I’ve never had games on my phone and all my friends have always made fun of me. To kill time, I looked and looked endlessly at the photos of my travels, I mentally selected the best moments and tried to understand the reasons. I’ve always wondered how I could proactively use all this work I was doing for myself and how to share it with other people so that it could also be useful to others.
I lived in Africa, in Ivory Coast, in Abidjan. My friends, relatives and cousins would ask me “what Africa was like”, or “what do you wear there” or “what do you eat”?
I would continuously notice this insatiable curiosity - mixed with fear - for places that are unknown and that are not necessarily on the radar of mass tourism.
Instead of making countless video calls, I somehow wanted to be able to share all my experiences with everybody.
When I started the program - a little by chance, joking with friends on the beach - it immediately struck me how it could finally be the perfect game for me, but at the same time it could have a positive impact on social realities and communities!
That is, while I had real fun making points by uploading photos, suggesting edits and answering questions, I realised that my work could really change people’s lives: I had virtually created my tailor’s shop or my favorite little bar, I had shown the owners how to use google business, insert other details, phone number etc.
In a place like Africa, where I have to travel a lot for work, it is essential for me to insert information about transport, airports, reviews of hotels where I have been, add places that did not yet exist, be able to give it “a virtual existence” so that you can attract more customers and thus develop your business.
Also, I would share tips on my trips, review restaurants that I liked or disliked, and participate proactively in the creation of a global platform for geographic information.
Conclusion
To be honest, I have a lot of fun and I’m very happy that my fun can have a real impact on the lives of local people.
Furthermore, I feel part of a global community whose goal is to make the world accessible to everyone. I am really proud to be part of it!
Many thanks to Google Local Guides for the opportunity to be able to share the things I discover and learn with the rest of the world 
