The hills are alive wtih the sound of...something...

Yesterday I woke up, wide awake, a 10 minutes before my alarm was set to go up. Not having really anything to do or think about, I was really aware of all the noise that surrounds me. I might spend a lot less time talking because of the language barrier, but I could never describe any part of this experience as quiet. Noise is everywhere. Partly due to the fact that nothing is insulated. A cement wall is at best. In the morning, the roosters start cock a doodle do-ing about 4am. There are always dogs barking and fighting. Traffic is constant, especially large semi trucks. There are no stop signs, very few traffic lights, and no established lanes on the road so there is never ending car horns. To alert another car that you are going to be going through an intersection, you honk. Taxis are the majority of cars here and to get a pedestrians attention to see if they need a ride, you honk. If you are passing another car, you honk. A pick up truck drives through the mission constantly with a loud bullhorn announcing where and when odd jobs for work will be. Fire crackers are constantly being set off. People walk through the streets at all hours of the day and night talking loudly. Noise is everywhere, yet it is something I have easily gotten used to and rarely notice its there.