Approaching the Airport of Maiquetia, Caracas, Venezuela, February 2026

I am writing this once again from Caracas.

After several weeks spent between Europe, Canada, Morocco, and back again across the Atlantic, I have returned to Venezuela. The familiar mountains are still there, embracing the city as they always have. The tropical air feels different after the cooler days of Europe and Canada, yet there is also something reassuring about being back.

This return, however, feels different from previous ones.

I am here for only three more weeks.

Three weeks to complete pending work, finalise ongoing processes, prepare the handover to my successor, and slowly begin saying goodbye to a country that has been an important part of my life for several years.

It is a strange feeling.

Part of me is already looking toward Ethiopia and the next chapter in Addis Ababa. Another part remains firmly rooted here, in the people, places, and routines that have become familiar over time. Venezuela has challenged me, surprised me, frustrated me, inspired me, and above all introduced me to extraordinary people. Leaving will not be easy.

Looking back, the past several weeks seem almost unreal in their intensity and variety.

The journey began with a return to Poland after many months in Venezuela. After landing from Caracas, with a brief stop in Lisbon along the way, there were a few precious days to slow down, spend time with family, and prepare for the next stage of the adventure. It was a period of transition — neither fully arrived nor yet departed — marked by familiar places, family conversations, and the anticipation of what lay ahead.

Those first days are captured in:

Between Departures
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4kXSnG97V8BC9XYx8

From Poland, Mum and I travelled to Canada to visit Tahir, Amna, and little Hania. Together we explored Toronto, Prince Edward County, Picton, and parts of Ontario beyond the usual tourist routes. It was a journey filled with family, friendship, nature, and the simple pleasure of spending unhurried time together.

Meeting Hania for the first time was particularly special. Watching Tahir and Amna in this new chapter of their lives brought a great deal of joy. We spent our days exploring lakeshores, vineyards, small towns, and country roads, enjoying long conversations and the kind of relaxed rhythm that is increasingly rare in everyday life.

The gallery can be found here:

Across Ontario and Beyond
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8AdiTYn5QsMQReDE9

Returning from Canada, we spent a day in Warsaw before setting off on our next adventure. Spring had fully arrived by then, and the city seemed filled with light. The Vistula flowed quietly through the capital, parks were turning green again, and there was a sense of renewal in the air before the next flight south.

Those moments are reflected in:

Spring Light Over the Vistula
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7m7NepFWHSvFPNqm8

Then came Morocco.

For a week, Mum and I explored a country that was entirely new to both of us. Based in Agadir, we discovered the Atlantic coast, wandered through the historic streets of Essaouira, experienced the colours and energy of Marrakech, and enjoyed countless smaller moments that make travel memorable. Morocco impressed us with its contrasts: ocean and desert, tradition and modernity, tranquillity and movement.

More than anything, I enjoyed sharing those discoveries with Mum. Travelling together always creates memories that remain long after the journey itself has ended.

That chapter is documented in:

Beyond the Atlas, Beside the Sea
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hvsSofUJ3bRjXR3KA

After Morocco, there was one final period of movement before returning to Venezuela.

Back in Poland, life slowed down for a little while. There was time to enjoy Nowy Sącz, catch up on small everyday matters, and simply appreciate being home. One particularly pleasant day was spent with Mum across the border in Slovakia. We travelled to Tatranská Lomnica, where the High Tatras rose above us in all their beauty. The weather was magnificent, the mountains even more so, and for a few hours there was nothing to do except walk, admire the scenery, and enjoy being together.

Another memorable moment came closer to home. One evening, Mum and I drove to nearby Krynica-Zdrój for dinner. As we sat together enjoying the atmosphere of the town and a leisurely meal, I was reminded how precious such simple moments can be. Much of my life unfolds across airports, humanitarian missions, and distant countries. Sharing an unhurried evening with Mum in the hills of southern Poland felt like a gift.

Soon afterwards, duty called again and I travelled to Brussels.

Yet even there, the journey still held one more highlight.

Leo, a close Venezuelan friend who has been building a new life in Spain over the past two years, travelled from Madrid to spend an extended weekend with me. Together we explored Brussels, Luxembourg, and Amsterdam — three cities, three countries, and countless kilometres on foot.

What made those days special was not simply the destinations, but the opportunity to experience them through Leo’s eyes. It was his first visit to all three cities. Watching his excitement as we wandered through the Grand Place in Brussels, crossed the canals of Amsterdam, and admired the elegance of Luxembourg was a reminder of how extraordinary travel can feel when everything is new.

Perhaps because I have travelled so much over the years, I occasionally take certain experiences for granted. Seeing Leo’s genuine curiosity and enthusiasm brought back some of that original sense of wonder. We travelled by train through the heart of the Benelux countries, admired landscapes rolling past the windows, discovered new streets together, and shared countless conversations about life, plans, and dreams.

Those few days became one of the highlights of the entire journey. Not because of monuments or famous landmarks, but because travel is ultimately about people. Places become memorable because of those with whom we experience them.

The final gallery of this period can be found here:

Between Home and Duty
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Pt5AQc79VPhwpEVr9

Taken together, these five galleries tell the story of several remarkable weeks spent moving between continents, friendships, family reunions, professional responsibilities, and new discoveries. Looking through them now, they already feel like chapters of a journey that passed far too quickly.

For now, however, my attention returns to Venezuela.

There are still meetings to attend, projects to follow, reports to complete, and goodbyes yet to be said. Three weeks is not a long time, but it is enough to close a chapter properly.

And then, before long, another chapter begins.

Addis Ababa awaits.