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Want to know how a journalist turns a region into a calling and a career? We sit down with bilingual writer and editor Carly Rojas Avila to unpack how she built a trusted niche in Latin American travel, food, and spirits—earning bylines with Forbes, Travel + Leisure, and hundreds of syndications—while keeping her work deeply human in a noisy media world.

Carly traces her path from storytelling in marketing to reporting across Colombia, Argentina, Cuba, and Ecuador, explaining why narrowing her focus actually expanded opportunity. We explore Medellín’s energy and innovation, Ecuador’s overlooked mainland beyond the Galápagos, and how local kitchens and bars act as cultural translators. Carly shares why interviews beat email quotes, how chefs and bartenders carry memory and identity, and what makes a pitch stand out in travel and spirits: a clear why, timely context, and respect for the reader.

We also dive into building direct lines to audiences with two new Substacks—one connecting PR and media needs, the other a home for Latin American travel insights that don’t fit traditional formats. Carly offers candid advice on starting newsletters without editor guardrails, staying anchored to a personal why to avoid burnout, and setting smart criteria for press trips when time and attention are scarce. She closes with the growth that comes from living abroad, learning Spanish on the street as much as in class, and stretching into new outlets—including her first published story in Spanish.

If you care about travel journalism, culinary storytelling, or pitching that actually gets read, this conversation delivers practical takeaways and fresh perspective. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Latin America, and leave a review to tell us what destination you want featured next.

Carley’s Website

Substacks

Instagram: @carleyrojasavila

carrojasavila@gmail.com

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