Celebrating A Decade of Community & Connection
Can you believe Local Guides Connect has already celebrated its 10th anniversary. Time flies when you are part of such an incredible global family!
Over the past decade, Connect has given us an amazing space to share our stories, exchange Local Guides experiences, and discuss community ideas. In response to @KashifMisidia’s inspiring initiative calling on Local Guides worldwide to host meetups for Connect’s 10th birthday, I hosted a special virtual gathering: From Connect to Lifelong Friends!
As I mentioned in the meetup, Connect is not just about Maps—it’s about people, friendships, and sharing knowledge and culture across the world. Rather than focusing on technical map edits or photo tips, this meetup was dedicated entirely to celebrating the true heart of the program: our extended family and the real-world bonds born right here on this forum.
Nostalgia Corner: Reflecting on the 2017 Yosemite Road Trip
To kick off the meetup, we took a trip down memory lane back to 2017. Leading up to the Local Guides Summit, 14 Local Guides from 11 different countries who had only ever spoken online decided to take a leap of faith. We organized a joint road trip to Yosemite National Park before ever meeting face-to-face in San Francisco.
We watched a throwback video from that trip (shared on YouTube by @AnuradhaP ), showcasing how online chats transformed into an unforgettable real-world adventure. Including myself, we had 4 members of that road trip crew present at the meeting: @AinurZ @MahabubMunna and me, along with @JulienH. Although Julien couldn’t make it to the physical road trip at the very last minute, he has been an integral part of our group chat from the very beginning all the way to today. Hearing everyone reflect on these memories proved how those initial forum posts blossomed into nearly a decade of deep, family-like support. As Ainur shared, even after moving across countries (from Kazakhstan to Nigeria and now the Philippines), the Local Guides network remains a constant, living family.
Stories from Across the Globe
The open floor was filled with beautiful stories about how Connect has impacted lives worldwide:
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Welcome Back with Zdenek Horak: We had a lovely moment welcoming @Zdenek who joined us all the way from Brno in the Czech Republic, celebrating his return to Connect and catching up with the global community!
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Ermes Tuon & Jane: @ErmesT reflected on how Connect is fundamentally about people. He recounted his journey starting in 2017, forming a legendary partnership with @KarenVChin and building bonds with members across Europe. @JaneBurunina and Ermes also highlighted how Euro Meetups (like Manchester, Munich, and Lucca) have transformed lives—even drawing Google team members to participate directly in community-hosted events! -
Erna’s Local Guides Journey: @Erna_LaBeau shared her hilarious and heart-warming story of how she started contributing after her husband pointed out his Google Maps views! She spoke about navigating the platform early on, finding wonderful mentors, overcoming her nervousness to host her very first meetup, and meeting fellow Local Guides in person on Connect Live NY. -
Newbie Perspectives & US Meetups: @Twyla and @backpacktraveling shared their experiences transitioning from “newbies” at Connect Live New York to becoming active organizers. Stephanie described discovering the Connect community as “discovering a new species” of passionate, selfless individuals! -
Milestones & Dreams Fulfilled: We had an emotional moment with @KashifMisidia who shared the amazing news that he is finally embarking on his very first Google event trip to Singapore! The entire room cheered on his persistence and dedication. -
Live from Japan: @Trishatishu joined us past midnight from Tokyo to give a sneak peek at the Japanese souvenirs—including anime items, eco-bags, and matcha—she prepared for fellow attendees at Connect Live Singapore! -
Looking Ahead to Mexico: @LightRich tuned in live from the streets of Mexico City to welcome everyone for the upcoming Connect Live Mexico in October! (And as an added bonus, Ricardo agreed to be on the hot seat for September’s Know Your Connect Moderator segment! Yayyyy)
Community Ideas & Next Steps
During our open discussions, a few fantastic ideas were brought up to keep our global bond growing:
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State/Regional Representatives: Stephanie and Twyla proposed designating go-to representatives per US state/region to help coordinate local meetups and welcome visiting Local Guides.
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Translation & Accessibility: The group celebrated how language barrier technology (like live translations) continues to help members like @EugeGallardo (Mauje) fully participate in global gatherings.
Group Photo & Thank You!
We couldn’t end the meetup without our signature Local Guides group photo! Everyone flashed their biggest smiles for the virtual camera. More photos are here.
Thank you to everyone who joined us from North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond! Connect is so much more than a forum—it’s kindness, curiosity, cultural bridge-building, and extended family.
Here’s to 10 years of Connect, and to many more years of friendship and shared adventures! 
