My relationship with Google maps began on a trip to Barcelona. Using the mobile app on a Gen 1 iPhone where the street view wasn’t supported but you were able to use a URL to get the street view on a browser. This allowed me to find a ton of places friends that had lived in Barcelona recommended. After this experience I used the app constantly to navigate new cities and to get to know the local culture.
I contribute with the community, because I love the “real local experience” as it offers an unfiltered view to the local culture, which you don’t get on the tourist oriented places. Getting to know the local spots also exposes you to people that can point you on the right direction for the next discovery. I usually only post the reviews of the places I like (unless the experience was so bad that I want to save others from an unpleasant time).
I find that contributing also helps me relive experiences and I get to enjoy them all over again. I know there are ways that may help the platform to improve, but the current solution allows almost anyone to access information that will allow them to make the best of their time while visiting. This platform is quickly displacing the hassle of having a local “adopt” you and point you to the places you need to know when you relocate to another city.
I think contributing to the community is my way to give back, as I’ve benefited so much from it.