@Cecilita joined Connect six years ago, and in 2020, she became one of our first Guiding Stars. She’s an outgoing, passionate Local Guide who cares about nature and loves museums, but as a true Community Builder, she’s happiest when she gets to share her passions with fellow Local Guides through meet-ups. Read on to learn more about her experience, best tips, and favorite moments.
What do you love about meet-ups?
I love everything about meet-ups! I usually work from home and spend a lot of time sitting down, so they help me stay active and give me a great excuse to get out of the house. And the best part… Thanks to meet-ups, I get to explore lots of places in my city of Buenos Aires that I’ve never visited before. I’ve been to tons of museums, tourist spots, parks, and a lot of super cool places.
What was your first experience with meet-ups?
In March 2019, I hosted my first meet-up. It was not a success because no Local Guide attended, but I was with my nine-year-old son, and we spent a great day together.
I was determined to meet other Local Guides in Buenos Aires, though, so I decided to attend a meet-up organized by someone else. Soon after that, I went to one of @Jesi ’s meet-ups, and I met her and Adrián ( @AdroGran ). We became friends, and since then, we have organized lots of virtual and face-to-face meet-ups together, and many Local Guides have joined us over time.
Do you have a favorite meet-up theme?
I have two types of favorite meet-ups.
First, visiting museums. If they are historical or inside old houses, even better! I love to imagine what life was like in the past, without modern technology, and think about how much things have changed.
I also love to organize “Local Guides Clean The World” meet-ups, where we raise awareness about the environment. I think these events help us understand what we are doing to our planet and that we must act now to reverse the impact.
What goes into planning a meet-up? How do you choose the topic, venue, and activities?
The first thing I think about is “What place would I like to visit?” and “What activities would I like to do?.” My ideas often come from some publication in a newspaper or online or other meet-ups organized on Connect.
Once I have the topic, I think about the activities. Local Guides in Buenos Aires really like to get together, so our meet-ups usually include more than one thing to see or do, and they always start or end somewhere where we can eat!
When planning, I check if the places to visit are open on the day and time of my event, if they have any restrictions, or if they are suitable for all attendees: are they accessible? Do they offer different types of food so everyone can have something and enjoy the day?
What are the three most important things you’ve learned from organizing meet-ups?
-
Always choose an activity or topic you are going to enjoy. That way, you will enjoy the organization and the experience and have a lot of fun.
-
It’s good to tell Local Guides you’re close with about your meet-up in advance so they can join you and you’ll know you won’t be alone.
-
Always be yourself and be willing to connect. Meet-ups have given me the opportunity to meet many great people that I now consider good friends.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone who’s about to host their first meet-up?
Dare and do it. Even if nobody comes, or even if you have lots of attendees, take the opportunity to spend some fun time doing what we Local Guides do best: take lots of photos and help others by sharing your experience on Google Maps.
Do you have a favorite meet-up you’ve (co-)hosted or attended?
The best meet-up I’ve co-hosted was the last Argentina Local Guides Community birthday with Jesi and Adrian. We “developed” an escape game, and it was very, very funny.
It’s hard to choose the best meet-up I’ve attended, but I think the most remarkable was the 36 Walk by Paul Pavlinovich ( @PaulPavlinovich ) before Connect Live 2019. I met amazing Local Guides from all over the world. The hugs and the happiness when we met each other for the first time in person are some of the best things I’ve ever experienced.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself?
I love to help others. Doing that makes me feel good, so I participate as a volunteer in different programs, like Google Crowdsource and Google Product Experts. A year ago, I joined a group called Embajadores Verdes (Green Ambassadors). Now I invite them to my “Clean The World” meet-ups.
Have you attended any of Cecilia’s meet-ups? Do you have a question for her? Let us know in the comments below.
Want to see who else is a Meet-up Champion? Read our previous post here.
!!!
!
