2022
வணக்கம்!! (Hello!! in Tamil)
Who am I?
Hey!! This is your local guide Naresh from the Sri Lankan Local Guides.
I basically drink coffee and literally convert into code. That’s my living and that’s about it.
Fun fact: I am a green lover 🙂
What’s about me and traveling?
In 2014, I got selected as a US State Department Alumni, which allowed me to go to the USA to meet cool people across. This tour activated my dead “traveler” cells and it was instant. I traveled 5 states across the US namely Florida, Washington, Illinois, New York, Virginia and the Washington D.C. within the span of 4 months.
I learned a very important lesson throughout in this tour, that traveling is beyond fun and enjoyment. It’s about learning, adapting and molding yourself to the unforeseen situations.
Since then my traveling is going on and on to unlock new explorations in life.
Google Maps and Me.
Since 2011, I am an Android Buff. I have done all sorts of rooting, flashing and modding to screw up phone up. I installed Google Maps in 2013, which I personally thought that Maps is some next level stuff. But later in the same year, I had to switch to Nokia’s Here Maps since they provided the wonderful feature to save offline maps. In 2013, it was a big deal for us since I live in Sri Lanka and our internet is pretty slow and offline maps are real handy.
Again, in 2014, Google Maps hit me back with offline maps, no questions asked, I just rejoined. Since then, I am loving the product and Google is just nailing it
Local guide in me, but how?
My dad used to tell how they carried physical maps and the difficulties to find right places if get stuck in an unknown territory. We are a lucky generation to have maps in our pockets.
But I always wondered there must me surely some magic because every other place is on Google Maps. But how? Surely the magic is its contributors.
Can I become a contributor? The answer is, YES! When I joined as a Map Maker, then I understood that there is so much work to be done. It allowed me to add and edit more places around my city. Later, I again got active in the Local Guide program.
How do I contribute?
I am a Tamil speaking Sri Lankan, so I always concentrate on English to Tamil translation and vice versa, primarily. Also, I add photographs of the places and try to give a full picture of how the place look like if the person is physically present in the place. I strongly believe that a picture speaks 1000 words.
My camera.
I shoot primarily with One Plus 3, Nexus 5 and iPhone 5.
What's new?
Nowadays, I am actively working with @IlankovanT and crew to organize local meetups to meet and engage with people and motivate new people to join us and contribute. P.s. Motivation is contagious.
Events: A fun filled Sunday
My Goals.
1. A fully Tamil Translated Sri Lanka on Google Maps.
2. Engage and work with people to ensure a strong local guide community in Sri Lanka.
