Connect Moderators are Local Guides just like you and me. They apply the knowledge they’ve gained as active members of our community to moderate Connect and help improve the experience for everyone. You may see them welcoming newcomers, explaining the program, answering questions, and sharing their knowledge with others.
Each month, we share some personal insights from one of our amazing Connect Moderators. This month, meet Denise ( @Denise_Barlock ). Denise speaks English and lives in an RV, so she finds herself in a new place in theUnited States every month!
Name: Denise Barlock
Location: We live full-time in our home on wheels [and] typically move every month to a new location.
What I love about being a Local Guide: Google Maps is our life! We use it every day to survive. Where do we buy groceries? Where would we like to eat out? Where is the cheapest gas? We don’t (or can’t) have regular places where we shop or regular things to do. I find that I want to help others also visit where we have visited, and being a Local Guide enables me to provide the traveler’s perspective to photos and reviews.
Why I’m a Connect Moderator: I believe I have many life experiences and travel knowledge that I can leverage to help other Local Guides. I also love the camaraderie of the community of Local Guides. Connect is my “neighborhood,” and the Local Guides are my friends and neighbors!
My favorite things to explore: I LOVE to find local restaurants! My favorite place to go to where we are now is a small Cuban restaurant. We feel so blessed to have found this family-run business, and we go there often. It’s quite fun to be able to leverage Google Maps to find these treasures.
My favorite type of contribution(s) to make on Google Maps: My favorite to contribute is photos. I like to challenge myself to see if I can get the featured photo!
**Languages I read/speak/write fluently:**I’m sad it’s only English, and I have to use correction programs to make sure that I do that “well enough.” 
Places I’d like to visit: I’d love to visit the South Pacific and Ireland and Scotland. How’s that for opposite sides of the Earth? I’ve never been to the South Pacific, and for some reason, I have this calling to revisit Ireland and Scotland.
Fun fact about me: I used to play the card game Pokemon, and I was ranked internationally. I played at invitation-only international tournaments and traveled the world playing at Pokemon tournaments.
We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know @Denise_Barlock . Say hi or ask her a question below as she has a lot to share about Google Maps and Connect.
Interested in becoming a Connect Moderator? Want to learn about other Connect Moderators? Find out more here.
Whoah 
