A few years ago I joined Local Guides program, thinking that it won’t be anything more than adding reviews and photos to Maps. How wrong I was! I was collecting points, reaching the next levels for doing what I love - mostly for taking photos. Step by step I have been trying to write more informative reviews, correcting Maps and adding new points of interest. After an email from Google inviting me to Connect Live 2019 that I received last year, I discovered Local Guides Connect forum, gathering LG Community. Thanks to that I started writing posts about my photos and travel experience, getting to know other Local Guides, learning from them how great impact our contributions can have on peoples’ decisions and lives.
At CL2019 I made a lot of friends all over the World and we had an awesome time together-sharing our knowledge and experiences as well as achievements, at the same time having so much fun! Our passion for helping others brought us together! I’m very thankful I could get to know many incredible people better, who not only write reviews or take photos but truly care about others - showing what can be improved with accessibility, taking care of cleaning our planet, helping in their communities- changing our World into a better place. I admire them and I try to do my best to improve my contribution in Local Guides program.
Choosing a restaurant, attraction, hotel, etc. I rely on others’ reviews on Google, so it’s important for me not to disappoint readers with my description of each place (museum, bar, city, etc.). Nowadays I try to keep an eye on a vegan or vegetarian menu in restaurants, where I eat, despite I’m not a vegetarian myself. As a mum, I want to add in my reviews as many as possible details about children’s facilities. I’m improving my opinions in Google Maps adding info about accessibility, as I was struggling myself with this issue last year, when my daughter had to use a wheelchair, because of a serious leg injury.
Lately, I became a happy dog owner and my aim as a Local Guide is to discover more “pet-friendly” places and promote them in Maps, as these kinds of reviews are not that popular yet. I’m still working on adding more bike trails and I appreciate it when bikers do the same - it makes my bike tours safer and I enjoy them more.
I love to discover new places, “hidden gems”, and share this knowledge with others. Exploring foreign countries, I’ve started to notice that my country is also very interesting and unique and how much I can show off this personally to my Local Guides friends, as they are always keen on sharing their tips about culture and attractions in places they are familiar with.
I need to emphasize that The Local Guides program is bringing me a variety of advantages- friendship, travel information, guiding me through the World, but most of all it’s giving my proof we have a huge power of good intentions and we all together are making this planet a better place!
Greetings from Poland 
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