Mi barrio

There’s a nice little area of green grass and trees between my bedroom window and the next apartment.  There are birds that LOVE these trees and have been waking me up early most mornings.  I was beginning to get a little annoyed with these loud birds until I talked to another teacher at the school and found out they are actually pretty, green parrots!  I didn’t really believe her at first, but I went outside and looked up in the trees.  Sure enough I saw hundreds of green parrots with bright red under their wings.  They are so camouflaged with the green leaves that it’s easy to not see them.  According to my friend from the school, these parrots will repeat what you say.  It’s illegal to take one of these parrots and make it your pet.  They are supposedly endangered but there appears to be plenty outside my window.  I took a video from my bedroom window.  The sound isn’t great but you can hear the parrots.  What sounds like static is actually lots and lots of the birds at once.  I find the parrots much more interesting and beautiful at 6pm than 6am. J

I had my first traditional Dominican lunch this week.  Dominicans traditionally eat a big lunch and a smaller dinner.  There is a little restaurant called Buen Comer beside the school.  For 105 pesos (less than 3 dollars) I got a HUGE plate of rice, beans, meat and salad.  It was very filling! This plate is often called La Bandera (the flag) because it is a traditional meal in the DR.