def func():
  user_connections=['aa']
  try:
    print(user_connections)
    #context = {'user_connections': user_connections}
    #my_context = {'a': a}
    exec("user_connections+=['bb']", {'user_connections': user_connections})
    print(user_connections)
  except:
  	pass
  print("final: " + str(user_connections))

func()