A Flower Stand, Caracas, Venezuela, January 2026

Spring, movement, and a few thoughts from Caracas 🌿

Dear friends,

Spring seems to be arriving quietly again, almost without asking for attention. A shift in the light, in the air, in the way one begins to think a little further ahead. It feels like one of those moments in the year when things do not change suddenly, but gently begin to move.

I am writing this from Caracas, having just returned from a week in Apure. It was one of those trips that leaves you both tired and strangely grounded. Long days in the field, conversations that stay with you, and the reminder of how complex and fragile the reality here continues to be. And then, coming back — to a desk, to emails, to a different rhythm — with a sense that both worlds somehow coexist, even if uneasily.

There is also a quiet awareness that my time in Venezuela is slowly coming to an end. It does not feel dramatic, but rather like the closing of a chapter that has been intense, demanding, and, in many ways, deeply formative. What will stay with me most are the people. Over time, this place stopped being just a duty station and became something more human, more personal. I have been incredibly lucky to find here not just colleagues, but a kind of family — Mayling, Giovanni, and Samantha, who have been a constant source of warmth and kindness in these years.

There have also been moments of relief and gratitude recently. We have just learned that Leo’s work permit in Spain has been extended for another year. It is difficult to put into words what this means, but it brings a sense of stability and hope that was very much needed. I feel deeply grateful to all of you who, in one way or another, were part of the support around him.

Looking ahead, a new chapter is slowly taking shape. As of August, I will be moving to Addis Ababa with ECHO. It still feels a little abstract — more a direction than a reality — but I am looking forward to discovering what this next step will bring.

Before that, the coming months will be filled with movement. In May and June, I will be spending time in Europe, including Poland, and I am especially happy that I will be travelling together with my Mum. From there, we will go to Canada to visit Tahir, Amna, and their daughter Hania — whom I have not yet met in person. I find myself looking forward to that moment with a kind of simple joy.

There will be other stops along the way — a bit of travel, a bit of transition — but perhaps what I am most aware of is the passage itself. Moving between places, between roles, between phases of life, and somehow trying to remain connected to the people who matter, even as geography keeps shifting.

I often think of how our lives have spread across continents, and how, despite that, certain connections remain steady and quietly present. This message is, in a way, also just that — a small bridge across distance.

I hope that wherever you are, this season brings you some space to breathe, to rest, and to look ahead with a sense of calm.

Sending you my warmest thoughts,
Roman