Back in 2012 I remember staying at an AirBnB in Rio de Janeiro and being woken up by a raucous noise. It was the sound of hundreds of children playing in the playground of a local school at 07:30 in the morning.
At the time, I was frustrated. I had no idea I’d booked an AirBnb next to a school, and there was no way I was getting back to sleep.
However, over the course of the week I got used to the sound. In fact it transported me back to my own childhood; scampering around a playground, playing sport on the field, and making my own raucous noise.
I then began to appreciate that the sound of children laughing and playing is a sign of health and vibrancy in our communities. And also how that sound is exactly the same the world over.
We recently moved flats here in London and there are a few schools within ear shot. After my experience in Rio, I now refuse to ever let the raucous noise get to me.