Portuguese is the primary language spoken throughout the city. However, in Dourados and the surrounding territory over 12,000 Indigenous people live in the area. They are primarily Guarani Kaiowá, so Guarani and Kaiowá are also widely spoken languages among the indigenous communities surrounding the city. Dourados is also near the border with Paraguay, so Spanish is also heard frequently throughout the city.
The brazilian real is the only form of currency here. Thankfully, credit cards are accepted almost everywhere!
The exchange rate in Brazil is about $1 U.S. Dollar to $5 brazilian reales. A bottle of water here costs about $3.50 reales, or about 70 cents in U.S. dollars.
The best meal I had this week was some sushi from the weekly farmer’s market in my neighborhood. Dourados has a large Japanese Brazilian community, so asian food is readily available throughout the city!
