What a good question. All this started a few years ago, at a place that I used to visit called Kume, in Benalmádena, which is closed right now. That day, 21st of september of 2017, and I know the exact date because of the EXIF details of the picture, I told a friend of mine, that I had discovered a lovely place. This place, next to the where I live, had an amazing sushi and it would be nice if she could come and try it with me.
So, that evening, she pulled out her phone and took pictures of the place and the food, normal since we’re millenials and sharing what we´re going to eat is a must. I asked her to tag me on her picture at Instagram, but then she told me that these pictures where not for Instagram. Instead she was uploading them to Google Maps because she was something called a Local Guide.
The rest is history. I went home, took my laptop and looked for this thing, Local Guide. I did everything I had to do and uploaded my first pictures of the food and place that I´ve told you before. That has been now two and a half years ago.
I started to do pictures of places I´ve been or of food that I was eating, but I did it as well with food that my friends ordered, or gave them my phone to do some pictures of what they´re enjoying. And of course, everytime a waiter brings something to our table, the same phrase apearse: Wait, I´ve got to do my Google Maps photos.
That’s where the title phrase appears: Why are yo so strange, David? Why can’t we just start and enjoy our meal? And then, i´ts when I´ve got to explain them, why I do all these pictures and why I ask them always if they enjoyed everything or if they can tell me something that I may have not seen. This is how I introduced them to my new “strange” hobbie.
This happened a lot at the beginning, of course now, they even send me pictures without asking or they know, wait, David has to do his thing.
This is definitely part of what the Local Guide program means to me. It has become part of my, and my inner circles, life, since I usually share my food or drinks or coffees with them.
Everybody that I appreciate enough to call them friend, knows about this thing, everybody asks me every year, when I tell them about the new yearly Connect Live, if I´ve already sent my application, they want to watch my application video and then, they wait with me for the response.
I´ve been sharing content, like reviews, posted pictures and rated spots since then, in 3 continents and several countries, having fun doing this, being part of a friendly competition and waiting every month for my summary. And as it looks, I will keep doing it.
PD: Of course, a picture of myself doing one of my favorite things, being strange taking pictures of my food.
