Connect Moderators are Local Guides just like you and me. They apply the knowledge they’ve gained as active members of our community to moderate Connect and help improve the experience for everyone. You may see them welcoming newcomers, explaining the program, answering questions, and sharing their knowledge with others.
Each month, we share some personal insights from one of our amazing Connect Moderators. This month, meet Lalo ( @LaloPadilla ). Lalo lives inToluca, Mexico, and speaks English and Spanish.
Name: Lalo Padilla (my actual name is Luis Eduardo, but Lalo is a nickname for Eduardo)
Location: Toluca, Mexico
What I love about being a Local Guide: At a young age, I saw the transition from paper maps to car GPS (not to brag, but in my family, I was the one in charge of it), and finally to Google Maps. The fact that I can be a part of it and that my contributions help millions of people is one of the best things about being a Local Guide.
In my opinion, belonging to this amazing community is like a chain of favors. Thanks to every Local Guide who shares great stories, experiences, food, photos, and ideas on Connect, I’ve learned so much!
Why I’m a Connect Moderator: I like to welcome newcomers and help them understand how to use Connect [by] sharing tips [on how] they can improve the quality of their contributions and [other] useful information. That way, we can all enjoy Connect to the fullest.
My favorite things to explore: I like to visit museums. They are one of the best ways to learn about a culture. Also, I like seeing places from the highest possible ground. If there are observation decks, I make sure I have time to visit them.
My favorite type of contribution(s) to make on Google Maps: I’ve always liked taking photos of the places I go to, and uploading them on Maps means that they can be helpful to others, [too]. I also like to edit places—the amount of outdated or wrong information is huge. [In my] reviews, I like to highlight accessibility features and include recommendations [on how] to enjoy a place. And, last but not least, [I take] 360 videos for Street View.
Languages I read/speak/write fluently: Spanish and English.
Places I’d like to visit: I’d like to visit New York and L.A., two cities with a lot of places that every movie fan wants to see and take great photos of. Also, Buenos Aires—I’ve learned so much from the Argentina Local Guides, and meeting them will be a great way to discover more about their culture. Dubai is the best place in the world for skydiving, [and I want to go to] London to do the Harry Potter studio tour. Other places I want to visit are Paris, Madrid, Rome, Bora Bora, and why not fly to outer space (once it becomes affordable)?
Fun fact about me: I’m learning German because my favorite TV series is Dark. Last year, when Season 3 premiered, I binge-watched it from 2 a.m., just to avoid any spoilers. I want to watch it without subtitles and understand everything. Another reason is that before COVID-19 started, I was an intern at a German company. I listened to the managers speaking in German and was curious [what they talked about]. Does that count as eavesdropping?
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know @LaloPadilla . Say hi or ask him a question below as he has a lot to share about Google Maps and Connect.
Interested in becoming a Connect Moderator? Learn more here.
Want to learn about other Connect Moderators?
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. Thank you 
, basically I like everything that involves time travel, the next show from Dark director, Baran bo Odar, is in progress, it will be called “1899” and of course I’ll watch it!
, un brindis por este y muchos logros más 
