We arrived in Brazil Tuesday morning on time. We left Columbus an hour late but were able to make our connection. This year, all our luggage arrived with us, so that was a relief. We boarded a gorgeous traveling bus and headed towards Piracicaba - our home base. About an hour into the trip, we stopped for lunch at a travel stop along the highway. The students were able to pick a chicken or beef meal which had traditional Brazilian sides with it. Rice and beans is a staple in Brazil.

We arrived at Antonio Hotel, showered and headed out for a walking tour of campus. The students got their first experience with Shirota’s energy. He has a never ending source of energy. We ate a typical Brazilian meal for supper and then settled in for the evening.

The pictures are from the walking tour of the campus. Remember that it is summer in Brazil and it is their rainy season. You will see trees and plants in bloom, the group near a pond on campus, the group in front of the main agricultural building and the dairy farm on campus. Note how tall the grass is. The cows don’t even need to bend over to eat!!