#0025 – Rafa: The Power of Passion, Pain, and Paella

Episode #0025

There are episodes that feel like conversations, and then there are those that feel like soul mirrors. Episode #0025 of Whereabouts Tales is one of the latter.

In a beautifully honest exchange, Paul reunites with his longtime friend Rafa, Brazilian by blood, global citizen by heart, to unpack the kind of stories you don't just listen to, you feel.

When Friendship Beats Algorithms

Right off the bat, Paul confesses: this should’ve been episode one. The conversation isn't polished or staged,it’s raw, filled with memories, laughter, cultural tangents, and moments of real emotional weight. From discussing the shallowness of social media to the quiet magic of honest friendship, the two dissect what it means to truly connect, without the filters, without the hashtags.

Rafa puts it plainly: "We found each other in transparency." And in a world of poker faces, that kind of honesty is rare currency.

Social Media, Vanity, and the Disappearing Self

One of the most powerful threads in the episode is their critique of modern digital life. Both Paul and Rafa reflect on how social media often demands perfection, manufacturing sameness and squeezing individuality into algorithm-approved molds.

“You have to feed the narrative, of how you look, how you behave, how you exist,” says Paul. Rafa agrees, calling it a “sickness,” where likes reward fear and judgment, not compassion or truth.

But amidst the cultural noise, the two find clarity in passion, whether it’s in work, love, or simply dancing barefoot at a barbecue in the Brazilian sun.

Life in Brazil: Joy Among Struggles

Rafa, ever the cliff jumper (his words), recounts his spirited upbringing in Brazil’s 80s. Picture bruised knees, backyard waterfalls, kites tangled in power lines, and the taste of feijoada after an afternoon downpour.

But Brazil’s warmth came with shadows. Corruption, inequality, and a growing sense of insecurity eventually pushed Rafa to look elsewhere, not out of hate for home, but love for safety and possibility. "I was always on edge," he shares, describing the tension of daily life in São Paulo. “I didn’t want to live in fear.”

So, he jumped. And he landed in Barcelona.

From São Paulo to Siestas: Culture Shocks & Heart Gains

Barcelona, with its melting pot of cultures and easy laughter, became the unexpected balm to Rafa’s anxious soul. But it wasn’t a fairy tale. The beginning was shaky. His father passed just as opportunity knocked. His marriage would later dissolve. Yet, somehow, Rafa kept smiling, “patching up the broken leg and swimming to the next cliff.”

He found community, career growth, and a deep appreciation for Spanish directness (and their unashamed love for afternoon naps). “There are no drawers in a coffin,” his father used to say. And Rafa’s lived his life by that wisdom: bold, intentional, and always with a touch of humor.

Languages, Identity, and the Craving for Home

One of the most moving reflections comes near the end. Rafa, now living in Latvia, speaks candidly about missing his mother tongue. “You’re the funniest in your own language,” he says. “The cleverest.” And yet, he’s adapted, speaking in English with his wife, trying Latvian, dreaming in Portuguese, and swearing in Spanish.

It's the kind of internal patchwork only expats understand—where home isn't one place, but a palette of feelings, memories, and music.

Speaking of music? He closes with recommendations: Brazilian icons like Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque, bossa nova, and the haunting soundtrack of a Brazilian film set during the dictatorship, I'm Still Here.

Glass Half Full—Always

Rafa’s advice for anyone considering a big move? Don’t expect it to be easy. But anchor yourself in the good. “You’ll miss food, family, your language… but there will be sunsets, new flavors, new ways of seeing.”

Half glass full. That’s the lens.

🎧 Listen to Episode #0025 – “Rafa Burton: The Power of Passion, Pain, and Paella”

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever good stories are shared.

Full of humor, heartache, and hope—this is one of those episodes you’ll carry with you. And yes, Rafa’s mom will finally get to see snow.