Evening at my balcony, Pacific Ocean, Panama City, Panama, May 2023

I have now returned from the border between Mexico and the USA and working on my field visit report. The images of thousands of people living in the streets, in appalling conditions are still vivid in my mind. Individual stories of misery, abuse are difficult to forget, and perhaps should not be forgotten. Migrants walking from various parts of America towards the USA often live a situation that could easily be considered as hell. They end up in misery due to extreme poverty, political oppressions, lack of education and opportunities to advance and develop as human beings. Their stories matter and should not be forgotten. In fact, I am preparing a short account of some of the conversations that I had with various families in Mexico and will try sharing them with you sometime later.

In the meanwhile, my preparations for departing from Panama progress well. I am looking for agencies that would help me to bring some of my personal stuff from Panama to Venezuela, looking at contracts to donate my car, and start preparing my hand over notes. It seems like I still have time to do that, but then I realise that I will already be leaving in 6 weeks. Time flies, and I guess all will happen faster than I expect…

Before I go, I will have a visit here in Panama City. A very dear friend of mine, Christine, who lives and works in Atlanta (working for the renowned Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) comes here in two weeks to spend a few days with me. I am so excited of her visit. Christine is a dear friend of mine, and it will be so nice to chat with her, bring some of the common memories back and do some touristy stuff in the city and around! Really looking forward to her coming!

Mexico City, Mexico, June 2021

You may have read that there is a severe migration crisis developing at the border between Mexico and the United States. This follows changes to asylum laws recently introduced in the USA.

In order to assess the humanitarian consequences on migrants and host communities in northern Mexico, I am travelling tomorrow with a fact-finding mission.

As the trip goes on, I will be updating you with photo documentary. Tomorrow, I am starting with the City of Juarez, bordering with El Paso in the US (Texas). Stay tuned for more news soon!

Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama, April 2023

I have just returned from Venezuela. The experience of the new country is still very strong inside me, as I think of Venezuela's beauty, amazingly friendly people, but also extraordinary challenges and hardships that many undergo on daily basis. It may be premature to say, but I have such a good feeling about the place and look forward to be moving there in August. I can't wait!

It is a strange feeling to be here in Panama City. Walking its street and realise that I am beginning to have my 'last everything' here. Last visits to cafes, Cinta Costera, Casco Viejo, Cangrejo's bars and parks. Panama has not been 'love at first sight' for me, as it seems to be the case with Venezuela. I have grown to like many aspects of my life in this country though, and will definitely miss it. I made many great friends here, I learnt my Spanish in this country, and I have has some of the most enjoyable working experience of my professional life.

I am looking at my schedule for next weeks. First days of May will be filled with numerous meetings and project administrative work in Panama. It will be busy, but lots of desk and sit-down work. It is actually a fairly strange feeling as I have no trips planned for weeks to come - highly unusual with my work. As things stand with my work, it may change at any moment, and I may be packing my bags sooner than I expect, but it is a nice feeling to know that I might stay in one place for some weeks.