Travel has a different meaning to everyone – some do it to escape their everyday life, some do it to take the kids on nearby park, some do it to find themselves, for some it’s about exploring the best beef burger in town, and for some, it’s about choosing the cozy library near them, but for me, it’s all about people I meet in the journey.
But Local Guides Program has to offer more than that.
Every journey I take, short or long, reveals a part of me that I was unaware of until then. Random experience at the airport, cultural shock in a strange city, conversation with the host at farmhouse, interaction with fellow backpackers at some hotel, discussions over chai with a new friend, sleeping in the library, screaming on top of my lungs while jumping off the hill, falling for a stranger on a coffee meeting during the short visit, associating a song for each destination, packing the bags in 30 minutes while moving from one city to another, and many more such things give me an alternate identity.
Haylo, this is Krinza Momin, your level 7 local guide from Pakistan and I hope whoever is reading this explore the world to its fullest.
Well, whether it is travel blogging, making a new post or posting videos, it takes courage to share your story, but seizing those opportunities can create positive change in profound ways. Spreading awareness about important issues around the world make the most impact when they are told from a personal perspective, and the local guides connect platform is definitely not short on inspiring stories.
And here’s to what Local Guides Program means to me:
- New Friendships
Local Guides program has significantly impacted my life since I got involved a year ago. To me, being a Local Guide means meeting new people and sealing the deal with friendships. Through my involvement in the Local Guides program, I’ve made friends from far away places, cities and countries. I’ve never been a part of something so global before. Through the friends I’ve made, I’ve learned so much about culture and diversity. Since I’ve only ever traveled domestically, I have a lot I can learn from others. Local Guides have acquainted me with their traditions, favorite treats, and interests. This program celebrates our differences while additionally joining us by what we share: our love for exploring and giving back to the local as well as the global community.
- Explorations and Reflections
Sometimes it is best to take a step back, take a deep breath and take go that Tower Bridge selfie. In all seriousness, exploration is not a bad option in a daily routine - it is the most natural way of inducing the feeling you miss someone or that you are missed. The trick is to leave with a bit of preparation (Google Map) to avoid making a mistake in your journey. And being a local guide has made me pay critical attention to details, places, and things and bring them on board via Google Maps so the whole world will benefit.
Local Guides program to me means seeking photogenic spots, finding beauty in everyday places and making the most of the sceneries.
And it’s true that the time that lapses after returning home creates space for us to think about the past months and how we have changed. When looking back on our travel experience we can begin to understand the wisdom and skills we have gained from going abroad.
- Value of Cultural Exchange
Inspire others to travel for a change by sharing your personal stories. By having the courage to go beyond your radius, you have empowered others by setting an example for exploration. Sharing stories is one of the most effective ways to foster peace and understanding, making the world of tomorrow a better place.
Do you know why are there so many travel shows, blogs, and meetups? Because adventures are exciting and so is trading stories of triumphs and humorous cultural mishaps! It might not always seem like it, but there are millions of people out there that think what you did is AWESOME and they want to hear about it.
By sharing your story of cultural exchange, you will bring your host country to life, as well as relive your experiences abroad and inspire others to think about the world in a new way.
- Advocacy and Contributions for Local Businesses
I love how being a Local Guide allows me to help others. Specifically, I’ve been able to help small business owners by adding their locations to the map, and I’m able to help their potential customers by leaving reviews to help guide their decisions. The most interesting I have done as a local guide is helping others discover local businesses largely unknown to the public eye. We do know those big brands due to the amounts of paid advertisement that brought them those exposures, but for those local farmers and small businesses, don’t they need their voices too? How else can anyone share experiences, interesting places, updates of places and information if there were no google maps and let alone Local Guides to do so? Thanks to Google for creating this Avenue for someone like me to also contribute towards a good course for the benefit of the whole world. Doing good in the world for locals and visitors alike, local guides program helps me champion many causes, from helping small businesses to making it easier for wheelchair users to get around. The advocate in myself keeps a cause top-of-mind while I share info, like whether a place has a wheelchair ramp.
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Recognition
Being a Local Guide doesn’t just provide the community with valuable information. We also get early access to Google features and special perks from Google’s partners. Beyond those Local Guide benefits are badges and recognition by other users. The more I contribute, the more points I earn, which other users can see when they run across my profile on Google Maps and get back to me to reach out through social media platforms.
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The Connector
My Local Guide’s contributions go beyond Google Maps. From hosting meet-ups with other community members to chiming in on Connect (the forum for Local Guides), the program has allowed me to connect friendly face for newbies and gurus alike. As I love hosting meet-ups, making lists about places to go and sharing them with friends, liking other people’s reviews, it has given me a platform to build and engage myself in a community of people with similar interests and goals.
No matter how insignificant it may seem, the fact that you’ve had an experience hosting a meet-up, something that was out of the ordinary, creates a memory that you will remember for a long time.
I think that creating those memories is why many people keep joining the squad.
Last but not the least, Local Guides to me is bringing a great level of impact on the local search ecosystem cause, after all, getting real-life humans to contribute their opinions and time to make Google Maps more useful and accurate is a lofty and admirable goal, right?
Believe it or not, social networks were once like a real thing - in real life. Crazy, I know. One of the main reasons why I love being a local guide is that I believe that establishing connections and building a network with locals and abroad is one of the smartest things you can do in today’s world. It is sometimes hard to build long-lasting relationships with the people you meet just randomly in a chai stop or in the library, but it doesn’t mean it’s not worth meeting new people!
I hope that post makes you want to contribute more in 2020. As you contribute, you realize that the world is a much better place than what you can see on TV when watching the news.
