12/09/2026
Some trips stay with you long after you come back. 🇧🇷
Brazil was my first time in South America, and it turned out to be much more than just a trip.
I had the chance to spend time with my dear friend and colleague, Rachel Rachel Baptista , Sequelas da Paralisia Facial, one of the most experienced surgeons I know in facial paralysis. Watching her operate, discussing different approaches and learning new techniques, small details and surgical tricks was incredibly valuable. I came back with new ideas, a few changes in the way I think about certain cases, and even more respect for the work she has built over the years.
One of the best parts of our profession is that, no matter how experienced you become, there is always something to learn from someone who has taken a field deeply and made it their own.
A special thank you to Rachel and her team for the incredible hospitality, for making me feel so welcome, and for sharing not only their surgical experience but also their city and culture with me.
And then there was Brazil itself.
São Paulo, Rio, the unforgettable scenery, Copacabana Beach, incredible meat, the favela culture, visiting one of the locations where Michael Jackson filmed They Don’t Care About Us, and quite possibly the best piña colada I’ve ever had in my life. 🍍🥥
I loved the energy, the food, the music, the people and the whole atmosphere. There is something very distinctive about the warmth and intensity of Brazilian culture that is difficult to describe until you experience it.
Surgery, friendship, culture, food and a completely new part of the world for me.
Finally sharing a few memories from a trip I really loved. 🇧🇷