We interview Sasha, a 30-year-old captain in the Ukrainian army. He's currently in Ethiopia as part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces contingent of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

What's your background?

I'm a captain in the Ukrainian army. I signed up when I was 16. I've been in the army for 14 years. I work in signals. Last year I finished a peacekeeping training course and now I'm in Africa as part of a multinational peacekeeping force.

Did the training course provide adequate preparation?

The input was extremely useful - you could say essential. Some areas could be improved, of course. What counts most, though, is the people around you. I'm lucky that the Ukrainian contingent is made up of people who are well-trained and willing to work.

What language do you speak at work?

The main language we use here is English - so all those hours I spent studying weren't wasted!

Is there anything in Ukraine that you miss?

I miss everything about Ukraine. It's hard being away from your family for long periods.

Would you say that your work is dangerous?

Any peacekeeping mission includes elements of risk but, fortunately, I haven't had any frightening moments. When you go on patrol you must be very alert and cautious: where you go, what you say to people, what you do, how you behave generally. People are very sensitive about all these things.

Do you have much contact with the civilian population? What is life like for the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea?

We have a lot of contacts with the civilian population. People in Ethiopia and Eritrea are very poor (I'm speaking only about those parts of the countries that are along the temporary border). There's a shortage of water. There isn't much good soil for farming and droughts make life extremely difficult for these people. Both countries receive money and food - things like oil, flour and sugar - from the international community.

Is there anything you've seen that surprises you?

The border area is mountainous and a lot of people live in the highlands. So to bring water to their houses they need to go down to the valley and climb back up with jerry cans filled with water on their back. Sometimes it takes 4-6 hours for them every day, especially if they don't have a donkey.
One strange thing for me is that all the men and women here are always carrying something on their shoulders or backs. But the men are carrying a small stick while the women are carrying a sack of flour, or a 20-litre can of water or children or a big pile of firewood. Once I asked a man "Why?" And he replied that this is their culture and tradition.
The coffee here is very tasty. I had never tasted such delicious coffee! The people are friendly and always invite us for tea or coffee. They put a lot of sugar in tea and coffee (much more than we do). They told me that there is not enough food so sugar gives them energy.

What is your impression of the country itself?

The landscape here is very beautiful! Green valleys and brown mountains. You need to see it to understand its beauty! When it rains, it really pours down. A small stream can turn into a river in just a few minutes. Fortunately, in this area there is no malaria because of the high altitude. It was very difficult to adapt to this altitude. I remember going upstairs to the second floor of a building. It felt like I was running 3 kilometres! Now it is a little better but going up and down mountains is exhausting.

How do you see the future for Ethiopia and Eritrea?

I think that both countries could benefit from the natural beauty of the region. Tourism could be a big opportunity, and Eritrea also has the Red Sea coast. People are tired of this confrontation between the two countries that previously were friends. There are a lot of mixed families. But the war separated them and that is terrible. I hope that this mission will achieve its goal and peace comes to this place. And I hope it will not take a long time.

Use these exercises for further language practice:

UNMEE - impressions of a peacekeeper - "text reorder" exercise

Eritrea - facts and figures - "matching questions and answers" activity

Ethiopia - the country's economy - "drag and drop" exercise