The life of a local guide doesn’t have to be exciting and filled with travel and new restaurants every weekend. What I love most about being a local guide is being able to discover and share gems in my own town. I am constantly surprised by how many interesting things there are around me, that I haven’t known about - and my goal as a local guide is to share these treasures and experiences with as many people as possible.
Being a Local Guide is an amazing honour because you are a window through which people can see your city, the places you have been and the experiences you have had. When I first got the email from Google, asking if I would like to be a Local Guide, I questioned whether I would be able to contribute anything valuable. However, in my endless search for the perfect cheesecake - which has become an obsession (I am a very stern judge of cheesecakes) - while visiting museums, restaurants, amusement parks and stores - I have realised that my contributions do make a difference. They help people understand a place - from someone who has actually been there.
What I love sharing most on Google Maps is food and travel experiences. I try to take pictures as often as possible - not only of the exciting and beautiful things but also of the day-to-day, the real local things that people often forget to appreciate. I love to find new places to eat, delicious, unknown corners of cities and towns and beautiful monuments or buildings that might not be on everyone’s to-see list. Your daily adventures are worth celebrating!
I love reading other Local Guides’ reviews and realising that I might have been missing out on something amazing right around the corner from me.
When I travel, I trust Google maps and Local Guides to give me good advice and help me have the best experience possible. I try to do the same for people when they visit my town, city or country.
Over the last 5 years, I have been lucky to live in different countries - moving from South Africa (where I was born and grew up) to New York City, then moving to Stockholm, spending a month in Seoul, South Korea and I have now finally settled down in Lund, Sweden - where I’m currently living and working on my Bachelor’s Degree. Each time I travel or move, I explore. And I share those explorations and experiences - honestly - good or bad, through Google Maps and Local Guides.
I absolutely love being a part of this global community, exploring both the world and my backyard and I hope that my involvement can continue in the years to come!
What are some of the things you obsessively search for in your Local Guide life? Any cheesecake lovers like me?
