I have to confess. I waited for too long to write this post. When I got the email with the invitation to submit my application for the Local Guides gathering, we still had the freedom - the freedom to walk around, visit our favorite places, take our kids to playgrounds, make reviews on Google Maps, answer questions other people had, simply enjoy the beautiful weather. And now, when I am writing this, we are locked down in our house, and can go outside only to buy groceries or medicine.
This really struck me not only because I have to finish this post before the deadline, but also because I once again realized a simple truth that we often do not value what we have until we loose it.
This applies to my experience of being a local guide. I have to confess again. Initially, I did not really take this for serious. I thought of it as another annoying notification I get on my phone. Later, however, I realized that behind every notification, every question I answer, there are real people. And my making a little effort I can help someone, and someone can help me. This is what makes my best highlight of being a local guide. I love helping people. Now when I can’t go outside, I get to value it even more.
Today when I looked at my profile, It was astonishing to realize that I answered more than 2000 questions people had. I love answering peoples questions, and adding new, missing places on the map.
When I think now, what this program means to me, I realize that it brings together what we call “humanity”. Connecting with each other, helping others, enjoying new places, trying new food, socializing - isn’t is something which makes us people. And Local Guides program enables us to be better people in all of those areas. This is what it means to me.
I hope that this situation with the virus will be over soon, and I can get back to normal life, going outside, looking for a places to eat on Google Maps, adding new, missing places, taking thousands of photos and answering (even silly ones) questions people ask on Google Maps!
And as a closing note I would like to post my picture with my daughter, at one of our malls here, where I added a missing information about a cinema, which then has become one my most viewed additions on Google Maps.
