Almost 5 years ago, I wrote my first contribution to Google Maps, but it wasn’t until February 2016 that I became a Local Guide 
I always thought that the experience we have on places we visit can totally make a difference. It can be a restaurant, a cinema, a park or even a hospital. You name it.
Being able to connect with other people and help them get what they want/need is priceless.
I’m all about sharing and helping others which is why I’m also a scout’s leader. I carry my example everywhere I go, and I believe that nothing teaches more about life than living according to what I predicate.
Where I live (Montevideo, Uruguay) being a Local Guide is a fun thing to do. You get to explore the city and meet awesome people, but you must explain to them what this is all about. The Local Guides program is not well known yet, but I’m working on it 
Thanks to the Local Guides program, I have friends from all over the world. The closest are from Argentina and Brazil but I also have friends from New York, Sidney, Rome, etc. This gave me the opportunity to explore other cultures and learn that it doesn’t matter where we’re from, by the end of the day, we all want the same thing: Making Google Maps a better and accessible place.
For me, Local Guides means a window to the world. If I can’t go outside and explore, I can see the world through the users, I can imagine myself in those beautiful places and plan amazing trips for the future. It also means that in the century of technological progress we are all gathered in one place and as I see it, the world needs more and more people wanting to make a difference without expecting anything in return.
What does the program mean to you? 