One of the murals on the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, January 2024

My short break in Cartagena de Indias of Colombia was splendid. One week of exploration of the city's wonderful architecture and the nature around was perfect and enjoyable. Except the unbearable heat, it was a perfect city break: a good balance of culture, nature and good cuisine.

February, perhaps will be less exciting when it comes to travelling and getting to know new places, however it will be a very busy month. We are now receiving our partners' proposals for humanitarian projects to be implemented across the country. We will be trying to read all of them and make rational decisions whether we should engage with them or not, and negotiate possible adjustments. Reviewing a large number of proposals is a difficult and tiring job, but then it is also challenging, as it gives you a chance to reflect on needs, our own capacities to respond and push for better organisation and coordination so that the resources are used as efficiently as possible so that more people can benefit from the outcomes of the projects.

Last days of February, March and April however will be filled with travels. Although, this is not yet certain, at the very beginning of it, I may be travelling to Washington D.C. for the meetings in the World Bank on the occasion of the Fragility Forum 2024 conference, where we are planning to discuss our work and needs of communities in Venezuela. Some weeks later, I will be heading to the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels, where we will also have a chance to discuss, among other issues, our work in Venezuela and Colombia.

If all goes according to plans, I will then be taking holidays in April. The idea is first to visit family and friends in Toronto, and then head to see Mum and family in Nowy Sacz.

I hope to see some of you around, either here in Venezuela, or while travelling!