Simon Willis

Freelance journalist and writer

I’m a regular contributor to AFAR Media and The Washington Post. I have also written for Colombia Reports, Argentina Independent and The Yorkshire Post. I specialise in inspirational destination guides, and am the local Switzerland expert for afar.com. Themes for my articles have ranged from teaching English abroad to investigating the Argentinian youth soccer culture. My fluent Spanish is a major advantage when conducting interviews and gathering information.

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Portfolio

Freelance Work

Washingtonpost
Ride 'em cowboy, in Colombia

"Many people have seen it manifest in the sky. We were once sitting outside the farm and it appeared in front of us," he says, trotting along slowly. "We raced inside to get out of the way. It lit up the whole house." "The history of this land includes stories like this.

Washingtonpost
Where a drug lord once cavorted, children now play

The dilapidated mansion where they are playing once belonged to the ruthless drug lord Pablo Escobar. The newspaper on the wall reports the assassination of Colombian politician Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, one of many public figures killed trying to prosecute Escobar and his cocaine cartel during its reign of terror in Colombia in the 1980s and early '90s.

Afar
Switzerland

With its combination of cultures and local traditions, Switzerland flourishes as a country of great intrigue and diversity. While urban pleasure-seekers succumb to the temptations of world-class cuisine and sophisticated living, others are beguiled by medieval towns and candlelit villages.

Argentinaindependent
Training for Europe at Boca Juniors' Finishing School

The exhausted players collapse to the ground as the whistle blows to signal the end of training. Another Tuesday morning session packed with speed, intensity and pressure has taken its toll. But for the youth of Boca Juniors, this is not unfamiliar territory.

Colombia Reports

Press Association