10-30-2018 04:53 PM
It is always difficult for me to find the right words to start when I'm am in front of a sheet or a white screen.
Therefore it is better for me to help with an image, precisely this:
Yes, it all started that day, November 16, 2015, now three years ago.
Welcome to Google Local Guides!
It seemed like a normal transition from Google Map Maker that I used at the time, with a more intuitive interface and above all available on mobile devices.
In addition to adding new places or changing the position of existing ones, I also had the opportunity to insert photos and reviews to the activities or monuments on Google Maps with incredible simplicity.
From that day began the journey to something that then I could not certainly imagine.
Whenever I had the opportunity, I used the app and "fixed" everything that was wrongly indicated, I added new places and took pictures of the wonders of our planet.
I liked it then and I still like it today.
The spirit of the time is always the same: make it easier for the user to reach and discover new places to visit, giving him the most accurate information possible. And share my experiences with others, hoping they can be enjoyed. No chasing points or badges, my goal is only to be honest, credible, based on quality than quantity.
Then in May 2017 I learned about the Connect Forum which I immediately understood that it was the second half that was missing from Google Maps, it was exactly its completion: here I could finally meet the same people who shared with me this adventure around the world.
A daily appointment to discover new places to visit, new food to taste, new tips to make the most of the Local Guides program.
Here I met people from all over the world to take as an example for their dedication to truly making this world the best possible, and they demonstrate it daily with the facts.
And all this with the utmost cordiality and the best possible environment: thanks to the work of the members of Google and Connect Moderator it seemed to be among friends, even if never met in person and on the other side of the world.
Then came this now famous mail:
I saw the notification on the smartphone, but it was almost time to go to bed and I did not pay much attention to it.
Then the next morning I opened and read four ... five times to see if I had read and understood well!
WoW !! You go San Francisco! Invited along with 150 other people, I can finally meet many others like me and meet many other new friends!
Unbelievable!
The wait was long and always running to get all the documents and for the preparations: every day to read the news and get an idea of what was waiting for us!
Then, on October 16th ... everything started.
For three days everything was ... magical, incredible, frenetic, a mega party without interruptions, unforgettable.
And this is why here in this post I decided not to tag anyone in particular: you were (and you are still) all special, whether you were Googlers, Moderators, Local Guides like me. Each with your smile always ready, always ready to take pictures of every moment, to happily share the table for breakfast lunch or dinner, to spend moments of friendship around San Francisco. Each with his own backpack full of questions, curiosity, new ideas to propose to everyone. All ready and loaded to always face at best what it means to be Local Guides.
Surely I will not have known everyone as best I hoped, this is the only regret I brought home.
And it is with two photos that I would like to represent the meaning that had for me to participate in the Connect Live 2018.
The first one is this:
made me realize that we are really important for the same Google, that we are really heard and taken into consideration when we explain our suggestions, the difficulties we encounter or our feedback in general.
I understand that we are building all of this together.
The latter photo instead I chose it for his symbolic message:
we all we all we all got in on the same means of transport - I call it the Local Guides Express ! - and where we want to arrive and how it depends only on ourselves.
And the journey will be so long, but in good company!
Many thanks to all,
I love you!
David
10-30-2018 05:30 PM
Beautifully written @davidhyno thanks for sharing the journey so far with us. I think this is a big encouragement; 'And the journey will be so long, but in good company!'
Regards
10-30-2018 05:36 PM
@davidhyno Complementi! You've chosen the perfect words to remember all these things that made you feel so happy since the star of your steps before to be a local guide until now.
Saluti!
10-30-2018 08:51 PM
The journey will be long @davidhyno, will be long indeed.
Great post, back to the emotion of the event.
I am so happy, as I know that we will walk together more and more time, as we already did before.
Can't wait to meet you
Ermes
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10-30-2018 10:09 PM
10-31-2018 12:08 PM
10-31-2018 12:09 PM
10-31-2018 12:15 PM
Thanks @ErmesT!
Yeah, I can practically say that the first steps here on Connect I made them with you .... I still remember our first meet-up in Vicenza, and now another one arrives in Treviso!
See you very soon dear Ermes!
David
10-31-2018 12:19 PM
Thanks @JibinPaul!
Here on Connect you will know many other people who will be able to inspire you in a thousand different ways!
See you next time!
David
10-31-2018 01:23 PM
Excellent post @davidhyno !
Thank you for your intetesting story as a local guide ,for perfect words, for your expierence.
Yes,we are the passangers of the same bus and we have the same road and the the route and our journey will be long ,interesting,exciting.
Best wishes,