2022
My first meet-up and I was super excited to be a host. Here's how it all went.
The meet-up details page looked like this and 7 people showed up the interest to attend the meet-up.
We decided a meet-up point. It was Ghatkopar Metro Station. Our destination "Ghatkopar Khau Galli" was at a walking distance from the station, so we preferred to walk the streets, talking and introducing each other about our Local Guide Journey.
Out of 7, 2 people turned up for the Meet-up. One was Shruti ( a level 9 local guide) and other Saquib Shaikh (an aspiring local guide who had a great learning experience from the met-up).
We reached the destination, Khau Gali at around 5.15 PM and could see the street gearing up , stalls preparing themselves. The Khau Galli gets super crowded from 7PM onwards. Therefore we had decided to have our meet up from 5PM to 7 PM, so that we can interact with the shopkeepers, get to know more about the place, it's specialty, and this really worked in our favor.
Since we had talked enough on our way to our destination, we knew each other well by the time we reached destination. And now were super excited to explore this lovely street full of street-food delicacies and map them on Google Maps.
Honestly, we were so engrossed and engaged clicking pictures, interacting with the shopkeepers, we did not realize and the time went by so quickly that it was past 7.30 PM (the meet-up was only till 7PM) and we had no option but to conclude our meetup.
I had planned something special for this meet-up. I truly believe in the 5 core values of Connect and want to spread it as much as possible, so that we Local Guides can make the most of this opportunity and spread clean and efficient messages in the community. And what better way than a meet-up to spread the core values.
I got all the 5 core values printed after designing them on photoshop. I showed it to Shruti and Saquib. Tthey were overjoyed and wanted to click pictures with it.
Highlights from Ghatkopar Khau Galli Photo Walk
1. We shared out photography skills with each other. We even discussed about taking 360 degree photos. Since I recently took one, I gave some of my tips that I learned while clicking a 360.
2. Since I recently visited Google's Mumbai Office to meet Josh Woodward & team for Neighbourly app launch, the other 2 Local Guides were very muck keen on knowing the experience. I told them about Neighbourly and they're loving the application.
3. We also learned that people at Ghatkopar Khau Galli were very much welcoming and allowed us to click pictures immediately. They were very supportive and even offered us delicacies to eat without charging any money. But we declined taking anything for free and paid for the food we ate.
4. Saquib was quite new to Local Guide and hence got a lot of his queries clarified with us. (He was fasting the entire due to Ramzan, but still was super enthusiastic and visited everywhere we went. Shows how committed we local guides are towards our community).
5. We finally concluded our Meet-Up promising to catch up soon on another meet-up.
Link for more photos from the meet-up : https://photos.app.goo.gl/ycR7imj1iXWnQJob2
@HelloJess @JeslynL @TraciC @KarenVChin @BellaWi @ShafiulB @StephenAbraham @AlejandraMaría @Vivekajeet @NandKK Would appreciate your feecback on my first meet-up.
It was great @Saquib58 having you attend this meet-up.. And I must salute your commitment. Despite fasting throughout the day due to Ramzaan, you made it to the meet-up with so much enthusiasm.
