This is my application post for Connect Live 2020. The topic I chose is the following:
What is the most interesting thing you’ve done as a Local Guide?
Let me tell you a story…
I’ve just arrived in downtown San Francisco and left my luggage in the hostel. I started to walk towards Chinatown to grab something to eat and then I texted @DianaTuaty . We had never met before, just a few interactions on social media, she’s from Venezuela and I’m Mexican. Diana told me everyone was in an ice cream shop just a few blocks away from where I was. I nervously walked in and lots of the Connect Live 2019 attendees were there, people from all over the globe. I didn’t really know what to say, just a friendly salute and I quickly spotted the rest of the Latinos.
We continued to ramble in the beautiful streets of San Francisco, we were lucky to have such nice weather for mid-November. It was a walk organized by Paul. It ended on Pier 39 with most of us enjoying a much deserved cold beer. All the personalities started to flourish and as English stopped being our main language, now friendship and laughter took over.
Diana and I had lots of common interests, the main one is food. I told her about this amazing oyster bar across town that I was eager to check out, without knowing me, she accepted the invitation and in the midst of white wine, clam chowder and oysters began our awesome friendship that continues today. Our dinner at Hog Island Oyster Co was incredible, it was just the appetizer for what was coming ahead.
Sunday, November 10 was one of the greatest days of my life.
Diana and I agreed to continue our quest for more foodie experiences. It all started and Eight AM, not precisely at that time, that’s the name of the restaurant she chose for breakfast. She had some toasts and eggs and I chose some gravlax and bagels. Fulfilling our soul and bellies. We now had to move a little bit and start working on making space for the next meal that was coming.
We started to walk toward the Palace of Fine Arts, the map said 40 minutes, a fair amount of time. We passed the Ghirardelli Factory, some huge parks where many people were practicing sports, running or riding bikes. It was a sunny morning in the bay, I don’t want to speak for Diana but I come from a very hot place on Earth. I was wearing layers and layers of clothing, never did I expect warm temperatures; that plus the good pace in which we were walking made me sweat a lot. I was on the verge of self-destruction until we arrived at the beautiful building and started the mandatory photoshoot the place deserves.
Diana and I laid down for a while before continuing our San Francisco experience, we headed to the Painted Ladies for another session of photos and ended up in Height Ashbury for our second meal of the day. We ate at this amazing greek restaurant and had some salad, gyros and of course, some beer to relax. We walked, talked about life, our experiences as Local Guides in our countries and caught the sunset at a rooftop bar called Charmaine’s, a bit posh but worth the amazing view.
More fellow local guides met us there, some Italians, Brazilians and our friend Stephen from Belgium. Fast forward a couple of hours and we were listening to live blues music in a bar I don’t remember the name.
So what does all this have to do with being a Local Guide? Everything, I wouldn’t be able to even have the chance of meeting all the wonderful humans featured in the story and many more. I first started only making food and drink reviews, but after knowing other attendees I realized there are many more ways I can help on Google Maps. Mapping the streets, reviewing facts, putting new places on the map and curating my previews reviews. That’s the technical part of it.
It is amazing and mesmerizing when you enter a room filled with another 199 persons from every corner of Earth with the same expectations, energy, and emotion as you. It is difficult to describe.
Meeting a fantastic person as Diana on my first day of the trip, sharing a full day with her without really knowing each other and ending up with other young Local Guides in the middle of California is without a doubt my best experience as a Local Guide. We continue to text each other frequently, our love for food and restaurants became the start of a lifelong friendship.
I knew I made an impact when many excited friends called me to tell me they applied to Connect Live 2020, we share our reviews and points of view. That’s what is all about: an evergrowing community.
!
I am so happy I got to know you! That day was amazing as well as all the time we spent together. I wish I could go back to that moment to live it all again.
). I miss you SO much!