A six-month globetrotting experience in 1994 shaped Felix Andaker’s outlook on life at the age of 21.

Not because this was his first time abroad.

Felix had in fact visited other European countries and lived a year in South Carolina as an exchange student at the age of 17. A significant opportunity to be in touch with new customs and a different culture. “I enjoyed it every day”, Felix says.

It was however the travel around the world, starting in the Nepalese Himalayas, then via Thailand and several countries to Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean to the crossing of North America, that gave Felix a new perspective to life.

Looking at how life differs according to latitudes was pretty eye opening.  

The asymmetries shaped by factors such as a country’s GDP, resources, and access to education can be striking if looked at close range.

Such feeling is something that to these days makes Felix “humble”, as he says, speaking in his Ramallah (Palestine) office, where works as EUPOL COPPS’ Head of Mission (HoM) since July this year.

Prior to the travel, a transformative experience, Felix had done the mandatory military service in Sweden and started a military career. But after a very short time he felt that he was looking for something that would make him closer to civil society – the Swedish Police. So, in 1995, aged 23, Felix started at the Police Academy, as one of the youngest in class. A choice he has not ever regretted, since it provided him with a unique chance to make a difference in people’s everyday lives. He started with uniformed patrol assignments.

Overtime, Felix professional path took him to top managerial position within the Swedish Police Force and the Swedish Security Service.

Possibly his interest in Geography and History contributed to his choice to be deployed during his career in places like Afghanistan (2012-13), where he worked as Deputy Head of Field Office, in Mazar-e-Shariff, and the Balkans 1998.   

Travelling also as a professional through countries where one can meet people who are not granted the most fundamental needs like access to food or medical care, reinforced Felix’ humbleness. This field work and his experience in the Swedish police convinced Felix that life opportunities and social contexts can have a significant impact and effect on people at any location, including his own country. As a police officer Felix has thought the years contributed to bring to justice criminals. However, the humbleness gained by looking into the eyes of the underprivileged always made him stop and think that while justice must prevail, it remains important to try to understand what it means to walk in someone else’s shoes. This should not be confound with acceptance, Felix says.

While his career kept unfolding, Felix managed to fit in his marriage to Paula and the upbringing of three children, today aged 25, 23 and 19. His family copes rather well with him being deployed to Palestine, says Felix, as he already travelled a lot for work before for many years. Felix family is in fact proud of his assignment as EUPOL COPPS’ HoM. They speak on WhatsApp several times a week and many times they can make video calls as well due to the modern technique nowadays. When off work, Felix likes down-hill skiing in the mountains in Sweden or elsewhere and spend time on his sailboat in the waters of the Swedish archipelago.

Since only at the beginning of his assignment, Felix hopes to top up his knowledge of local food tradition behind humus, falafel and knafeh.

Felix drive for his work in Palestine is the same shaping his early days in the Swedish police:  to contribute to the good for people.

This remains unchanged, regardless of age, location, or position held.