A few days ago I was thinking to myself that if this was a normal year we’d be learning which of us would be going to Connect Live by now, sadly because of our wonderful new friend Covid there will not be an event for 2021 (see the post by @TraciC ). I thought perhaps I might share a few memories of the excitement of being chosen for the original Summit That event metamorphosed into the event we know today as Connect Live. Being one of the OG was an intense privilege that I still remember to this day and get goosebumps thinking about it.
The first time I was a second choice, an unfortunate fellow Local Guide from Melbourne was unable to travel and I got a message about 2am my time only weeks before the Summit asking if I would like to take that person’s place. I don’t know why, but something woke me up and made me check my email within moments of it hitting the inbox on that fateful morning when I should have been sound asleep. Naturally I said yes and there began a wonderful story of meeting a wonderful group of 75 people many of whom are enduring friends today.
This was the first time the Local Guides team had put on an international event and it was simply amazing. The event wasn’t polished like they are now, but even the little things here and there that we shared that weren’t quite to plan made it special. During the event we became a family. We all had a wonderful time and on the last day we began the tradition of not wanting to leave our new found family and go home. The first event known as The Local Guides Summit was held in downtown San Francisco and included venues in our The Grand Hyatt, the San Francisco Google Offices, various places around town and of course the Googleplex finishing with a party at a bowling alley in The Mission District.
Paul Pavlinovich And TraciC on one of the small chairs at Googleplex
It was the first time I had met Traci in person - so good to meet the person who had been on the other end of so many hangouts. I hope no one at home sees that neat beard… what a contrast to the bushy drop bear of today!! I might get chased around with scissors.
Somehow I ended up on a Panel
Somehow I ended up on a panel with four other Local Guides talking about Maps and the program. This was an amazing experience and there were certainly plenty of butterflies going on during the lead up to this. I had thought of and worked out answers in advance to so many questions I thought we might be asked, but did I have an answer for the one I was given? Well no, but winging it worked out ok :). Sadly the hat you see in that photo on the right was lost in a Mexican Cantina (with the most amazing Chilli Relenos) but there was a new hat for the next year.
Kim Flowers fellow Melbourne Local Guide
My travel buddy was a good mate that I’d known for about 4 years at the time of the Summit, Product Expert Kimmy @KimmyF . Kim had been to previous Google events and was full of helpful information on what to expect. I already knew San Francisco having lived in the Bay Area for about four years but Kim was instrumental in helping me feel comfortable on the lead up to the event.
The event gave me a renewed passion for Local Guides, at the time of that event I was a Level 5, as was everyone else there as this was the minimum level for the event but also the highest level in Local Guides at that time. The new levels came in some time later. The passion, drive and wonder of the people around me as we learned just how much impact we were personally having on our community spurred me on to become the Level 10 that I am today. Many of the ideas raised at that inaugural event have appeared in Maps and in Local Guides in the years since.
I can trace back many of my friendships to this event and the ones that followed. The events have built a network of wonderful people around the world. I know that no matter where I go in the world, I only have to reach out a hand and it will be accepted by a Local Guide. I know this because around the world I now have hundreds of sisters and brothers who are my family, my Local Guides family.
So while I’m sad that for the second year running there is no Connect Live for 2021 I can look back on my memories and I can continue interacting with the wonderful people around me and know that someday in the future there will again be a time for another grand event and people from around the world will gather and become a new family. I can dream that perhaps I might once again be one of the lucky few who get to go along.
I think I’ve made the event sound too serious… perhaps I should mention the Tiki Bar with the volcano… on second thoughts perhaps not. What happens at the event stays at the event ;). So how to end? Well, once upon a time in a near future there will be more. Look forward to it. Strive to be the best Local Guide you can be and have a positive impact on your community. There are so many awesome role models here on Connect. Check them out, find someone that fits your vibe and reach out to them.
Paul