comments by July 31 to get your new badge.

And why not join some of the amazing meet-upsour community is doing to celebrate Connect? Kudos to @KashifMisidia for kicking off the party!

[ATif4aHMAd]

Hey guys

. … From the bottom of my heart I wish local guide committee A very HAPPY 7th ANNIVERSARY . I hope this committee would work like that in future also

Again Happy 7th Anniversary to all the of Google GC…

[SholaIB]

Hurray!!! @Ority

Thank you for always sharing these good news and inspiring us. Happy 7th Birthday to connect. I want to jump in first to be the first to wish connect a hearty 7th birthday. I’ll like to say thank you to all Googlers in general we love you all.

Thank you to all our fellow local guides for reading the posts(My posts) for different comments criticisms etc. It’s made us interact better and improve our communication skills. Thank you to all my fellow CMs It’s been fun working together these last few months. Thank you for your co-operation and assistance always.

Now question number one,what’s your favourite memory since you joined connect?

• This is a very hard one because I have lots of them since joining connect. Nevertheless I’ll say the one to use or choose for this experience is My guiding stars experience and gift !!! . It’s one thing to be a guiding star it is another thing to be featured among the guiding stars. I had a good laugh and teasing from others about my cartoon image. Lol. It was a wow experience,me with other local guides in Nigeria enjoying an ice cream in a meet-up.
• 

Question number 2 something you leaned here on connect?

• Again lots of things here,hard to know which one to choose. I have learned good communication skills. Writing a post,replying to post,Interactions with Googlers. Polite respectful communications. I have improved my photography skills etc **Now the ones I love most is that I learned to use the Hyperlink in a post. ErmesT again here on connect and to embed photos using the HTML code thanks to ErmesT **I love those skills. For instance my upcoming meet-up on Saturday 15th TRAC-celebrates-LGCB-meet-up and also TRAC’s gift foe connect 7th birthday.

Question number 3 tag a friend you have made through connect so they can join our challenge too

• A friend did you say!?. I have lots of friends here some of them are not active anymore on connect Austinelewex and MukulR for instance. Anyway I’ll always love you all @TusharSuradkar @KashifMisidia a close buddy and friend @MrFreez @SamsonS @MrLabule

I’ll not forget my Hard working TRAC members. especially @LovePathak28 @MarcoDavoli @Rakshi2 @ogewuru my main men on connect,much love to you all. Please join the challenge and get the party going. Lastly don’t forget to join TRAC. Lol !!!

Happy birthday connect @ 7 !!!

Cheers

[Annaelisa]

@Ority

Herzliche Glückwünsche zum 7. Geburtstag!!!

Das Beste hier erhält man hilfreiche Informationen und im Notfall auch Hilfen,

Danke dafür

Liebe Grüße Anna

[HASHIM_AK]

Wow.Its great know that connect has turned 7.I very glad to become a part of connect.I got more friends and more information about local guides from connect.

Happy 7th Birthday to connect .

@Ority

[Maximilianozalazar]

@Ority que gran post! Felices 7 años

@KashifMisidia es un gran anfitrión!

Ufff!! Aprendí un montón de cosas como por ejemplo mejorar las reseñas en Google Maps (antes eran cualquier cosa), en Connect también como hacer los post, mejorarlos para que tengan más llegada a otros local guide, las temáticas que uno elije y principalmente las quedadas que se organizan dentro de la comunidad.

Es el momento donde se comparten un montón de cosas y se disfrutan al máximo!

Los recuerdos son muchos pero siempre me gusta recordar el primer meet que realice tenía unos nervios, ansiedad y ver qué podía pasar pero con el apoyo de la comunidad resultó genial!

Por suerte hice muchos amigos que estarán felices de participar @Jesi @Cecilita @Mc_Germi @TheCrisSandoval @pablosamela @EugeGallardo @matigfv @CamilaPardo

[KamalHossenR]

Happy 7 Year Birthday Connect

Hi @Ority

Thank you so much for giving us a wonderful opportunity to share our memories with everyone on the occasion of the Seventh Year Celebration of Connect.

What’s your favourite memory since you joined Connect?

From joining Local Guides Connect till today I have tons of memories which I will never forget and it’s really hard to pick one out of them but I am sharing these memories which are my most favourite.

It is truly unforgettable and the joy of it is indescribable.When I received the gifts that Google gave me as a Guiding Star, I was truly overjoyed.

Caption: Local Guides Kamal Hossen Rana is sitting on a table holding a jacket with five stars in his hand and on his right side is a water bottle, a diary and other items of gift that he has received as a gift from Google as a Guiding Star 2021.

On January 29, 2021, during COVID-19, I took an initiative to help small businesses and hosted a Meet-up. There Mukur Rahman came from Dhaka to participate in the Meet-up. The Meet-up time was in the afternoon and he reached Barishal in the morning so we went around with him to different places of interest in Barishal and had a lot of fun.

And in the afternoon we participate in Meet-up activities, our Meet-up is completed through various contributions and drop him in Barisal to Dhaka launch he leaves for Dhaka.

Caption: 6 local guides pose for a photo in front of a banner and the banner reads A Supporting Small Business, the building in the background is the main building of Barishal University.

In continuation of my initiative Support Small Business on 20 August 2021 I hosted another Meet-up at Barishal’s traditional floating guava market in Vimruli.

The day of that Meet-up will be memorable for me because we enjoyed the beauty of the area along with various contributions from google maps and we bathed there together and had a lot of fun.

Caption: Some Local Guides are standing in front of a banner holding a sticker with the Local Guide logo and the banner reads Support Small Business in Vimruli.

Something you learned here?

Yes! In addition to cherished memories, Connect is a significant source of learning. As a Local Guides, I learned how to improve my contribution to Google Maps by fellow Local Guides and Google Moderators at different times.

On the other hand, I discovered a wealth of knowledge, insight and perspective that broadened my horizons. From discovering hidden gems in unfamiliar cities to learning about diverse cultures and cuisines, Connect is a constant source of inspiration. The collective wisdom of our community has enlightened me on topics ranging from photography tips to sustainable travel practices, enriching my understanding of the world we live in.

[helga19]

Thank you @Ority for sharing this news!

I am so glad to be a part of this community.

I was happy to take part in Europe Meet Up I in Krakow, Euro Meet Up II in Ghent.It great to have a lot of friends all over the world.

Every time I know a lot of useful information from the Local Guides Community.

Happy 7th Birthday to Connect!

[wahyu_pratamabwi]

What a wonderful 7 years of Local Guides Connect. Well, my best memories in here is that we can share easily with others about so many things as a local guide. I also learned about writing my journey about something descriptively to enhanced and inspired other guides in this forum. Keep spirit to all guides worldwide!

[AnikSetyawati]

Hi @Ority

Thank you for sharing your happiness to celebrate connect’s birthday this time.

The memory that I can’t forget since joining is, my insight has opened to the global world, because at Connect we can meet and Connect with friends from all over the world who have the same interests and sharing information and knowledge tirelessly and for free.

And recently I got a new offline Local Guides friend from Germany and he contacted me via private message on connect. So that we can meet and exchange stories in person when he visits to Indonesia.

One of the things I can learn from Connect is that differences are not a barrier for us to mingle and learn with foreigners and to respect and value the various differences that exist because at Connect the members come from across countries which is very beautiful. We can unite in harmony.

thanks to @PaDeSSo @Nyainurjanah and my World Female Local Guides bestie,all the best for us

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU CONNECT”

[Mohdmohdaljaman]

@Ority تحيه لك ولجميع الفريق معك.من يتعب ويواصل الليل والنهار لحل ومساعدة إخوانه الادلاء.لحل مشكله وكل صعوبه تواجههم.الحقيقه عملي هذا عرفني على كثير من الناس.وكنت اسعد عندما انشر للمساعده

[AdamGT]

It most certainly has been an incredibly meaningful journey Ority. A birthday challenge? Yay!!!

1. Favorite memory since I joined Connect?
   This was some 3 years ago when I first discovered that I wasn’t the only Local Guide whose star photo, my most viewed photo, wasn’t necessarily my best photo, in fact it was far from it. So began my journey of exploring, discovering and sharing…this totally changed my thinking about my Maps contributions.

2. Something I learned here?
   Having been dealing with Local Guides here on Connect, and from some 80 different countries, I’ve learned to be a lot more patient, tolerant and understanding of the many cultural and language differences of my fellow Local Guides. I also learned to appreciate the challenges that many Local Guides had guiding in the smaller countries, towns and villages of the world.

3. Tag a friend I’ve made through Connect
   Now this is a really tough one as honestly I have made hundreds from all over the world so I couldn’t possibly tag just one. However, luckily, I only recently listed them all here, here, here, here and here and I’m sure that most, if not all of them will join this challenge! Now if I forgot to tag you my friend, then here’s a link that you can use to be added to my list of friends from all over the world

[bobbyprabawa]

Senang sekali bisa merayakan ulang tahun 7 tahun Google Local Guide di Belswisshotel. It’s a pleasure joint with google local guide.

[Nuga_72]

@Ority thank you for information…

[DeeDesty]

Thank you for announcement @Ority

I am ready to join the 7th Anniversary Connect Birthday

I still remember when The first time I try to post on Connect and don’t know how to do it…

One time, I call my friend and I need 1 hour to post on the LG Connect!

I am feeling grateful that I have amazing friends who always help and support me @AnikSetyawati @Zuhralc and of course @KashifMisidia .

I wish after the 7th celebration Anniversary ends, we can see more Bogor Local Guide posting and active on LG Connect!

[MahabubMunna]

I’m proud to be a beta tester on the Local Guides Connect forum, I have a lot of memories from the past seven years, but I’ll share some of them here.

1. What’s your favorite memory since you joined Connect?

Answer: End of this post.

2. Something you learned here?

Answer :

From connect forum I have learned the diversity of writing and presenting one’s activities and country’s culture and various issues through writing, making friendships as well as creating community networks, discussing and solving map-based problems,

As a result, more than 220 meet-ups have been organized in some countries inside and outside Bangladesh, I Achieved some awards like Guiding Star Meet Up Champion and many more, I have learned a lot from my foreign friends about how to work virtually for benefit of others selflessly

Local Guides Archive Series

• Local Guides archive Series 1 : [ Review ]
• Local Guides archive Series 2 : [ Community Official & Unofficial ]
• Local Guides archive Series 3 : [ Community Moderator and Hangout ]
• Local Guides archive Series 4 : Meetup[Apply-Publish-Feedback ]
• Local Guides archive Series 5 : Connect 1.0 & 2.0
• Local Guides archive Series 6: Exclusive Badge

3. Optional: Tag a friend you’ve made through Connect so they can join our challenge, too!

@AbdusSattar @Bishnu_Modhu @GaziSalauddinbd @MehadeHasan @Papel_Mahammud @MohammadPalash @rashedul-alam @AnuradhaP @DrShaunak

I shared some of my favorite moments here

A group photo of Connect Day Bangladesh’22 Meetup

A picture of connect live 19 experience share meetup organized back home after participating in connect live '19

[SunMoon]

@Ority thank you so much.

[nurealam123]

Thank you for the update.

[NasimJ]

Happy 7th Birthday Local Guide Connect.

It’s a very special day for all of the local guides who are regularly contributing to Google Maps and Local Guides Connect to make it more useful.

I’m a traveler and event organizer. So morning to duck I need to depend on Google Maps and after visiting any place this story I share in Connect.

• I have lots of memories after joining Connect, especially last year I attend Connect Day meetup, which is arranged by Bangladesh Local Guide. I met lots of local guide brothers, who came from different parts of Bangladesh.

• I learned lots of things from the local guides Connect. I have a deep interest in history, ancient things, and museums. I love to explore new places and like to taste any new restaurant food. So in Connect, I read lots of posts about those.

If any times and I face any problems, I post about them in Connect and got solutions.

• @MohammadPalash , @UmmeB you can also share your thought.

Thank You @Ority

Happy birthday Local Guides Connect.

#bdlg, #localguidesbd, #bangladeshlocalguide

[MahbubIslam]

@Ority

The Challenge you made for us to celebrate the 7Years of Connect is really Good and we hope to participate in this challenge.

Thanks agin.

1: My favorite memories after joining Local guide connect are many and all of them revolve around the contribution of Bangladesh Local Guide Community. To be honest, all I know about Connect is from Bangladesh Local Guide Community.

My favorite and best memory is that I was selected Guiding Star by Google in 2022 which is the best achievement of my life.

The gift I received at Connect Day 22 Meetup was the the 2nd gift I received from google. and I was very surprised and very happy.

2 : I learned a lot from here. One of them is networking, communication, traveling and many other things that have encouraged me to help people along with my self development.

3: @Rumonrumon

Mahbub Islam

Guiding Star