I believe my life was starting to change in that moment, when I’ve opened an invitation email to Connect Live 2018.
Let me tell you what happened since that and What’s the most interesting thing I’ve done as a Local Guide?
And then I discovered Connect! It open up a whole new world to me! OMG! It’s so great!!! New Friends! The global community of friends, who are passionate about the Local Guides program, share their experience and knowledge, and help each other and other people around. I made a lot of new friends here. I’ve never known another such amazing community! I became part of that!
Life-changing experience of Connect Live 2018!!! Words can’t describe how awesome that was! I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat from early morning until late at night! Connection with friends old and new at the 24/7, live interaction with Googlers, training sessions in Google Headquarters, learning, idea exchanging, knowledge sharing, Fisherman’s Wharf photo walk, selfies, souvenirs and gifts from Google, night walking with enjoying iconic San Francisco landmarks, completely fantastic parties and our big colorful G together in Google Plex!
Right before the start of Connect Live 2018, I attended Pre-Meetup Clean The World - Connect Live 2018 Edition.
It was my first experience of attending a Local Guides meetup! Meetup with 28 Local Guides from different corner of the World to Clean The World! Connect Moderators guided us about. I first knew spirit of Local Guides Clean the World initiative. Super exciting and ice-breaking meet-up just before CL2018!
During Connect Live 2018 I learned many important things about Google Maps: how to contribute better, improving photo contribution, 360 photo, creating list, about community building and Accessibility on Google Maps. Definitely, I came back home as a whole new person, a whole new Local Guide!
Motivated, excited, charged!
It was just the beginning! Everything keeps continue!
2nd EuroMeetup in Ghent, Belgium It was amazing Live Local Guides connection, Alumni Reunion, making new and offline meeting with old Local Guides friends all over Europe, knowledge sharing, contributing … and of course drinking beer!
Accessible 360 Kyiv Miniatures Meetup There was live connection #TeamUkraine for exploring Accessibility features in Kyiv, idea exchanging, making plans for the future and just having great fun!
So exciting to meet my Ukrainian LGs friends for the first time offline! Greetings to you, my dear teammates!
1st Ukrainian Women LG Summit in Chernihiv,Ukraine Amazing Knowledge exchanging and Valuable Community building experience! I made a lot of Local Guides friends around whole Ukraine. Just unbelievable, I met Local Guides from my hometown! We didn’t know each other before and at once became close friends. Now we are generating many interesting plans and realizing them together.
There were outstanding 2 days and 4 fantastic meetups Italian Dolce Vita More Than Wine Meet-up in Treviso My dream about live connection with #TeamItaly and visit Treviso came true!!!
It was awesome meetups with CL2019 Alumni just after Connect Live 2019! Super exciting chance to recharge from them! Super fantastic celebration of LGs friendship!
Simply before meetups in Treviso I was happy having amazing Italy Exploring meet-ups with my friends: Venice Pre Italian Dolce Vita Meet-up with my #TeamUkraine friends to enjoy fabulous Venice and Mini CL2018 Alumni Reunion in Vicenza to delight the amazing Vicenca’s architecture and red wine, in a warm LGs friends company.
During these colorful meet-ups in live discussions and knowledge sharing about Local Guides Program I learned many interesting things and got great inspiration from my Local Guides friends. I don’t forget to contribute - upload photos, write detailed reviews, identify and add to Maps Accessibility facilities, edit places, answer questions to Google Maps!
Just before Treviso Wine Meetups I had an amazing opportunity to share about Local Guides Program and Global Local Guides initiative Local Guides Clean the World project with attendees of the regional environmental event during The Black Sea Day in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Especially it was super exciting to me, because I was involved in this event not as a scientist and researcher. I was invited as a Local Guide, the Connect Live 2018 Summit Alumni!
Inspired by my Local Guides friends I started hosting meetups in my home city and other places that I visit.
My first meetup 36 Walk Mykolaiv-UA was a solo walking, anyone didn’t joined me.
But I didn’t give up! I tried again in Tallinn and my next attempt beсame successful!!!
I made new friends Local Guides there! This meetup had an international composition of Ukrainian and Estonian Local guides. We spent fantastic Sunny Day in Tallinn in friendly company and fabulous sceneries of the Old Tallinn!
We had interesting conversation with sharing knowledge and experience. I caught many interesting features from Estonian Local Guides and they got my hints and tips, we shared our passion to make edits on Google Maps.
Of course, when I was again in Tallinn during the fabulous Christmas time, I could not resist of Enjoying the Christmas Spirit in Tallinn I hosted a meetup there! It was bright, beautiful, fabulous! We were walking around the Christmas Market, enjoying the Christmas Spirit and we took a lot of wonderful pictures.
Surely, we didn’t forget about our mission as a Local Guide - uploading photo, writing reviews, editing and answering questions!
From Connect Live 2018, I’ve grown aware of the importance of adding Accessibility information to Maps. I learned how to make Maps more Accessible for everyone and everywhere - for elderlies, people with disabilities, parents with kids. I’m focused on it. I explore places for ramps, elevators, wheelchairs accessible parking, entrances etc. to collect and add Accessibility information to Maps. I share my knowledge with the community to create Accessibility awareness.
I hosted Accessibility Walk and Knowledge Sharing Meetups:
Accessible Mykolaiv WAW2019 Meetup as a part of to the WAW2019 Local Guides campaign.
Accessible Mykolaiv Knowledge Sharing Meetup to create Accessibility awareness among school students.
Accessible Tallinn Meetup. Exploring T1 Mall of Tallinn to identify accessibility features and add them to make the map of Tallinn more inclusive. You can check my review of T1 Mall of Tallinn here.
Let’s Map Mykolaiv! Mapping & Accessibility Walk Meetup to explore the City Center Shopping Mall for mapping Accessibility [Recap is in process].
Nowadays, I moved my meetups activities into virtual space.
I feel Excited and Inspired about the 1st Ukraine Virtual Meetup which I hosted! It was my first experience of community connection such amazing way. Local Guides from different corners of Ukraine, as well as those who are now abroad, joined our lively conversation online. I’m happy that Local Guides have great enthusiasm to virtual meetups!
A couple days ago I attended a wonderful global meetup It’s time to keep connected Outstanding connection with Local Guides from different continents. I’m really enjoyed lively discussion and experience sharing. Can’t wait to repeat such amazing experience again!
Hosting meetup is amazing way to make new friends, sharing passion to Local Guide program, learning, experience and knowledge exchanging, keep live connection with the community and just have a fun!
If you visit my Connect page, you’ll see that most of my posts are Meetup Announcements and Meetup Recaps, because, the most interesting thing I’ve done as a Local Guide is hosting Meetups!
See you soon,
Jane
Local Guide from Ukraine
As a friend I always have good wishes for you, and now again I m wishing you best of luck for your Connect Live Application 
), and hope to see you again soon.
