Muszyna, Poland, May 2022

In May 2022, after completing my intense humanitarian deployment in Ukraine, I was granted an extra week of leave to rest and recuperate before heading back to Panama City. This unexpected break allowed me to spend more time in Poland, enjoying the company of Mum and family—something that always feels like a gift.

Relaxing in Nowy Sącz and Exploring Nearby Villages

While based in Nowy Sącz, I took the opportunity to travel around the surrounding region, visiting:
• Krynica-Zdrój – A beautiful spa town, famous for its healing mineral waters, charming promenades, and mountain views.
• Muszyna – Another picturesque spa town, where I enjoyed relaxing walks through lush gardens and quiet streets.
• Bardejov, Slovakia – Just across the border, this UNESCO-listed medieval town was a delight to visit, with its well-preserved historic centre and peaceful atmosphere.
• Smerekowiec & Kwiatoń – These villages are home to stunning wooden churches, masterpieces of Lemko and Carpathian architecture, blending history, faith, and craftsmanship in an incredibly serene setting.

A Farewell Dinner by the Lake

As my time in Poland drew to a close, I had a farewell dinner in a lovely restaurant in Gródek nad Dunajcem, overlooking the beautiful lake. It was a perfect setting to reflect on my time at home before heading back to work.

The Journey Back to Panama

Soon, it was time to leave. My route took me from Kraków to Warsaw, then onward to Los Angeles, before finally landing back in Panama City.

This extra week in Poland was exactly what I needed—a chance to recover, reconnect with loved ones, and appreciate the simple joys of home before returning to humanitarian work on the other side of the world.

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Lviv, Ukraine, April 2022

In April and May 2022, despite being responsible for Latin America, I was seconded to Ukraine to support my ECHO colleagues in scaling up the humanitarian response. Given my experience working in war zones, my Polish background, and my understanding of Ukrainian, I was asked to assist in the western part of the country, where relief efforts were being coordinated.

Crossing into Ukraine – A Journey into Uncertainty

Leaving Rzeszów, we travelled in an OCHA bus to the border. Seeing the long queues of cars—some leaving Ukraine, others returning—was a stark reminder of the reality of war.

The journey into Lviv was surreal—a beautiful city filled with history, yet living under the constant threat of attack. Upon arrival, the anti-rocket sirens sounded, a chilling introduction to life in a war zone.

Working in Lviv – Coordination and Crisis Response

My role in Lviv was to:
• Support the ECHO office, ensuring aid was effectively coordinated.
• Help partners re-focus their response from western Ukraine to the frontline regions, where needs were greatest.
• Visit shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs), where families fleeing the frontline sought refuge.
• Oversee logistics to make sure aid was reaching the people who needed it most.

Despite the grim circumstances, I was grateful to reconnect with old humanitarian colleagues, including Yorgos, whom I had worked with in South Sudan.

Living Through an Airstrike – Seeking Safety in a Bomb Shelter

One of the most intense moments of my mission was witnessing a rocket attack on Lviv. As the sirens blared, I ran to the bomb shelter, where I spent several hours with local Ukrainians.

What moved me the most was how, despite their own fears and hardships, they tried to look after me—a foreigner who had come to their country with humanitarian aid. Their kindness and resilience in the face of war left a deep impression on me.

Travelling Through Western Ukraine

Beyond Lviv, I also travelled to:
• Stryj – A town with a personal connection, as it is a twin city of Nowy Sącz!
• Korostov – A stop on the way to Uzhhorod, where I saw how rural communities were coping with the crisis.
• Uzhhorod – A key city near the Slovakian border, where I spent several days visiting IDP centres, meeting displaced families, and assessing humanitarian needs.

Returning to Poland via Slovakia – A Stop in Kosice

After completing my mission, I crossed the border into Slovakia from Uzhhorod. Before heading back to Poland, I stopped in Košice, where I had the opportunity to visit the EU Civil Protection warehouses. These facilities were playing a crucial role in supporting the humanitarian response in Ukraine, serving as a hub for essential supplies, logistics coordination, and rapid deployment of aid. Seeing the scale of operations reinforced just how massive and complex the relief effort was, and how critical international support remained in addressing the crisis.

Reflections on the Mission

This deployment was one of the most intense experiences of my career. The resilience of Ukrainians, the solidarity of the humanitarian community, and the immense scale of suffering were all deeply moving.

The war was not just about soldiers and frontlines—it was about ordinary people, families torn apart, and communities trying to survive against all odds. This mission reminded me why humanitarian work matters, and why we must never stop supporting those caught in conflict.

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