I slept until 10:30 this morning, and woke up to the sound of a car with a huge speaker strapped to the top of it, playing music as it drove by. This happens quite often, and I enjoy the short bursts of music that come into my room. Wandering out of my room, I met the maid, Irina. Renata showed me the breakfast food, and I had cereal with strawberries, and warm milk? I guess that’s how they have it, as well as bread with jam. I also had a glass of unidentified juice, which they showed me the fruit it came from, and I still don’t know what it is. It was good though.
After that, thanks to Google translate, Renata told me that she was going to work for a while, and I unpacked my things. It was so hot that wearing a t shirt and shorts was sweltering, and as I unpacked, I cursed the fact that I brought so many warm clothes. I don’t think that I will ever wear them. If this is their winter, I hope that I will survive summer.
When Renata came home at lunchtime, we went out for lunch because there is a broken pipe in the kitchen, and everything is out of the cupboards and strewn around the room. We went to a restaurant where you fill your plate, and then pay a certain amount per pound, which I think is quite a good idea. We met another family there whose daughter spoke English and she helped to translate what Renata wanted to say. The Brazilian people are very welcoming, and everyone tells me that I will make lots of friends very quickly. I don’t know exactly what I ate really, but I think there were some beans and pork involved, as well as chicken. I could recognize salad, and took a generous helping of that.
After lunch, Renata and I went to visit her mother, who lives in a nice house not far from my apartment. Her father speaks French, so taking back what I said earlier about French not helping me, it allowed me to communicate with him, as well as who I understand to be his daughter and husband, who both speak good English and French. They explained to me that Votuporanga is very dry right now, and this isn’t normal. I think that I’m glad about that, but humidity could make it feel hotter, so I’m not sure.
I haven’t taken many pictures yet, I was too tired last night to even think of taking a picture of me and my host parents, I will try to do that soon though. 
The View from my Balcony
My Room
When we got home, Renata went back to work. One of my host brother’s (who is in Australia on exchange) friends, Igor, came over and he speaks very good English. Then another 2 of his friends came, and we went for sorvete (ice cream). We talked (mostly in English, but some Portuguese) about differences between here and Canada, and they taught me some words for things that we could see around us. After that, they went home, and Igor and I came back to my apartment.
We sat and visited with Renata for a while, and Igor translated what Renata wanted to say to me, as we have troubles communicating without Google translate. Then, we went to one of the clubs in town, and went for a walk around the artificial lake. Igor and I walked together, and he taught me a lot of things about Brazil, and a lot of Portuguese as well. It was very good to have someone explain everything that I asked him to.
The people here are so friendly, it seems like everyone knows each other, and wants to meet new people all the time. The energy makes me feel very welcome, and never out of place.
Even the frogs speak a different language here; it sounds more like a woodpecker than a frog really…
After about an hour’s walking, we came back to the apartment, showered and got ready to go for dinner. We met Igor again at the bar, and sat down for dinner.
At the bar, I met the other exchange student that is in Votuporanga. Lisa is a 15 year old girl from Germany, and she’s already been here for 6 weeks. Her Portuguese is very good already; I hope that I can also learn that fast.
We got back from dinner around 11:00, and by that time I was really tired, so I went to bed soon thereafter.
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