Choose one topic from the list. Decide if you agree or disagree and give your reasons.
-Boys and girls both learn better in single-sex schools
- Schools should let children wear whatever they want at school
- Cooking and housework should be taught at school
- Schools don't teach children the important things they need to know to be an adult
- School summer holidays should be shorter
- Private schools are usually better than state schools
Cooking and housework should be taught at school; by Tomás de Paz.
On the one hand I think that pupils should learn all kinds of knowledge and skills at school, and above all those they can need when they leave school. At that age, at school, it's the moment, as the brain is very receptive and all skills that you learn when you’re young, you will never forget. And of course pupils need to learn how to cook and how to do housework. In my village it is said that “trades and languages must be learned at a short age”. But, on the other hand, pupils already have a lot of subjects in secondary level and they spend 30 hours per week at school, so I think some activities, like these or others, might be taught at home by their parents. Parents also have to involve their teenage children into an integral education and bring them up at home. Another way to get these skills could be through extracurricular activities on Saturday mornings, for example. These activities could be optional and not compulsory, but if pupils did them, they would get better final marks in their academic records.For all of the above I partially disagree with the headline.J
Schools should let children wear whatever they want at school by Diana Fdez I think that is a difficult topic. It depends on, for example, whether the school is public or private. It also depends on the economic situation of the families or many families with several children. Some uniforms are expensive for many families, but in my opinion they should have an affordable price and they shouldn’t be a way of making money. I have a friend and teacher in a private school and in September all teachers have to sell uniforms in the private school. On the other hand, it would be easier for the families to dress their children every morning, without having to think about the kinds of clothes they should be wearing.J
Schools don´t teach children the important things they need know to be an adult by María Isabel Martínez Villares.
I completely agree with the statement that says schools don´t teach children the important things they need know to be an adult because there are many important subjects that are taught (such as maths, history, literature, geography, etc.) but I think that, first of all, schools should instill values in children to prepare them for life, i.e., learn rules of conduct and attitudes for good behavior. Another important point is that children should be taught to be responsible, to respect, to be honest, to be generous; but I think that nowadays these things are given little or no importance whatsoever. Finally, I believe that a child must be taught to be a person above all.J
Schools should let children wear whatever they want at school. By Marta del Canto.
Personally I don’t agree with this. With regards to whether it is better to wear a uniform or not, in my opinion, wearing a uniform is the best option, especially for parents. I still remember when I was a little girl and my mother complained because we didn’t wear a uniform in my school.Nowadays, to be honest, I think that wearing a uniform is a very wise thing to do. There are a lot of reasons for that:First, by wearing a uniform there aren't differences between pupils. Secondly, families don't have to waste money buying clothes, and thirdly, by wearing a uniform you don’t have to worry about what to wear every morning. So in my opinion, wearing a uniform presents more advantages.J
Schools don't teach children the important things they need to know to be an adult by Estefanía Glez.
I agree with this statement, I think that education should be provided at home and academic training at school.From my point of view the most important thing is the education given by parents at home, for example, behavior, manners, how to deal with other people or with everyday problems… and the school is responsible for providing the needed skills to operate at the workplace in the future, such as teaching how to add, read, write ..So, if you are a parent, educate you child at home first.J
Cooking and housework should be taught at school by Víctor Álvarez.
Honestly, I don't think this would be very productive. I can´t imagine teenagers paying too much attention to these classes because this is something that we, and I say we as the teenager I am, won't use in the near future. Our parents were also young at one time and nobody taught them how to make a fried egg or do the vacuuming because these are the kinds of things you learn on your own. I don't think teenagers would eat more healthily if they knew how to cook at school either. Maybe it's just I'm realistic because I think catering and housework will be a great source of jobs in the future. Or maybe not.;-)J
Schools don't teach children the important things they need to know to be an adult by Vanesa Domínguez.
The Spanish education system is very bad at catering for speaking. Students do a lot of written exercises but they do very few exercises orally so, when they are adults, they have great difficulty speaking in public. This makes it difficult to have a good a job interview or to give a talk at a conference, for example. In addition, our pupils at school always work individually. They only sometimes do some group tasks and this means that they will find it difficult to work together as adults.I think this is a handicap. Therefore, we must modify our educational model and adjust it to future needs; our students will thank us.J
Boys and girls both learn better in single-sex schools By Mónica Domínguez
I completely disagree with this statement. In our daily life boys and girls are together and I think learning experiences in a classroom should replicate real-life experiences. How can we prepare our students for the future without exposing them to members of the opposite sex? Students tend to learn better when teachers learn to teach better so it doesn`t depend on boys and girls being in different classrooms. Besides, they can have a positive influence if they share the same class. They compete with each other, help each other and they can learn things faster and learn more. If they are separated, it can have negative effects on students' social skills and it can increase stereotypes.J
School summer holidays should be shorter by Luis Ángel Calvete
This question will have different answers if you are a student, a teacher, a parent, a politician or an architect, but the answer will have to be something real and grounded.Spain, a country with a tough continental climate (mostly), has classrooms with several problems and ineffective solutions during the winter or summer seasons of the year.In the winter season we have the heating that makes a classroom comfortable but a cold outside temperature. In the summer season we have high temperatures and the classrooms are inappropriate and with chronic problems in windows, doors, walls and the only solution to this is: air conditioning, a expensive solution for our country. The real solution is to build the buildings (the classrooms) with energy efficiency systems. For the time beign, that is why the school summer holidays shouldn`t be shorter in Spain.J
Boys and girls both learn better in single-sex schools -Marian Álvarez
I think that boys and girls don´t learn better in single-sex schools, because boys and girls are different and both need learning from the opposite sex.In the past this was happening and the generations of that time are good, especially as far as respect and education are concerned. However, I think that those were different times and studying separately isn´t the reason why they have better education. Quite simply, this is explained because in the past there were more rules and limits than nowadays.I studied in a class with boys and girls and I wouldn’t trade it for studying in a single-sex school.J
Private schools are usually better than state schools. Maria.j. I think private schools have more money because students have to pay for everything. Furthermore they are funded by tax money, they have better buildings, equipment and a smaller student ratio per teacher. In addition, they offer a good chance to learn, whereas public schools must enrol more diverse students. So I think that private schools are elitist. I completely disagree with the statement. First of all , teachers working for public schools have a state certification but those working in private schools are not required to have certification. My second point is that all pupils should have free education and the same learning opportunities regardless of the economic situation of their families. Another point is attention to pupils with special needs, who need help from certified teachers. From my point of view, the only difference is the economic level of the families. They also have the same subjects, the same type of education and they also have to pass their final exams. Finally a classroom is a classroom whether it's public or private.J
HOUSES
Choose one of these conversation questions and write about it.
- What is your favorite room in your house? Why? - How many different homes have you lived in? Which one did you like the best? Why? Which one did you like the least? Why? - What do you like about your home? What don't you like? - Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why? - Is it better to rent or buy? Give reasons for your answer. - What do you think houses in the future will be like? - Make a list of the 10 most important things you would look for when choosing a house to live in.
How many different homes have you lived in? Which one did you like best? Which one did you like the least? by Monica Domínguez When I was studying at university, I shared a flat with other people in Leon. I didn't like it because my bedroom was really tiny and it was too cold in the winter. The heating was pretty old. Besides, I lived on the 3rd floor without a lift and the neighbour who lived on the 4th floor played the music very loud. Now I Iive in a modern flat on the first floor with spacious bedrooms and a bright living-room with big windows. I like it because it is very cosy. Besides, it is situated in a quiet neighbourhood and it is near the town centre and the supermarkets so I don’t need to drive my car every day. I would like to have a storeroom because now I need more space to keep things which I don’t use. J
A list of the most important things you would look for when you are choosing a house to live in, by Tomás de Paz. First of all, it’s very important that your dwelling is near your workplace, so you won’t have to commute every day and it should be located within walking distance of the basic services. In my opinion, if you can afford it, it will be a wise decision to choose an isolated house with a big garden and a small vegetable garden, where you might grow your own vegetables and for this you’ll need a good artesian well.It’s very important, in your choice, to pay attention to your systems, such as electricity, heating system, insulation (windows with thermal break are much better than windows with double glazing to prevent heat loss). The house should also have efficient systems to save energy and if it’s possible you should be looking into using renewable energies with solar panels and wind turbines. If you choose a detached/isolated, semi-detached, terraced house in a town or a cottage house in a hamlet you can install a geothermic heating system and radiant floor with low temperature. This system is more efficient than others. Don’t forget that all your rooms must be very bright and with good views.J
What is your favorite room in your house? Why? by María Isabel Martínez Villares.
My bedroom is the favorite room in my house because it has been fully decorated by myself. It is 16.50 square meters with wooden floors but without rugs, it has a very large window with simple linen curtains. In it there is a bed, a wardrobe, 2 bedside tables and a chest of drawers with a lot of drawers and a big mirror above, all pinewood from Finland ( I love wood furniture!!) with a minimalist design. There is also a bookshelf made of chestnutwood which is 3 meters long because I have many great books. The lamps on the bedside tables and ceiling are Tiffany lamps. On the walls there is a wooden picture made by my mother and a puzzle picture of Glosses Bluff crater in Australia made by me.J
Is it better to rent or buy?.by Francisco T García Martínez In my humble opinion, renting is more practical and useful nowadays because lifestyles have changed. In addition, it is really difficult for young people to meet all bank requirements to ask for a mortgage. Apart from this, the labour market has substantially changed over the last years. The companies expect that all their employees are willing to relocate and over all, they offer a low salary. With these circumstances it´s much better and easier for someone the rent. Not only because of all of the above but also because the rent option provides you with more freedom when you have to make choices. I also look at what the word “owner” might mean in the light of each country’s singularity. For instance, people in Europe prefer to have other aspects ensured such as financial independence when they get older so they don´t mind living in a rented house.J
7 question Quiz, by Javi Sánchez:
1 - What is your favorite room in your house? Why? My favorite room has changed over the years.When I was a baby and a child, the best room was all the rooms. Every room than I could play in. As I was growing up, my interest in having my own room was growing as well. So my bedroom was my favorite room then. Not many years ago (sic) the computer room was the most important room for my daily routine. But nowadays, with wifi routers, tablets, smartphones and laptops, every room in a home can be the computer room. Last but not least, today, the bedroom is my most favourite room, followed closely by the kitchen.
2 - How many different homes have you lived in?
I've lived in many different homes and many different buildings and everyone of them had its own advantages and disadvantages. Which was the best one? Maybe, the best one is the last one, but who knows.
3 - What do you like about your home? What don't you like?
Because I would like to change everything, then I wouldn’t change anything.
4 - Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why?
A house. Because it's a house! Who wants to live in a flat!
5 - Is it better to rent or buy? Give reasons for your answer.
If we were talking about cars, we could say: Buying a car is expensive and renting a car is more expensive; if having a car is like having a stupid child: who wants to have a car!If we were talking about home: As your house is for your children and as they are not stupid: rent a house.
6 - What do you think houses in the future will be like?
They will be amazing! (sic)
7 - Make a list of the 10 most important things you would look for when choosing a house to live in.
Sorry, I couldn't understand the question. (It looks too long) Haha.J
Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why? by Diana Fdez It depends, but I think that I’d rather live in an apartment because I live in one now. Is it better to rent or buy? Give reasons for your answer. I think that it is better to rent. For example: - If you have problems with your neighbours, you could move out somewhere else. - If you lose your job, you don´t have to pay a mortgage. -If you relocate to another city because of your job, you don´t have to pay for two houses. -The property owner is responsible if anything needs fixing. -It carries less expenses. J
WOULD YOU PREFER TO LIVE IN A HOUSE OR AN APARTAMENT? WHY? by Marta del Canto. First of all, I think that it all depends on whether you live alone or with a big family. That is to say, if you live alone, in my opinion it's better to live in a small and cosy flat, because you don't need a lot of space for yourself, in fact I believe that if you live alone in a big house, you may feel so alone and unprotected. Besides, in a flat you don't have to work hard cleaning it or putting things in order. However, living in a house has its advantages. The most important of them is that you don´t have neighbors, that means, you don’t hear any noise, and that is wonderful! But the best thing is you don`t have to care about making noise.I think that only for this reason I would prefer to live in a house than in a flat. J
Is it better to rent or buy? give reason for your answer. By Maria. I have lived in different rented flats in different cities and I have never had a problem with my rented flat, the property or the neighbours, I think our house is the best place to stay and it should be this way. Quite frankly, buying a house has always advantages and disadvantages. When we decide if we should rent or buy, we should bear these factors in mind: the price itself, whether a flat or a house will be more suitable, being in the city, good location, having good heating, a lift and proximity to the workplace. If you rent a flat, you don't have to worry about paying a mortgage and you are free to move anywhere else. On the other hand, if you have money it is better to buy. Of course you can afford to pay rent or mortgage every month but the difference is that if you buy , this place will finally be yours (it’s an investment). It's a no brainer for me. Fifteen years ago I bought a nice and comfortable flat. It's furnished with modern furniture and it has awesome views. I like it because it’s perfect. It’s very light but shady at the same time. The best thing about my flat is that it is within walking distance from the city centre, which is about 3 minutes on foot. J
How many different homes have you lived in? Which one did you like best? Which one did you like the least? by Vanesa Domínguez I have lived in several homes during my life because I was born in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, and there my parents have a cosy cottage. Them I studied at Coruña University so I moved to a small flat in Riazor. I shared it with two friends. At first, it was very little for me but I soon got used to it. Years later I passed the public exams to be a Primary school teacher in Madrid and I lived four years with flatmates in different places in Madrid. Now, I work in Astorga and I live in an amazing flat in La Bañeza. The homes I liked the best are two, the flat in La Bañeza because it is my home and parents' house in Santiago de Compostela, where I always go when I can. J
Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why? by Estefanía Glez. First of all I live in a big house with my parents, so my opinion can be biased. The point is that I prefer to live in a house for many reasons: big houses are more comfortable, more spacious, there aren’t usually neighbors, you don't have to pay community fees, if you have pets they may perfectly be in the garden of the house.. so, as you can see, houses have many advantages over apartments. On the contrary, if you live in a big house, you will have to clean more, you will spend more money on electricity, water and heating, but as far as I am concerned, I wouldn’t change a big house for the world! J
What do you think houses in the future will be like? by Begoña Glez.
Obviously, it’s the tech-age but I’m not really enthused by it. That’s why I’ve been reading about this question and after that, in my view, home automation might be a fact, it would be good to save money on charges such as heating, water, gas bills and so on. Moreover, houses would be safer than now, and the design would be much more alluring. It might make our daily lives more comfortable and easier, absolutely!.But, on the other hand, I think that the opposite might happen, too. Who knows? I mean….have you ever gone back to some place where nothing has changed (i.e. there isn’t any technology involved) and you felt absolutely great? Furthermore, you thought that you wouldn`t need anything else??? J
Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? by Marisol Fernandez
In my life I lived in two houses and two flat, in different places and moments and I prefer, of course, living in a house. You have much more space , it is more comfortable, because you can enjoy your hobbies that need space to develop them and you can celebrate lunch or dinner with your family or friends. I live in a house of average size that we have extended to be able to have more space of games for my children and the celebrations with enough people. It would be unthinkable in a flat.
What is your favorite room in your house? Why? by Luis Ángel Calvete Prieto
Nowadays the best place of one house is in wich one you are really relaxing, very comfortable, also the warm air around you, to be lying down and seeing the big plasma tv, drinking a cold beer or eating popcorns,....
In my kitchen I can do that lying on the sofá while the Wood burns in the fireplace, the wooden furnitures makes a cosy place.
If you need more things in one room, ask an architect, everything is possible ;-)
EDUCATION
Choose one topic from the list. Decide if you agree or disagree and give your reasons.
-Boys and girls both learn better in single-sex schools
- Schools should let children wear whatever they want at school
- Cooking and housework should be taught at school
- Schools don't teach children the important things they need to know to be an adult
- School summer holidays should be shorter
- Private schools are usually better than state schools
Cooking and housework should be taught at school; by Tomás de Paz.
On the one hand I think that pupils should learn all kinds of knowledge and skills at school, and above all those they can need when they leave school. At that age, at school, it's the moment, as the brain is very receptive and all skills that you learn when you’re young, you will never forget. And of course pupils need to learn how to cook and how to do housework. In my village it is said that “trades and languages must be learned at a short age”. But, on the other hand, pupils already have a lot of subjects in secondary level and they spend 30 hours per week at school, so I think some activities, like these or others, might be taught at home by their parents. Parents also have to involve their teenage children into an integral education and bring them up at home. Another way to get these skills could be through extracurricular activities on Saturday mornings, for example. These activities could be optional and not compulsory, but if pupils did them, they would get better final marks in their academic records.For all of the above I partially disagree with the headline.J
Schools should let children wear whatever they want at school by Diana Fdez
I think that is a difficult topic. It depends on, for example, whether the school is public or private. It also depends on the economic situation of the families or many families with several children. Some uniforms are expensive for many families, but in my opinion they should have an affordable price and they shouldn’t be a way of making money. I have a friend and teacher in a private school and in September all teachers have to sell uniforms in the private school. On the other hand, it would be easier for the families to dress their children every morning, without having to think about the kinds of clothes they should be wearing.J
Schools don´t teach children the important things they need know to be an adult by María Isabel Martínez Villares.
I completely agree with the statement that says schools don´t teach children the important things they need know to be an adult because there are many important subjects that are taught (such as maths, history, literature, geography, etc.) but I think that, first of all, schools should instill values in children to prepare them for life, i.e., learn rules of conduct and attitudes for good behavior. Another important point is that children should be taught to be responsible, to respect, to be honest, to be generous; but I think that nowadays these things are given little or no importance whatsoever. Finally, I believe that a child must be taught to be a person above all.J
Schools should let children wear whatever they want at school. By Marta del Canto.
Personally I don’t agree with this. With regards to whether it is better to wear a uniform or not, in my opinion, wearing a uniform is the best option, especially for parents. I still remember when I was a little girl and my mother complained because we didn’t wear a uniform in my school.Nowadays, to be honest, I think that wearing a uniform is a very wise thing to do. There are a lot of reasons for that:First, by wearing a uniform there aren't differences between pupils. Secondly, families don't have to waste money buying clothes, and thirdly, by wearing a uniform you don’t have to worry about what to wear every morning. So in my opinion, wearing a uniform presents more advantages.J
Schools don't teach children the important things they need to know to be an adult by Estefanía Glez.
I agree with this statement, I think that education should be provided at home and academic training at school.From my point of view the most important thing is the education given by parents at home, for example, behavior, manners, how to deal with other people or with everyday problems… and the school is responsible for providing the needed skills to operate at the workplace in the future, such as teaching how to add, read, write ..So, if you are a parent, educate you child at home first.J
Cooking and housework should be taught at school by Víctor Álvarez.
Honestly, I don't think this would be very productive. I can´t imagine teenagers paying too much attention to these classes because this is something that we, and I say we as the teenager I am, won't use in the near future. Our parents were also young at one time and nobody taught them how to make a fried egg or do the vacuuming because these are the kinds of things you learn on your own. I don't think teenagers would eat more healthily if they knew how to cook at school either. Maybe it's just I'm realistic because I think catering and housework will be a great source of jobs in the future. Or maybe not.;-)J
Schools don't teach children the important things they need to know to be an adult by Vanesa Domínguez.
The Spanish education system is very bad at catering for speaking. Students do a lot of written exercises but they do very few exercises orally so, when they are adults, they have great difficulty speaking in public. This makes it difficult to have a good a job interview or to give a talk at a conference, for example. In addition, our pupils at school always work individually. They only sometimes do some group tasks and this means that they will find it difficult to work together as adults.I think this is a handicap. Therefore, we must modify our educational model and adjust it to future needs; our students will thank us.J
Boys and girls both learn better in single-sex schools By Mónica Domínguez
I completely disagree with this statement. In our daily life boys and girls are together and I think learning experiences in a classroom should replicate real-life experiences. How can we prepare our students for the future without exposing them to members of the opposite sex? Students tend to learn better when teachers learn to teach better so it doesn`t depend on boys and girls being in different classrooms. Besides, they can have a positive influence if they share the same class. They compete with each other, help each other and they can learn things faster and learn more. If they are separated, it can have negative effects on students' social skills and it can increase stereotypes.J
School summer holidays should be shorter by Luis Ángel Calvete
This question will have different answers if you are a student, a teacher, a parent, a politician or an architect, but the answer will have to be something real and grounded.Spain, a country with a tough continental climate (mostly), has classrooms with several problems and ineffective solutions during the winter or summer seasons of the year.In the winter season we have the heating that makes a classroom comfortable but a cold outside temperature. In the summer season we have high temperatures and the classrooms are inappropriate and with chronic problems in windows, doors, walls and the only solution to this is: air conditioning, a expensive solution for our country. The real solution is to build the buildings (the classrooms) with energy efficiency systems. For the time beign, that is why the school summer holidays shouldn`t be shorter in Spain.J
Boys and girls both learn better in single-sex schools - Marian Álvarez
I think that boys and girls don´t learn better in single-sex schools, because boys and girls are different and both need learning from the opposite sex.In the past this was happening and the generations of that time are good, especially as far as respect and education are concerned. However, I think that those were different times and studying separately isn´t the reason why they have better education. Quite simply, this is explained because in the past there were more rules and limits than nowadays.I studied in a class with boys and girls and I wouldn’t trade it for studying in a single-sex school.J
Private schools are usually better than state schools. Maria.j.
I think private schools have more money because students have to pay for everything. Furthermore they are funded by tax money, they have better buildings, equipment and a smaller student ratio per teacher. In addition, they offer a good chance to learn, whereas public schools must enrol more diverse students. So I think that private schools are elitist. I completely disagree with the statement. First of all , teachers working for public schools have a state certification but those working in private schools are not required to have certification. My second point is that all pupils should have free education and the same learning opportunities regardless of the economic situation of their families. Another point is attention to pupils with special needs, who need help from certified teachers. From my point of view, the only difference is the economic level of the families. They also have the same subjects, the same type of education and they also have to pass their final exams. Finally a classroom is a classroom whether it's public or private.J
HOUSES
Choose one of these conversation questions and write about it.
- What is your favorite room in your house? Why?
- How many different homes have you lived in? Which one did you like the best? Why? Which one did you like the least? Why?
- What do you like about your home? What don't you like?
- Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why?
- Is it better to rent or buy? Give reasons for your answer.
- What do you think houses in the future will be like?
- Make a list of the 10 most important things you would look for when choosing a house to live in.
How many different homes have you lived in? Which one did you like best? Which one did you like the least? by Monica Domínguez
When I was studying at university, I shared a flat with other people in Leon. I didn't like it because my bedroom was really tiny and it was too cold in the winter. The heating was pretty old. Besides, I lived on the 3rd floor without a lift and the neighbour who lived on the 4th floor played the music very loud. Now I Iive in a modern flat on the first floor with spacious bedrooms and a bright living-room with big windows. I like it because it is very cosy. Besides, it is situated in a quiet neighbourhood and it is near the town centre and the supermarkets so I don’t need to drive my car every day. I would like to have a storeroom because now I need more space to keep things which I don’t use. J
A list of the most important things you would look for when you are choosing a house to live in, by Tomás de Paz.
First of all, it’s very important that your dwelling is near your workplace, so you won’t have to commute every day and it should be located within walking distance of the basic services. In my opinion, if you can afford it, it will be a wise decision to choose an isolated house with a big garden and a small vegetable garden, where you might grow your own vegetables and for this you’ll need a good artesian well.It’s very important, in your choice, to pay attention to your systems, such as electricity, heating system, insulation (windows with thermal break are much better than windows with double glazing to prevent heat loss). The house should also have efficient systems to save energy and if it’s possible you should be looking into using renewable energies with solar panels and wind turbines. If you choose a detached/isolated, semi-detached, terraced house in a town or a cottage house in a hamlet you can install a geothermic heating system and radiant floor with low temperature. This system is more efficient than others. Don’t forget that all your rooms must be very bright and with good views.J
What is your favorite room in your house? Why? by María Isabel Martínez Villares.
My bedroom is the favorite room in my house because it has been fully decorated by myself. It is 16.50 square meters with wooden floors but without rugs, it has a very large window with simple linen curtains. In it there is a bed, a wardrobe, 2 bedside tables and a chest of drawers with a lot of drawers and a big mirror above, all pinewood from Finland ( I love wood furniture!!) with a minimalist design. There is also a bookshelf made of chestnutwood which is 3 meters long because I have many great books. The lamps on the bedside tables and ceiling are Tiffany lamps. On the walls there is a wooden picture made by my mother and a puzzle picture of Glosses Bluff crater in Australia made by me.JIs it better to rent or buy?.by Francisco T García Martínez
In my humble opinion, renting is more practical and useful nowadays because lifestyles have changed. In addition, it is really difficult for young people to meet all bank requirements to ask for a mortgage. Apart from this, the labour market has substantially changed over the last years. The companies expect that all their employees are willing to relocate and over all, they offer a low salary. With these circumstances it´s much better and easier for someone the rent. Not only because of all of the above but also because the rent option provides you with more freedom when you have to make choices. I also look at what the word “owner” might mean in the light of each country’s singularity. For instance, people in Europe prefer to have other aspects ensured such as financial independence when they get older so they don´t mind living in a rented house.J
7 question Quiz, by Javi Sánchez:
1 - What is your favorite room in your house? Why?
My favorite room has changed over the years.When I was a baby and a child, the best room was all the rooms. Every room than I could play in. As I was growing up, my interest in having my own room was growing as well. So my bedroom was my favorite room then. Not many years ago (sic) the computer room was the most important room for my daily routine. But nowadays, with wifi routers, tablets, smartphones and laptops, every room in a home can be the computer room. Last but not least, today, the bedroom is my most favourite room, followed closely by the kitchen.
2 - How many different homes have you lived in?
I've lived in many different homes and many different buildings and everyone of them had its own advantages and disadvantages. Which was the best one? Maybe, the best one is the last one, but who knows.
3 - What do you like about your home? What don't you like?
Because I would like to change everything, then I wouldn’t change anything.
4 - Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why?
A house. Because it's a house! Who wants to live in a flat!
5 - Is it better to rent or buy? Give reasons for your answer.
If we were talking about cars, we could say: Buying a car is expensive and renting a car is more expensive; if having a car is like having a stupid child: who wants to have a car!If we were talking about home: As your house is for your children and as they are not stupid: rent a house.
6 - What do you think houses in the future will be like?
They will be amazing! (sic)
7 - Make a list of the 10 most important things you would look for when choosing a house to live in.
Sorry, I couldn't understand the question. (It looks too long) Haha.J
Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why? by Diana Fdez
It depends, but I think that I’d rather live in an apartment because I live in one now.
Is it better to rent or buy? Give reasons for your answer.
I think that it is better to rent. For example:
- If you have problems with your neighbours, you could move out somewhere else.
- If you lose your job, you don´t have to pay a mortgage.
- If you relocate to another city because of your job, you don´t have to pay for two houses.
- The property owner is responsible if anything needs fixing.
- It carries less expenses. J
WOULD YOU PREFER TO LIVE IN A HOUSE OR AN APARTAMENT? WHY? by Marta del Canto.
First of all, I think that it all depends on whether you live alone or with a big family. That is to say, if you live alone, in my opinion it's better to live in a small and cosy flat, because you don't need a lot of space for yourself, in fact I believe that if you live alone in a big house, you may feel so alone and unprotected. Besides, in a flat you don't have to work hard cleaning it or putting things in order. However, living in a house has its advantages. The most important of them is that you don´t have neighbors, that means, you don’t hear any noise, and that is wonderful! But the best thing is you don`t have to care about making noise.I think that only for this reason I would prefer to live in a house than in a flat. J
Is it better to rent or buy? give reason for your answer. By Maria.
I have lived in different rented flats in different cities and I have never had a problem with my rented flat, the property or the neighbours, I think our house is the best place to stay and it should be this way. Quite frankly, buying a house has always advantages and disadvantages. When we decide if we should rent or buy, we should bear these factors in mind: the price itself, whether a flat or a house will be more suitable, being in the city, good location, having good heating, a lift and proximity to the workplace. If you rent a flat, you don't have to worry about paying a mortgage and you are free to move anywhere else. On the other hand, if you have money it is better to buy. Of course you can afford to pay rent or mortgage every month but the difference is that if you buy , this place will finally be yours (it’s an investment). It's a no brainer for me. Fifteen years ago I bought a nice and comfortable flat. It's furnished with modern furniture and it has awesome views. I like it because it’s perfect. It’s very light but shady at the same time. The best thing about my flat is that it is within walking distance from the city centre, which is about 3 minutes on foot. J
How many different homes have you lived in? Which one did you like best? Which one did you like the least? by Vanesa Domínguez
I have lived in several homes during my life because I was born in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, and there my parents have a cosy cottage. Them I studied at Coruña University so I moved to a small flat in Riazor. I shared it with two friends. At first, it was very little for me but I soon got used to it. Years later I passed the public exams to be a Primary school teacher in Madrid and I lived four years with flatmates in different places in Madrid. Now, I work in Astorga and I live in an amazing flat in La Bañeza. The homes I liked the best are two, the flat in La Bañeza because it is my home and parents' house in Santiago de Compostela, where I always go when I can. J
Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? Why? by Estefanía Glez.
First of all I live in a big house with my parents, so my opinion can be biased. The point is that I prefer to live in a house for many reasons: big houses are more comfortable, more spacious, there aren’t usually neighbors, you don't have to pay community fees, if you have pets they may perfectly be in the garden of the house.. so, as you can see, houses have many advantages over apartments. On the contrary, if you live in a big house, you will have to clean more, you will spend more money on electricity, water and heating, but as far as I am concerned, I wouldn’t change a big house for the world! J
What do you think houses in the future will be like? by Begoña Glez.
Obviously, it’s the tech-age but I’m not really enthused by it. That’s why I’ve been reading about this question and after that, in my view, home automation might be a fact, it would be good to save money on charges such as heating, water, gas bills and so on. Moreover, houses would be safer than now, and the design would be much more alluring. It might make our daily lives more comfortable and easier, absolutely!.But, on the other hand, I think that the opposite might happen, too. Who knows? I mean….have you ever gone back to some place where nothing has changed (i.e. there isn’t any technology involved) and you felt absolutely great? Furthermore, you thought that you wouldn`t need anything else??? J
Would you prefer to live in a house or an apartment? by Marisol Fernandez
In my life I lived in two houses and two flat, in different places and moments and I prefer, of course, living in a house. You have much more space , it is more comfortable, because you can enjoy your hobbies that need space to develop them and you can celebrate lunch or dinner with your family or friends. I live in a house of average size that we have extended to be able to have more space of games for my children and the celebrations with enough people. It would be unthinkable in a flat.
What is your favorite room in your house? Why? by Luis Ángel Calvete Prieto
Nowadays the best place of one house is in wich one you are really relaxing, very comfortable, also the warm air around you, to be lying down and seeing the big plasma tv, drinking a cold beer or eating popcorns,....
In my kitchen I can do that lying on the sofá while the Wood burns in the fireplace, the wooden furnitures makes a cosy place.
If you need more things in one room, ask an architect, everything is possible ;-)
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