Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of joining an expedition to a truly extraordinary place like the Amazon rainforest.

I was in Mexico when those childhood dreams suddenly came back to me. I remembered the adventurous kid who believed that if you want to live extraordinary experiences, you cannot simply wait for them to find you. So that's exactly what I did. I opened my laptop, searched for medical expeditions, and discovered Vine Trust.

Before the trip, my biggest expectation wasn't just the Amazon itself—it was the people I would meet and the opportunity to learn from them while sharing an unforgettable adventure.

As human beings, we were once nomads. This expedition reminded me that the instincts of survival, teamwork, and helping others are still part of who we are. Sometimes, we simply need the right place to rediscover them.

I would recommend it to anyone searching for something deeper—for those who want to reconnect with themselves, understand the reality of the indigenous communities living in the Amazon, appreciate their culture, experience their cuisine, and discover the incredible medicine hidden within the rainforest's native plants and trees.

On board the ship, I found something unexpected: a family. Watching every member of the team work toward the same purpose made me realize that every role matters equally.

As an ophthalmologist, I had the privilege of examining and treating a wide variety of eye conditions. I performed refractions, prescribed glasses, and even carried out successful pterygium surgeries. But beyond the medical work, what stayed with me the most were the faces—and especially the eyes. A person's eyes tell stories that words never could.

Ironically, although safety was one of my family's greatest concerns before I left, I felt far safer on the ship in the middle of the Amazon than I often do in a city. The people I met (fishermen, farmers, children, entire communities) welcomed us with humility, kindness and genuine warmth. I say this sincerely: I felt completely at peace.

I will always carry with me the sunsets viewed from the deck, the communities we visited, the friendships I built, and a heart now filled with stories that I will tell for the rest of my life.

As an eye surgeon, I believe every gaze carries something from the soul. That is exactly what happened to me during this expedition, and I truly hope that one day you will have the opportunity to experience it through your own eyes.

My advice is simple: Go. If there is something calling you from deep within your heart, don't ignore it. Step outside, explore, and listen—because nature speaks.

- Dr Emmanuel Franco Gómez from Mexico.