CURRENT MISSION:
To write my first book which already started to exist and it's called: "Praise of everyday life" ...Although in spanish sounds nicer: Elogio a la cotidianidad :)

I'm Colombian, originally from Medellín. In 2008 I lived in London for a year and went backpacking through Europe on my own. Since then, the perspective of life expanded to me and I realized that there are many ways to live life, there is not a single script, there is no a right way to do things, the only option is to follow ourselves. Since then I have dreamed of traveling as a backpacker again for a long time to try luck as a freelance writer and to write a book. For this reason I embark on this journey through Southeast Asia from October 30, 2015.

I write a blog (in Spanish: http://carolinachavate.com), and publish in magazines, so accept proposals for post reviews and stories.

My studies and work experience are focused on human rights, international humanitarian law, research and literary journalism.

I write because only through putting certain things in words I manage to identify myself. If someone, in turn, identifies with what I write that gives me happiness, not because I believe that everyone is equal but, for me confirms that we are more united than we think.

Some things about me as a guest:
- I love coffee, let's share a cup.

- Writing is my passion, my creative project and the way i work and i make my living. So it takes time. So please don't feel I'm being rude if I spend a few hours in front of my computer every day. This is my engine to keep traveling.

- I really enjoy cooking so whenever we say "goodbye" I'll cook something good for you

- I want travel slow and meet local people (through CS and/or spontaneously). I enjoy simplicity and don't like to plan too much (it gets quite hard when you spend too much
money or time on the road).

WEBS:
Blog: www.carolinachavate.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/blogcarolinachavate
Facebook profile: www.facebook.com/caro.chavate
Instagram: www.instagram.com/carolinachavate
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carolinachavate

PERSONAL MANTRAS:
-Trust

-"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life." Charles Darwin

-“If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.” Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think travelers are kind of floating nation whose flag is solidarity. When you do something nice for someone, not only manage to generate good karma for you, but that person probably replicate this act, doing good for someone else. That is the basis of true social transformation.

Interests

Coffee, yoga, traveling, writing, bicycling, the sea, the mountains, the cultural life of the cities, trying new food, going to markets, cooking, taking pictures, listening to music, dancing, reading, art, films, sustainability as a lifestyle and finding new places in the world where I may understand something of its everyday life and find inspiration.

• arts
• writing
• books
• dancing
• human rights
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• yoga
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• backpacking
• rock climbing
• freelancing
• journalism
• law
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies, music and books are an essential part of my life. Since I cannot make a complete list of everything I like, I will name a few...

Favorite bands: Manu Chao, The Beatles, Cultura Profética, Bob and Damian Marley, Jamiroquai, Alt-J, The whitest boy alive, Major lazer, Michael Jackson, Radiohead, Metronomy, Jorge Drexler, Ojos de brujo, Pink Floyd, Rolling stones, Cafetacuba, Kevin Johansen, Bomba Estéreo, Gorillaz, Calle 13, Buena vista social club.

Authors I admire: Haruki Murakami, Eduardo Galeano, Julio Cortázar, Leila Guerriero, Muriel Barbery, Jack Kerouac, Ernesto Sábato, Ryszard Kapuscinski, Gabriel García Márquez, Wislawa Szymborska, Milan Kundera (Czech), Julio Cortázar, Alice Munro, Rafael Chaparro Madiedo, Chuck Palaniuk, Oriana Fallaci.

Directors I adore: Pedro Almodóvar, kim ki duk, Woody Allen, Nadine Labaki, Tim Burton, Hayao Miyazaki, Guillermo de Toro, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, Jean-Pierre Jeunet , Alex de la Iglesia, Charles Chaplin.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Climbing "peñol stone" in Guatapé, Colombia.

Living in London at age 19 and go backpacking through Europe.

Teaching creative writing in Colombia.

Give up my life as a lawyer to pursue my life as a writer.

Go to Southeast Asia to write a book.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some Spanish and you can teach me your language.

We can make funny creative writing exercises

We can exchange good music and books.

I can cook for you and teach you delicious dishes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can give you all the travel advice you need to travel around Colombia.

Countries I’ve Visited

Colombia, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Scotland, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, England