What The Local Guides Program Mean To Me
Hello Local Guides!
My name is Ma. Theresa Streegan Aquino. You can call me Winky for short. I’m a single mother to six lovely ladies and a grandmother to two girls. I chanced upon the Local Guides program in 2017 as we travelled across provinces and cities all the way to Manila coming from Lapu Lapu City, where we’re currently based. This took about 2,500 kilometers of driving and thousands more of kilometers across the seas. It took almost three days and two nights before reaching our destination. Yes we could have conveniently just taken a flight, but I wanted the long haul journey and the experience of it all. Yes, I feared getting a flat tire in the middle of the night somewhere along the dark unlighted highways and mountainous areas of the provincial roads but the thrill of the success of the jouney gave me all the determination to proceed with the plan. Through all of this trip, I relied solely on my Navigation device in my car. The GPS helped me a lot not to get lost. But I noticed that during ferry rides, sometimes it gives out no data and consequently would stop operating. So we tried the Google Maps and voila! It works much better! Even without network data, the Google Maps was still functioning offline! Whoa! It even gave us better and faster routes and provided a lot of other information useful and relevant to our routes and destinations. Google Maps became our Plan B. As I drove along all the highways and valleys, using the Google Maps, I realized I could easily explore places and get to my destination with exact information on the distance and precise arrival time. We were all amazed by what it can do! It has never stopped to amaze me to this day. I am so grateful to Google for helping me find my way around the world and for developing in me the Strength and Capacity to Discover more Locations and Places and being able to have a well planned route and itinerary. To add to this already amazing tool on every gadget available today, Google has given me an opportunity and a privilege to be part of the Local Guides Program. The Local Guides Program became a platform for me to show how proud I am to be exploring the World despite my age (53 with joint pains), despite being single ( no man beside who can help to fix the flat tire or carry luggage) and despite being a grandma ( not technically adept). The Program recognized my travels as a Great Help to other people in terms of Experience and knowing if it is Worth the Trip. It has even given me a Level (level 6) and has globally recognized me as an Expert Reviewer. I am completely floored. Google’s Local Guide Program has completely turned my life around. It has given me the Respect, the Validation and the Significance to my Escapades and Travels. I used to be so guilty every time I announce my travel plans to my family and have to fight my freedom to do so. The risks involved are always the issue and concern. But having the Google Maps working even Offline and being able to Review the places and locations before any planned trip makes it all easier and safer and thus likely to be given approval by my family. I will forever be grateful to Google and the Local Guides Program and all its Moderators and Contributors for giving me a chance to make a difference and show it to the world. At home, I am just a grandma, doing chores and cooking and cleaning and all…but to the Global Community and at this Program, I am a Level 6 Local Guide and I’m just so honored and humbled by it. I now know I have responsibilities: I have to be professional, I have to be authentic , I have to be decent and not offesive. Basically become a true Googler. Ladies and Gentlemen at the Local Guides Program, here’s hoping I could see y’all at the Connect Live 2020 at the Bay Area!!! …I hope you will give me a chance! Yeheyyyy!!! Mabuhay! It’s More Fun if she’s from the Philippines! 
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