I remember the first year I attended a university in Taiwan, and went out by myself to eat lunch or dinner; I’d check Google Maps for directions and each restaurant’s review to decide where I’d eat my next meal.
There weren’t plenty of reviews at first, especially ones in English. That’s why I thought of contributing to help out, not only spreading good words about the places I’ve been to, but also update new information and personal experiences about them in English for the people that didn’t understand the Traditional Chinese (Mandarin) language on the reviews. I wanted to help the people that are looking for great foods and great places out there, and make their search more accessible and easier.
For me, Local Guides program means connection. We share our personal experiences and update the newest information about the places we’ve been through, so that other people can know about it, too. It’ll be a never ending cycle, a sustainable way of keeping each other updated. And that for me, is where people will connect and try to understand the culture, history, atmosphere, etc. of the place, and share their experiences if they’re willing to, which might help spread awareness of places that have never been discovered or heard of before. And that is why I continue to update my reviews and explore places I’ve never been before via Google Maps. It makes me feel like an explorer of the world, and I love it!
