Hello Connect Family!
I hope you are all doing wonderful.
Last month, in May, I quietly celebrated a major personal milestone: 9 years of being deeply in love with the Local Guides Connect community. Looking back, an astonishing fact stands out, over these nine long years, I have only published 299 posts on Connect. Today, this very write-up marks my 300th post, and I am incredibly proud to dedicate this milestone to a fantastic initiative started by a dear friend!
I couldn’t think of a better occasion for this milestone. Upon the wonderful invitation of my dear friend and senior Local Guide @NareshDarji , I am reflecting on my journey through the #MyConnectCaravan campaign.
Summarizing nearly a decade of memories is no easy feat, as a Urdu writer, I could honestly write an entire book about the beautiful experiences Connect has given me.
First of all, a huge thank you to Naresh for initiating this beautiful campaign to celebrate 10 incredible years of Local Guides Connect. Thank you for tagging and encouraging me to look back. Seeing how far this community has come feels absolutely magical.
When I think of a “Caravan” (or Kaarwaan as we beautifully say in Urdu), I picture a shared journey where travelers hold hands, walk side-by-side, look out for one another, and move together toward a meaningful destination. For the past 9 years, Connect has been exactly that for me, a global caravan of hearts.
How My Caravan Started: From an Angry Review to a Global Campfire
Long before I officially became a Google Maps contributor, I was passionate about photography. However, my photos were trapped on personal social media profiles, seen only by my immediate friends. Google Maps changed that, giving me a massive window to showcase the hidden beauty of my country, Pakistan, to the entire world.
But my introduction to Connect happened in the most accidental, amusing way. Years ago, furious over a bad dining experience, I wrote an “angry review” of a pizza restaurant. Eager to vent, I posted it on Google Maps, personal social media, and somehow, not knowing what the platform was actually for—I dumped it on Connect too!
Naturally, my post was removed. But then, Connect Moderator @ErmesT reached out to me with immense kindness and patience, explaining the true purpose of the forum. That was my turning point. I began observing the community closely and quickly realized that Connect wasn’t a place to dump raw reviews; it was a global campfire where raw stories transformed into lifelong friendships. I started connecting with peers across Pakistan and India, and suddenly, my caravan crossed international borders.
The Growth: From 1 Attendee to 100+ Meetups
When I first discovered the concept of meetups on Connect, I eagerly hosted my very first event in Karachi, Pakistan.
Believe it or not, the only official attendee of that first meetup was my mobile phone camera! 
I stood there alone, but my spirit wasn’t dampened.
I kept moving forward, and slowly, more travelers began joining the caravan.
Today, I can proudly say that I have hosted over 100 meetups spanning 20 different cities across Pakistan and internationally across 7 different countries!
Among these, the most notable highlight was the 
Accessibility Awareness Meetup Series that @JaneBurunina and I co-hosted across multiple countries. When we started, we never imagined it would turn into such a comprehensive and impactful initiative. We connected with Local Guides from different countries and we called these meet-ups Accessible Sri Lanka, Accessible India, Accessible Pakistan, Accessible Bangladesh, Accessible Brazil, and Accessible Latin America. We discussed accessibility contributions on Google Maps and learned a lot from each other.
Today, I can say with immense pride that this series helped us discover so many amazing new Accessibility Champions. Seeing them honor and respect our efforts in their own official Accessibility Champion posts is a feeling that words cannot fully capture.
Milestones followed along the way. I received invitations to Connect Live 2018 and 2019, and though circumstances unfortunately prevented me from traveling to the USA, my cultural gifts reached my global friends, and they showered me with love and tokens in return. Later, being invited twice to Tokyo but missing out due to visa issues taught me resilience.
Yet, seeing my journey as a Local Guide featured in major national and international media outlets like BBC News, Independent UK, and DW Germany made every hurdle worth it.
My Heartbeat: Mentorship & Accessibility Advocacy
As my caravan moved forward, my purpose became crystal clear, defined by two pillars:
1. Mentorship:
My absolute favorite part of this journey is guiding others. Whether it is helping a beginner write high-quality articles on Connect or teaching someone the intricate technical details of updating Google Maps on a voluntary basis, it gives me profound joy. Seeing my mentees cross levels, publish successful posts, and find their unique voice is a reward like no other. On top of that, I genuinely love connecting and interacting with people; I can easily strike up long conversations even with strangers and make new friends in no time. This social nature makes it incredibly easy for me to communicate my ideas effectively, especially when explaining the essence of being a Local Guide.
2. Accessibility Advocacy: Being recognized as an Accessibility Champion by the Google Local Guides team changed my life. This mission is incredibly close to my heart because it is rooted in memories of my late father. I vividly remember the immense struggles we faced trying to access restaurants that lacked ramps. Instead of just complaining, I decided to use Google Maps as a tool for positive awareness.
To me, a caravan cannot move forward if it leaves anyone behind. Every single ramp or accessible entrance we log on the map opens up the entire world for someone else.
Long-Awaited Reunions & Unforgettable Moments
This caravan has allowed me to travel the world and meet souls who are now family. Meeting @OmerAli for the first time in Malaysia, learning alongside Sri Lankan Local Guides, sharing moments in Malaysia with @AdrianLunsong , @Haseeb , @StephenAbraham , @SumaiyaZafrin , @PavelSarwar , and Nabeel, and embracing friends in Indonesia like @indahnuria , @NyaiNurjanah ,@NunungAfuah , @RahmatHarmanP , @Velvel , @Ratri , @DeeDesty , @Ddimitra , @doc_dells @Erna_LaBeau ,@RivaniRahmadani @Radjasitanggang @AndiBrata @RiverDefender @amughits and many more these are the golden days of my life.
More recently, a beautiful reunion and meetup with my dear friend @SwetaDhondoo in Mauritius, followed by meeting @Zuhralc for the first time in Nairobi on my way back, added unforgettable chapters to my book of life. While I still yearn for the day I finally meet the extended @Connect_Moderators family face-to-face, as well as many beloved friends from India and Bangladesh, I remain hopeful that our paths will cross soon.
Tips for the Community
I want to take this opportunity to share the little knowledge I have gained along the way. My goal is to ensure this post isn’t just about my personal story, but something that provides valuable takeaways for all of us.
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Instead of simply chasing points or badges, I always urge fellow guides to focus on high-impact contributions:
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- Add Missing Small Businesses: Bring the tiny, local neighborhood shops into the digital light.
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- Enhance Existing Data: Keep phone numbers, websites, and operational hours perfectly updated.
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- Prioritize Accessibility: Never forget to log ramp and entrance availability. Always remember the slogan Jane and I shared in our meetups: “Add two more lines & some photos about accessibility; by doing this, your review can help thousands of people in your country.”
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- The 1-Kilometer Rule: Look closely within a single kilometer of your home. There are endless opportunities right outside your doorstep to make the map better.
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A tip for local community growth: If you want to boost Local Guides activities in your city, start small. Reach out to a regional radio or local TV station. Share the incredible, unseen impact the community is making behind the scenes. If you pitch your story passionately, media outlets will gladly share it with the world.
And lastly, remember that everyone gets tired. When you feel exhausted, take a few days off, unplug, and recharge. Let your passion bring you back naturally instead of forcing continuous activity.
Passing the Torch
A caravan only thrives when new travelers take the lead. To keep this beautiful chain moving, I am officially passing the torch and tagging some incredible fellow Local Guides to share their own caravans.
I’m tagging along with the above mentioned friends and TravellerG, SwetaDhondoo, ravindus ,indahnuria, Zuhralc, Kumaarsantosh, Sarbland, SharmaK, MSulaiman, Erna_LaBeau, Katarina_Cibikova, SonamW, AnshukMitra, Anil6969, StephenAbraham, AjitThite, PrasadVR, RosyKohli, Globe_trotter_Ish, KamalHossen, Trishatishu, Tejal, SoniaK, SumaiyaZafrin, NyaiNurjanah, NunungAfuah, doc_dells, indahnuria, Sagir, jayasimha78 Gurukrishnapriya, shaileno , OmerAli , MohammadPalash Ssiddharth2000, LightRich
Happy 10th Anniversary, Connect! 
Let’s keep walking, mapping, and changing the world together.
#MyConnectCaravan
for your struggle, hard work and make a community more stronger then before. These year’s are just count but real struggle behind all is impressive.
