11-27-2018 09:03 AM
Hello Everyone!
I figured I could introduce myself, share why I joined the local guides program and my dream for tourism in Nigeria all in one go...wish me luck!
My name is Chinazom, I live and work in Abuja, Nigeria. The only thing I love more than visiting new places and learning new things is eating new food. I am happiest when the people around me are happy.
I spent 4 years in the Philippines for University and just before my senior year I bought a map and did some searches on google to have an idea of how to get to places, then I packed a backpack and took a road trip from Iloilo City in the Visayas through Bacolod to Cebu.
I looked on the physical map I had bought, googled and asked people that could communicate with me in English or a mashup of the little Filipino and Ilonggo I knew. The trip required me to take a bus from one point to another, get on a ferry to another point then take another bus to arrive at Cebu.
I had so much fun seeing new sites, eating local delicacies and spending time with my friend that lived in Cebu. The fact that I could find information on hotels, routes, buses, etc. online gave me so much confidence it never crossed my mind that anything could go wrong and thankfully nothing did.
When I returned to Nigeria after graduation in 2013 I wanted to travel across Nigeria and see it all. So I started researching tourist spots and attractions in the different states in Nigeria and though I found some content, a lot of travel advisory information was missing. There wasn't enough information to inspire the same confidence I had in the Philippines and unfortunately, the Boko Haram insurgency was also at its peak at the time so half the country was already off the list. I clearly couldn't make the trips I wanted to make but my experience in the Philippines left me with a desire to create the content for Nigeria so that people can find information easily.
I attempted to start a blog but could never sustain it so I kept taking pictures of lovely places I visited and food I ate just for my memories. When I got the google prompt to contribute a picture to the map one day, I was really excited.
Nigeria has so many beautiful sites with tremendous tourism potential that is currently overlooked. I have been privileged to see some of the beauty of Nigeria while hiking with the Abuja Hash House Harriers, Mantrek Hikers Club Abuja and generally trying to live my best life. There is a lot more information and content on the web for Nigeria but it is still lacking a lot.
The Connect Live Abuja reinforced my belief in the good contributing to the map does and has reignited the fire in me to create the content I wanted to create when I first moved back to Nigeria. Perhaps by showcasing some local sites in Nigeria, the right attention can be drawn to the tourism industry and Nigeria.
I'm excited to be part of the Local Guides community and I look forward to learning about the great things fellow local guides are doing in the World.
If anyone has any suggestions or resources that can help me improve my content creation skills and put info such as buses, routes and price suggestions on the map, I would really appreciate that, thank you!
11-27-2018 09:24 AM
Hi @Chizbeth. It was so nice to meet you in Abuja and so great to see your post here.
I am half old school, half current in that I use a combination of things to create content around my trips.
I often crowdsource on social media and here on Connect for trip tips, then I create a spreadsheet with recommendations (mostly to note who recommended a place and add details) that I often share with a travel partner. I'll supplement this with a Google Maps List of places I want to visit so I can hit those up when I'm in the area. I then update my spreadsheet after a trip with the actual itinerary so I can share with others who may have similar plans in mind. One thing I haven't gotten as good with this year because it's been so hectic with work and travel, is sharing a recap of my travels. I blogged way back in college, but find that my interests match most closely with posts here on Connect, so that's how I like to share a "recap" of my trip with tips for others.
I hope this little insight to what I've shared has helped and that you are encouraged to share more about tourism in Nigeria. I found Google Maps VERY helpful in discovering places I may not have learned about otherwise, like when we spoke about how I had Bature Brewery on my list when you recommended it. Such fun finds and we as locals (or seasoned travelers) can help people have the best time when exploring.
In terms of your other suggestions about pricing, routes and more, I know we have some information that can be added that isn't currently on the map. If you have specific ideas, I welcome you to post on our Idea Exchange as we share all ideas with our product teams, too!
11-27-2018 09:47 AM
Thank you @TraciC it was great meeting you as well! Your energy is fantastic!
I love the tips! I will definitely adopt the spreadsheet tip, it will really help me keep things organized.
11-27-2018 09:49 AM
@Chizbeth I really loved reading about your background. Your passion for exploring and putting all that Nigeria has to offer on the map is inspiring. I'm so glad you got a chance to attend Connect Live Abuja!
11-27-2018 09:58 AM - last edited on 11-27-2018 10:09 AM by PoliMC
Name in Österreich <Redacted> zum bitte anrufen danke
11-27-2018 09:59 AM - last edited on 11-27-2018 10:09 AM by PoliMC
telefonnummer <Redacted> bitte auch anrufen in Österreich Mädchen danke .
11-27-2018 10:10 AM
Hallo @Slawitsch,
Ich habe Deine persönlichen Kontaktdaten in der Post gelöscht. Möglicherweise weißt Du es nicht, aber wir empfehlen Local Guides nicht, private Daten öffentlich auf Connect zu veröffentlichen, um die Privatsphäre und Sicherheit Ihrer Benutzer und anderer Benutzer zu schützen. Wenn Du mit anderen lokalen Guides in Kontakt treten willst, ist stattdessen ein Private Messaging System vorhanden.
Bitte nimm sich einen Moment Zeit, um unsere Local Guides Policy durchzulesen und diese nützlichen Tipps zu lesen: Tips: New to the community vor dem Posten.
Due to the volume of private messages Google Moderators receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!
11-27-2018 11:36 AM
@Chizbeth You wrote alsmost a lifetime in one page and made it so colorful. Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work. 👌
11-27-2018 11:38 AM
@TraciC I’ve also benefited from your tips. Thanks for sharing, Traci.
11-27-2018 11:48 AM
This is really an interesting read @Chizbeth. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with us. I really enjoyed going through post. Yes I do have suggestions and also resources, most Google resource materials too to help you improve your content creation skills. During your upcoming meet-up, it would be great to discuss about this. I look forward to that.