The not-so-sweet sounds of Shirati in the morning

Never growing up in the country, I got my share of farm animals and early wake-up calls only at Boy Scout camp.  To make up for this lack of exposure, I am living in Shirati, Tanzania, where there’s pretty much no such thing as sleeping past 7:30.  On the rare occasion that you’re in a dead sleep, you may make it to 8 am.  This has been an interesting transition, as the only sound I’m used to waking me up in the morning is one of our five dogs barking or my mom screaming at them to be quiet and not wake me up.  Shirati, I believe is more active and bustling in between 5 and 8 in the morning than 5 and 8 in the evening.  First call of the morning is the Bunda bus: 5am, leaving for Bunda (about 3 hours away) but rather than quietly leave Shirati, it announces its departure with honking and some sort of music that sounds like those god-awful ringtones that the original Nokias had.  It drives on the road that passes right in front of my hostel, and there have been mornings in which Fernando and I thought it was coming through the window.  Next, comes the rooster: 6-6:30am, not only making his presence known but multiple times, as if I had been able to sleep through the first 4 announcements.  Then, the children: just before 7am, they all start arriving at school and talk and scream as if they’re just getting back from summer vacation…every day.  Our hostel is neatly positioned between Mkoma Primary School (I could literally spit onto their playground) and Kuturu Secondary School (outside of which the political party blasts propaganda, evidently recruiting future supporters).  Finally, the gong: 7am, school is beginning and a noise resonates from either school that sounds like every Tibetan monk is in unison banging their peaceful gongs.  I’m interested to attend school with Wiklife so I can witness what the damn thing actually is.  Once the “bell” has been rung, there’s no going back (to sleep) because then begin the morning announcements for each school, the dogs barking, cows are awake thanks to the rooster, and the whole barn is welcoming the morning; and so, I do too.  Luckily, my housemate goes to bed no later than 9pm, so I have no excuse to stay up late.  Thus, I am paid back for my quiet, peaceful childhood of sleeping in the city.