One cannot accurately and realistically discuss Colombian culture without mentioning the overall noise levels. There hasn’t been much research done on this, but apparently Native Colombians – like Nigerians – are generally psychologically allergic to quiet environments (even as a non-expert on Human Psychology, I’m only partially kidding about this) 😅 Therefore, 99% of restaurants, bars, shopping centers, and the like, have music or soccer games blasting at 110% volume. As a customer, you can’t hear yourself think, let alone speak to anyone without shouting and potentially spraying saliva and pathogens everywhere. Of course it’s good to wear a face mask regardless, but then you’ll not be able to understand anything people are saying… and that’s BEFORE factoring in the language barrier.

I found myself avoiding loud gatherings, or attending but mostly staying quiet unless I absolutely had to talk. Maybe that’s part of being a Highly Sensitive Person? But in any case I’ve always been like this… that is, that kid who didn’t like yelling or casual shouting matches (though I did get into a few back in the day).

Retreating to your apartment isn’t always a guarantee of tranquility either. I’ve literally been working peacefully in my apartment, only to hear loud blasting radio/commercials seemingly right outside my window. In the late-morning (between 10am and 12pm). It turned out to be the van of some radio station, that decided to park RIGHT NEXT TO MY APARTMENT BUILDING, and blast their content, in a SHORT LOOP, at the loudest possible volume, without any consideration of anyone or anything else happening around.

I heard that it’s even worse in the south of Barranquilla (an area known as Soledad), where residents/neighbors habitually blast music, soccer games, and what-not at ALL hours of the day AND night, into the wee hours of the morning. I heard that attempting to ask them to reduce the volume, is tantamount to “attempting to silence” them, and could trigger a physically violent response.

In Centro of Barranquilla

In summary, there are no such things as noise ordinances in Colombia, so prepare to have your telecommuting or even sleep rudely disrupted, without recourse. The only real way to maintain some sanity, I think, would be to (1) build your own noise-proof habitation, (2) pay the Gringo Markup and live above your budget in a quiet tourist/expat enclave, or (3) live within your budget in a very small pueblo, which carries other risks like lesser level of utility services, higher risk of targeted crime, and higher risk of random gang violence. There are pros and cons!

HOWEVER…! Like I mentioned at the start of this series, my viewpoint is unique, so Your Mileage May Vary! Some people LOVE the noise and chaos, and know how to navigate it just fine. If you’re one of those people, then Barranquilla – and other cities in Colombia – would work just fine for you!