We have just attended our welcome dinner hosted by the Rotary Club Ribeirao Preto North. We met Governor Adalberto and his wife Sueli, Carlos and Henrique (Brenda's host family) Jose and Teresa (Sara's host family), Plauto and Garcia (James host family) and Adalberto and Solange (Charlotte and my host family). Of course there were lots of other wonderful people there and the meal was wicked (quote Brenda). The hospitality and generousity has been overwelming at times and I speak for all the team, and its only the first day.

We are all staying with our host families for the first 6 days and they have been amazing, opening up their homes for us. My hosts know as much English as I do Portuguese and my Raetihi Club will know exactly how much that is! However I was lucky to have a nephew visit, who had done a year as an exchange student in the USA and could inteprete for me. So on the first night the conversation and Brazilian beer went well into the wee small hours of the morning.

The Brazilian food is not so different from ours. Breakfast is usually fruit drizzled with honey, bread with a variety of spreads and of course coffee. Lunch is the main meal and so far I've had big steaks, with salad, polenta deep fried and rice.

Our welcome dinner was a delicious green salad with tropical fruits, shrimp mixed with brazilian spices in coconut milk and rice, tomato pasta with cheese and basil. AND the deserts are not made for those watching their sugar intake. We had 5 different ones to try, absolutely delicious and consequently we'll ALL be up early to burn some of those calories off before the next meal!!

I look forward to tomorrows adventure.

Petra