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 Omer (@OmerAli). Omer lives in Penang, Malaysia, and speaks Urdu, Punjabi, and English.
Name: Omer Ali
Location: Originally from Pakistan, currently living in Penang, Malaysia
What I love about being a Local Guide: The most interesting part about being a Local Guide is that the more actively you contribute on Google Maps and Connect, the more you become a global citizen. One thing I have always appreciated about this program is that people from different walks of life come together to uncover the missing facts and connect the dots in their communities. I also love that Connect is a religion, race, and politics neutral platform.
I’ve made over 300 friends from different corners of the world who have the same passion as me.
Why I’m a Connect Moderator: Being able to welcome newcomers, help Local Guides with my expertise, and engage the community in friendly challenges has become my priority on Connect. Even before being selected as a Connect Moderator, I have always tried my best to add a positive element to discussions and guide members while staying polite.
My favorite things to explore: I’m obsessed with architecture and I can’t resist taking photos as soon as I enter a new town or city. I particularly love to explore places of worship, piers, and skyscrapers.
My favorite type of contribution(s) to make on Google Maps: I love taking and sharing pictures. I love taking photos of food in particular because I’m a foodie who loves to try food from around the world. I love writing reviews, too, and my priority are restaurants, fast-food and street-food joints.
I also love to check facts and add missing information as it makes me proud that my contributions might help someone in need. Being a foreigner in a land where I don’t speak the language, I rely on Google Maps all the time. Getting correct information such as website and phone number, makes me a secret admirer of the Local Guide who added it, which, in turn, motivates me to carry on doing the same.
Languages I read/speak/write fluently: Urdu is my native language and Punjabi is my mother tongue. I am fluent and take pride in speaking these languages. I’m also fluent in English, I can read Korean, and I’m actively learning Bahasa Malaysia. Thanks to Google Translate and my awesome Local Guide friends from Spanish-speaking countries, I spend my weekends practicing Spanish. My level? Well, let’s say, “apenas puede leer, escribir o hablar.”
Places I’d like to visit: There are two places that I’d like to visit:
- Mecca. Being a Muslim, I’d love to visit this holy place to perform my duties and find myself.
- Jerusalem. There’s so much history, religious and cultural value attached to this holy land. Though my current passport doesn’t allow me to go there, I wish that one day I will wake up to see a border-free world with nothing to share but peace and love.
I also want to see the northern lights, no matter where: Alaska, Norway, or Iceland. I’ve been dreaming about them ever since I can remember.
Fun fact about me: There are so many things, but I’ll share just a few. First, I’m super camera shy. I never took selfies before Connect Live 2018, when I managed to take over 100 selfies. At Connect Live 2019, I set the bar to 300!
Second, I witnessed the rise of the Internet and GIFs during the early 90s. I’m so obsessed with GIFs that I find excuses to design GIFs/stickers for the web, social media, and my fellow Local Guides. If you search for “Lets Guide/Local Guides/Connect Live/LocalGuidesConnect” on Instagram or Snapchat, you’ll find many stickers designed by me.
Lastly, I’m currently in the second year of my Ph.D. and I love fixing and building things. I’m creating my own low-cost 360 camera rig.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know @OmerAli. 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?
Learn more about Sumaiya in January 2020
Learn more about Steve in December 2019
Learn more about Jordan in November 2019
Learn more about Torben in October 2019
Learn more about Hiroyuki in September 2019
Learn more about Jesi in August 2019
Learn more about Alejandra in June 2019
Learn more about Adrian in May 2019
Learn more about Gregg in January 2019
Learn more about Stephen in November 2018
Learn more about Paul in October 2018
Learn more about Sonia in August 2018
Learn more about Nunung in July 2018
Learn more about Shirley in June 2018
Learn more about Farid in April 2018
Learn more about Ludwig in March 2018
Learn more about Karen in February 2018
Learn more about Ivan in January 2018
Learn more about Ermes in December 2017
Eres una de las personas más maravillosas que conocí a través del programa. Simpático, alegre, inteligente y amable. Me encantan los gifts que hiciste para mí. Fueron el mejor de los regalos!.
I also didn’t know you can read korean! That’s awesome.