02-13-2019
07:35 AM
- last edited on
04-19-2022
05:55 PM
by
grazittiApiTest
Hi guys,
this post ist just for fun! Cause its so much fun to be a Local Guide! And its double fun when your partner is a Local Guide too!
Here is our story. My hubby has been a Local Guide almost since the beginning of the program. We were on our vacation on the US West Coast and though that it looks a bit strange if each of us start to write reviews on the restaurants we visited together. Contributing to Google Maps was like a game for us and we felt ourselves like very important examiners of this and that location. It was just fun to lie in the bed in the evening and remember where we had been and what we had visited that day, discuss what we liked and what could be improved. My hubby left then reviews from his account.
After returning back home from this exiting vacation, my hubby continued to contribute to Google Maps and I… well, it took me another year or so till I registered as a Local Guide myself. We got our first child and being a Local Guide became my huge hobby. Through this program I was able to open my tiny moms world to the international community, to show how beautiful my surrounding are, share useful information and improve the quality of Google Maps presence of many local businesses.
So it turned out that both of us became Local Guides. And at this point the real fun just began!!!
It is so exiting to share our experience on Google Maps while having a dinner together! It is so challenging to compare the monthly updates and the amount of points while kids are asleep! It is so passionate to discuss who is allowed to take pictures of what while entering a shopping mall together!
As a result I was invited to attend the Local Guides Summit 2017 and my hubby the Connect Live 2018! And each of us is thankful to the other for pushing forward and supporting at any down.
A couple of months ago our personal challenge had its peak – both my hubby and I were missing just about 1,500 to reach the next level. We had a strategy meeting every evening and discussed how and when each of us is going to achieve this goal. I loved that time! My hubby won by the way – he was like a week ahead of me!
Or this challenge to decide how to divide a shopping mall or a grocery store between us to avoid similar photos! From one side the most simple way is he takes the left side and me right (the lady is always right, right?!)))). But some huge labels can dominate on one of both sides, or there might be a turn at the end to only one side! And the most important questions – who gets the kids and who is more mobile to cover more places?! :-)))))
You cant imagine HOW much I LOVE this our little hobby we share!!!
My hubby is winning on the amounts of places he manages within Google My Business as well as amount (and quality) of 360 degrees photos, as well as views per one photo.
I am better at all the other stuff ?
If I find someone to film us, I will make a video about life as a Local Guides Family – sharing the passion and competing the results at the same time ?
Please tell me we are not the only ones! Do your partners can understand and support you being a Local Guide?! Although nothing supports more than a challenge ?
Cheers, Ksenia
@JuanChnow you have met both of us! The next time come over and we will introduce our kids!
Oh by the was kids! They are very well aware of what Local Guides do - they do photos and check the diaper stations :-)))
Our toddler knows perfectly when one of us says - come lets hide! (when we are taking a 360 degrees photo) - and he loves this game and explains the rules to other kids sometimes ? And he also often "takes a photo" of his meal prior to eating it ? That looks sooooo sweeeet, you cannot imagine!
Cheers, Ksenia
02-13-2019 08:01 AM - edited 02-13-2019 08:03 AM
Thank you for sharing your amazing story @KseniaM! It's very inspiring and sweet. Congradulations to both of you for attending the summits.
Keep up sharing and contributing :D.
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02-13-2019 09:23 AM
you cannot see the big smile in my face, in reading your post. Well, a double smile.
First of all because I have be so fortunate to meet both of you in San Francisco, even if in two separate different years. Well, you are not alone, at Connect Live '18 we had girlfriends/boyfriends - wife/husband of Local Guides that we met on 2017.
Myself and my wife ( @AntonellaGr ) , we have some set of rules too: in a restaurant, we take photos only to our own dishes, and conversations like "hey, there is a new shop in town" - "yes, I know, I just added it on maps yesterday" are very common in the evening.
Once she added a business while I was taking photos and, when I submitted my edit (1 minute later) the response from Google Maps was "the business already exist". Added and got approved in less than a minute.
Hope to see you again soon, Ksenia. What about a weekend in Ghent, for the European Meet-up '19 hosted by @JanVanHaver ?
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02-13-2019 09:26 AM
This is so cute @KseniaM. 🙂 My partner loves helping me out with my contributions on Google Maps. He always makes sure that I have mentioned all the important details in my reviews and his photography skills are always very handy when I'm struggling to capture a photo of a place or dish. Unfortunately he haven't yet committed fully to Local Guides, even though he loves the program and what it represent. Thinking about it, I don't really know why, probably because it's not a habit of his, but hopefully with time things will change. We'll see. 🙂
Anywho, I'm really glad that you decided to share your experience and journey with us. I love every single bit of your post and I can't wait to follow you on your next adventure.
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02-13-2019 09:48 AM
Excellent suggestion @ErmesT . And as you might notice, @KseniaM: in the post on the #euromeetup19 there is no Swiss flag yet in the list of countries represented... I would of course be delighted to add it!
Very funny how you described what went on at that time where both of you were close to reaching the next level - and very recognizable 😅 I have even come up with a term for that crazy phenomenon: level fever.
02-13-2019 10:35 AM
Thanks so much for your really enjoyable story @KseniaM. I agree so much for the replies you have already received. Thanks so much for story and the smile and happiness I have for you and your wife.
02-13-2019 10:55 AM
thank you! our friends make jokes that we should apply together this year as a family :-))))
02-13-2019 10:59 AM
thank you! Yes, there are some Local Guides who met both of us just one year apart! Thats an incredible feeling, and I am happy to live in the world which enables us this!
Its so true about taking photos of own dishes in the restaurant :-))) we have the same rule! While adding new places we usually discuss as well - one of us adds it and another submits multiple photos. So I can follow very well how you and your wife talk about it in the evening 🙂
thank you very much for invitation! We dont travel so much since we have kids, but I will keep in mind this meet up! Maybe it works out one way or tge other
02-14-2019 03:26 AM
So glad to read this post.
I met Michael at Apple Store Union Square during CL18. Infact, that was the first meetup with any CL18 attendee 🙂
02-14-2019 04:22 AM - edited 02-15-2019 03:09 AM
ha ha ha 😄 why not @KseniaM? Thank you for being such dedicated Local Guide!
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