Eden Gillespie is a freelance journalist based in Sydney/Madrid. When she's not drinking sangria, she's asking (far too many) questions and watching serial killer documentaries. How do you spend your days? I'll start it with a coffee and the news, head to uni and write some stories. If I'm lucky I'll go to the dog park and pet some puppers. Lately, I've been obsessing over researching Spain, where I'll soon be based. Why is journalism important to you? In a time where "fake news" is a buzzword, quality journalism matters more now than ever. For me, journalism is an opportunity to tell important stories that otherwise wouldn't be heard. It's a way of letting people know what's going on, holding power accountable and most importantly, connecting with people from all walks of life. What drove you to focus on journalism & writing? Was there a particular moment you can remember that led you to this field? I was advised not to study journalism and told I'd "never get a job", but writing and journalism is something that I'm too passionate to give up on. Watching Louis Theroux documentaries was one thing that made me think 'yeah, this is what I want to do'. He stands for respectful, balanced and thought provoking journalism, and that really resonates with me. What drives you professionally? What drives me is as simple as a good story. Something that has meaning to me, draws an emotional response, or makes me question my version of reality. In your opinion what are the three biggest problems facing the developed and developing world? Nuclear proliferation, global warming, human trafficking. If you hadn’t become a journalist what would you have done? I'd make travel documentaries National Geographic style. If that failed I'd be a detective, criminal lawyer, or diplomat. What led us to this moment in history? I think a disenchantment with world leaders. Promises being broken, capital interests coming first over what populations need and want, and a lack of long term planning by policy makers. Basically, the obsession of holding onto power at all costs ala House of Cards. What are the lessons we failed to learn during and since the 2008 crisis? I'm going to quote economist Steven Hail and say that "By 2008, the global financial system had become so large and complex... that virtually nobody fully understood how fragile and likely to crash the whole system had become." Neoliberalism has a lot to answer for imo. Can you list some ‘Baby Steps’ out of the current economic mess? In Australia, I'd say we desperately need to focus on making housing affordable and take a long hard look at negative gearing. We should be stimulating employment and innovation especially, rather than doing things like making visa changes. If you were a global President what would your first three pieces of policy be? Crack down on corruption, dispose of nuclear arsenals, transition towards renewable energy. Tell us something you have been wrong about? I truly believed that Hillary Clinton would be the US president right now. You are stuck in a ski lift for twenty four hours - you can have one person (living or dead) with you who will it be? It's a tie between Gloria Steinem and Louis Theroux. Name the book that changed you…. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. What would you do differently if you were to start all over again? I don't believe in starting over. I'm strongly rooted in the "learn from your mistakes" school. Give our readers, members and subscribers a piece of advice that has served you well… Be kind and always keep your mind open. Don't ever assume that you know the full story. Twitter: @edengillespie Website: edengillespie.wordpress.com