A tourist office of Bardejov municipality, Bardejov, Slovakia, August 2023

On 11 August 2023, just a day before my flight to Lisbon and then Caracas, I had the pleasure of meeting up with two of my wonderful friends, Lucia and Aidan, and their lovely son. We decided to meet in Bardejov, a charming town in Slovakia, which was conveniently located halfway between Nowy Sącz and Kosice—where Lucia’s parents live.

A Beautiful Friendship Started in Juba

Our friendship goes way back to when we first met in Juba, South Sudan. It was there that we first connected, and we immediately bonded over shared experiences in humanitarian work. Over the years, our friendship has only grown, and it felt so special to reunite after a long time apart. Lucia, a Slovak, and Aidan, an Australian, now live in Melbourne, but they were on a family visit to Kosice, so meeting up in Bardejov was the perfect middle ground.

Catching Up in Bardejov – A Precious Reunion

In Bardejov, we had such a wonderful time together. We spent the day talking, catching up, and laughing, as we shared the latest updates from our lives. It was truly a joy to reconnect with old friends and reminisce about our time in South Sudan and the adventures we’ve had since. The atmosphere was warm and comfortable, and we all felt like no time had passed at all.

We had an amazing lunch together at a local restaurant, where we enjoyed some traditional Slovak dishes and wonderful conversation. Lucia and Aidan’s son was an absolute delight, and it was such a treat to meet the little one and see how much he had grown.

Although our reunion was short, it was incredibly precious and a reminder of the strong friendships formed through our shared humanitarian journeys. It was a moment of pure joy, and I left Bardejov feeling grateful for such meaningful friendships in my life.

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