This week I received an email that reminded me of my journey as a Local Guide. It’s been 9 years since I accidentally clicked “join” and started sharing my experiences on Maps. In the beginning, my contributions were pretty shy. I loved leaving comments about the places I visited, I rarely posted photos, and I didn’t even know you could edit places.
Everything changed in 2019, when I applied for Connect Live 2019 without really knowing what it was. Still, it was exciting to imagine an all-expenses-paid trip to San Francisco. But only those who’ve experienced an event like that truly know how life-changing it can be. It’s much more than a trip. It’s genuinely transformative.
So if you’re wondering whether Connect Live is for you, I encourage you to apply by January 18 using this link. I wasn’t one of the most active contributors in 2019 when I was selected, but the Connect team saw something special in me. Maybe that’s you, too.
Back to my story. Since then, I’ve organized and joined many meet-ups, both online and in person. I have written and replied to hundreds of comments on Connect, and I’ve kept my passion alive by contributing on Maps. These days, one of the things I enjoy most is updating places and adding missing ones, especially because I know it helps small businesses.
And in a way, Maps has followed my growth as a person. In 2019, I was closing a personal chapter when I arrived in San Francisco. In the years that followed, I organized dozens and dozens of meet-ups, online and in person, and I had two more incredible trips: Japan in 2023 and New York in 2025.
And look at these numbers the Google email showed me: over the last 9 years, I’ve made 19,137 contributions on Maps, and they’ve been viewed more than 6.1 million times. My photos got 1,921 reactions, and I’ve earned 51,506 points along the way. Pretty cool to look back and see how far this has gone.
Today I’m married, a dad of two amazing kids, and a pet parent too (you can read about “my Simba” here). Now, I don’t have the same amount of time as before, but the passion for Maps is still here.
Happy Local Guides anniversary to me!
Let’s guide!
