My experience during Map My World Week has been like one of these domino-toppling-events. One thing, triggering off the next.
It started off with a disappointment when I had to cancel my official Local Guides meet-up in Playa de San Marcos, Tenerife. But that quickly turned around after I was so impressed with the pleasant interaction with the Local Guides Team and discovered the heaps of activity on Connect here. Thus, I decided to spend all of Map My World Week at least 4 hours per day, participating, reading forum posts and trying to educate myself as a novice LG.
I did the walk - that I originally planned with my meet-up - by myself and made my first beginners mistake. I forgot to ask the shop owner if I could take a picture. I was being told off in front of other customers, becoming rather embarrassed. But again, this turned around in a nice conversation about our LG program.
My interest in pushing for a local unofficial community for Tenerife, ended up with encouragement by Luis - from the LGTeam - that we should join forces with the regional community for the whole of the Canary Islands. The owner of this community was happy to meet me in his home town and we had a nice chat with coffee at one of his favourite bakeries. He promoted me to co-moderator and of course, I ended up writing a review about his favourite coffee place as I had never been there before.
Since education is something I am passionate about, we agreed at our meeting that I would start making educational quizzes for our unofficial community. As I got to work, the final "domino" was triggered.
I realized that it would be a shame not to share my future quizzes with the other 280+ unofficial #localguides communities. Whilst working out what this would involve, my idea was born for a collaboration project. The result is a new unofficial local guides community on G+.
It is still a work in progress, but the beginning is there.
I understand you are a busy person, but it would be great if you could contribute to one of our educational community resources in the future. Your blog is great and it would be a great pleasure to have you on our team.
Re: Inspired by Map My World Week? Are you still posting at least once a day on Google Maps?
A useful reminder of what the joy of adding stuff to Maps can/should be :cough: *not* free storage.
(I also am surprised how many of my local places are not already on Google Maps, I find the "Uncover missing info" option on my Android phone particularly useful - can't remember if it is available on the iPhone)
Re: Inspired by Map My World Week? Are you still posting at least once a day on Google Maps?
@TraciC, Woww! My Inbox is overwhelmed with love and kindness on a Local Guides subject that I have been grappling for awhile.
For many Local Guides who don't:
have access to a nearby Community
attend a LG meetup for various reasons (time, too far from where they live, economics - food, pub, coffee crawls cost $$, etc)
have fancy camera gear
think they don't do "amazing things" or travel to "amazing places"
or get overwhelmed by seeing fellow Local Guides reviewing and posting 1000s of photos up on Google Maps
HOW can I still contribute and be an active, motivated Local Guide of 1?
Don't forget the Power of One can be powerful too!
I personally wanted to break it down and show even with Local Guides' sponsored events such as Map My World Week one can STILL contribute successfully by just being "me" with what is around him/her - life!
Even better, challenging yourself to write one review / upload a photo for Google Maps, can make a powerful difference in the community you live in by sharing your knowledge/experience with others. And by the end of a year you will have done 365 reviews!
I just noticed for the first time early this morning after I writing this post a Local Guides Thank You email in my Inbox telling me I received 20 👍🏼 from people who appreciated my Local Guides reviews on Maps. That littlething made an awesome impression on me!! By being a Local Guide for Google Maps, what I am actually committing to do every day can actually help my community!
Also many thanks for highlighting my questions post on the LG Connect Homepage. I am loving everyone's comments and feedback! I promise I will get to everyone here and respond back personally. Cheers! 😃
Re: Inspired by Map My World Week? Are you still posting at least once a day on Google Maps?
@DrShaunak - thanks for your kind words! You are one of my Local Guides heroes. You are always posting - Here, Facebook, G+, Insta, and I am sure on Twitter too!
With your busy schedule as a doctor (and also a Google Trusted Photographer), I don't know how you do it all!
Re: Inspired by Map My World Week? Are you still posting at least once a day on Google Maps?
@LucioV, thank you for your kind words! Good to know you didn't also participate in Map My World Week in an official meetup, but found way another way to have a meetup. 50 people turnout - that's wonderful! Glad to also know other Local Guides have the same philosophy as me - Just post at least once a day on Google Maps, But as for 10 photos, that's a lot! For the last few weeks I am posting between 1 - 8 depending on the place /business. Average is 3 to 4!
Hope you are applying for #LGSummit17! October is the best time of year to visit SF. Weather will be wonderful.
2022
