Two-party Predominance Ending

It is clear that we have had a two-party system since almost the beginning of Spanish democracy. Every 4 years, when the polls take place, PP (right wing) and PSOE (left wing) fight one another in order to gain the majority. Personally, I think it only undermines democracy the population and the democracy.

In our two-party system, the parties don’t make a difference when they come to power. During the electoral campaign they claim to be concerned about society's various problems and promise to uphold the causes if they win. Even so, in the end, parties do nothing to sort out these problems and Spain is declining every year; we are in recession, public spending is constantly decreasing, the unemployment rate is soaring, there are cutbacks in education and tuition fees are increasing continually. Furthermore, inevitably people lose faith in politics when they are struggling to make ends meet while politicians become more corrupt than ever.

On the other hand, when the government launches a new initiative and all the politicians have to vote against or for it, any of the members of a party are in theory able to vote in a different way to the party line. If they do, they are punished with a financial and a political penalty. In other words, there is not a real democracy and the population loses faith in that too. They decide that it isn't worth voting. Hardly anyone bothers to vote in comparison with the early days of democracy.

Nevertheless, something has changed in the last elections and now there are new parties appear to be aware of the current problems society faces. I look forward to seeing whether they do make a real difference in our country or, at least, how the two old parties are going to reach an agreement with the new ones.

Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

Security vs Privacy

In the fight against crime, the increase in Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV in advance) cameras at public places is thought to be recommended. In this way, whereas they appear only in banks, museums, jeweller’s and at high-security places until a few years ago,  nowadays it is very common to see them in public places such as small businesses, parks, shopping centers, petrol stations, underground,… I have seen them even at schools and streets. Many people are opposed to this, saying that it invades our privacy. What do you think about? I am inclined to believe that, like all thinks in life, it has its positive and negative side. 

As a general rule, people behave better when we know we are being observed. In this regard, it is impossible not to assume that CCTV cameras are a good way to instill civility into society. However, wouldn’t it be better if people behaved well without the necessity of installing cameras? In  my way of thinking, it would be better for society and to the fight against crime, to educate and to teach good manners to our children and young, rather than installing CCTV cameras everywhere. I would not only it would be a long-time solution but also more economical. 

On the other hand, criminals can be deterred, caught or even identified through the information recorded by these cameras. That information helps to reduce crime and consequently make the streets safer for people. Nevertheless, whether the information is a good thing, depends on who owns it. Therefore, for instance, corrupt authorities could use information in the wrong way or twist it to victimize people.

Finally, as was previously stated, many people think these cameras affect our privacy. It is thought that we should be free to travel or move around the world without being recorded by cameras. That is a human right which could be seen as a deprived right at the moment we are being 24 hours a day observed.

To conclude, it is important to remember that nothing in this life can be the absolute truth. So, cameras can not be the solution: I think we need to work in future generation’s education, in human right maintenance and in reducing crime (not only with cameras but also with new human methods). If we all work in one direction with all our tools, we will achieve more and better goals. 

Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

A Time When I Overslept And Missed My Own Birthday Party

Esther, a friend of mine, was born the third of April on 1979. I was born only one day after than her, indeed only a few hours later. We met at University time, and we had a group of friends in which we used to give surprise birthday parties to everyone. It was so funny because we even made T-shirts with pictures and had a treasure hunt for the birthday person to find the presents. 

Unfortunately, our birthdays were always during the holidays. So, we had never had a surprise party. Owing to that, one year Esther and I decided to celebrate together our birthdays twice. Thereafter we celebrated one time by ourselves - going out together and giving a little surprise or present to each other - and a second time with our friends as usual.

Ten years ago, the night between the third and fourth of April, when we became 23 years old, we went to have dinner at our favourite Japanese restaurant. That night was one of the most amazing nights I've ever had. It was a really especial night, but it is not our bussiness in this post, so I'll only say that I arrived home the next day at 2 pm.

I was so happy and tired... So, I went directly to bed forgetting to set the alarm clock. We was going to go out again that night. We had an appoitment at 10 pm to have dinner at another friend's house and to watch a film.

I woke up at 12 midnight. It was so late but I thought they would be still together and as I didn't want to stay at home in my birthday, I took a shower, got dressed quickly and went to my friend's house. I had a lot of missed calls in my mobile phone, but I didn't want to call back because I knew they were going to be very angry with me for the delay. Maybe they had been waiting for me to dinner!

I arrived at in my friend's house nearly at 2 am and I found all my friends dancing and drinking at my own birthday party. There was no dinner nor cinema session. It was my first surprise birthday party and I had missed it. 

To make matters worse, a neighbour had called the police because my friends had been making a lot of noise not allowing his family to sleep. So, the police came and the party finished only ten minutes after I arrived.

At least, I had a great night with Esther the day before. ;-)

Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

A Family Holiday I Didn't Enjoy

I was born in Cádiz, like my brother. However, I only lived there for 10 years. My father is a building services Engineer, and he have had to travel so much for job. Consequently, my family moved many times with him. 

When I was sixteen, we were living in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) and I was studying at secondary school. The family's summer holidays were always the same. My brother and I spent one month in Carcabuey with our grandparents while my parents remained working in Alcalá. My parents took holidays the second month of the summer and we all went together for a couple of weeks to Cádiz.

The beaches in Cádiz were still very unspoiled and natural. They were calm, unoccupied and pleasant,... There weren't buildings closer to them neither restaurants or shopping centers. They were simply a place to relax.

That year I convinced my parents to change the beach. "Let's go to Torrevieja beach this time!" - I told them over and over. I had been trying to persuade them since September and finally my parents had given in. My friends of school went every summer to the same beach and they enjoyed the holidays all together. I wanted to join them. My parents asked me why I wanted to go there, and I gave them a lot of reasons except for the real one.

I knew I was wrong as soon as we arrived there. Torrevieja was overpopulated. There were enormeous buildings everywhere and the people who lived there were always around. The beach had so manuy people that it was difficult to lie down or even to go for a swim. We missed so much our calm and natural beach in Cádiz.

I felt so bad that I told my family why I had told to go to Torrevieja. My parents were very angry with me and they punished me with the worst of all possible punishments: I only could see my friends a couple of days during the holidays.


PS: You could find more vocabulary about holidays and other topics (and its pronuntiation) here. 


Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!  

A Time When I Lost Something Important

I have never had closeness to material things. There was only one thing that I always had with me and witch - owing to events in my family (I came to consider a good-luck charm). However, in my opinion, most  material things are only a burden that constrain and limit your freedom in some way. The important things in life are those that can not be bought with money... I know, it sounds like an advertising slogan, but in my view it is so. Love, health, affection, happiness,... these non-material goods are the ones I think everybody should seek, wish for and fight for. Nevertheless, I would be lying if I didn't say that I felt terribly sad when I lost my bangle.

I had had the bangle with me since I was 18 years old. It was a present from my parents for my cum-laude at high school. I can remember now that I thought at the time that it was a little ugly: "Gold and silver together? My parents haven't any taste in bracelets...". But I didn't say anything about this. I put it on and I have had it with me thereafter. Initially I wore it as a courtesy, but some years later (after my parents separated) it became the symbol of my united family that I missed so much...

Two autumns ago, I was working in Fuente Obejuna as a mathematics teacher. A workmate was going to retire in a couple of days, so we all went to have lunch together. We were talking about school, students, parents,... (you know how boring people that talk about the job can be) when, suddenly, I realized that my wrist didn't weigh the same as usual. I had lost my bangle, the one that was inscribed "Mamá y Papá". The one thing I still kept from my united family. I really felt apart.

I was searching for it all evening. I went to every place I had been that day. I even made posters and hung them in the school and the main streets of the village.In the days that followed, I was telling everybody about my loss, but it never appeared.

I should admit that I cried and was scared... I had strange bad feelings... It was my charm... It protected me... My parents protected me... I never imagined that I would feel so bad!! Even today tears flow freely down my face when I think about the meaning my bangle had for me and that I lost it...


And what about you? Have you ever had a material charm? 

Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!! 

An Important Exam I Failed

In Spanish Education System, we spent four years in compulsory secondary school. After that, we have two (optional) years more at secondary school to prepare our university entry exams: we call them "exámenes de Selectividad". Your university access mark is calculated from both your average in the last secondary school years and from your marks in Selectividad.

I was 18 years old. I had the better average anyone can have in secondary school when I did my Selectividad exam. I had been selected as the better student in my high school. Supposedly, I was prepared to pass any exam I was going to do.

I had to do 8 exams in 3 days. I don't remember which subject I began with. I don't remember what day the mathematics exam was, or even if it was the first exam of the day. I only know that I felt very comfortable with most of the exams appart from the Spanish language and English ones. I'm very self-tough.

We did the exams in the Complutense University of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid). There were thousands of students there: all the students who had passed the last two year at every secondary school in Alcalá de Henares were there. 

I had selected my options before I knew the Selectividad marks. I wanted to study (in this order): Medicine, Physiotherapy or Engineering. 

I passed all my exams. In the English exam I got a low mark but I passed it. In the Spanish language one I got 10/10!! But in Mathematics... I really failed: I got 0/10. It changed to 4/10 after I made a formal appeal. Anyway, I couldn't study neither Medicine or Physiotherapy. 

Finally, after 6 years at the Technical University I became a Computer Engineer. However, nowadays I work as a Mathematics teacher in secondary school and I try to prepare my students well for their university entry exams.

Destiny or coincidence?? Who knows. I only hope my students will get entry to the degree they want.


PS: You could find more vocabulary about Education and other topics (and its pronuntiation) here. 



Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

Carrying My House In My Back

There is an Spanish expression that means you are carrying your house in your back, just like snails. This expression is "con la casa a cuestas". I have been looking for a similar expression in English and I have found this one, "always on the move", but I am not sure if it is really right.

I studied Computer Engineering, but after 6 years working on it as a professional, I decided to make a change in my life and I became a mathematics teacher in Secondary School (in Spain, it is from twelve to eighteen years old). I had to work and study hard to get it, because after you get an university degree (in Spain, it takes you at least six years), you must get a master's degree in pedagogy. Once you both degrees, you are able to take a State exam. 

This exam has 4 parts: a written theory exam (you must expound on one lesson completely - selected randomly from 70 possible ones-, in only two hours), a practical written exam (where you have to solve five high-level mathematics problems, in two hours), a educational project (where you must develop a memory about an hypothetical complete course from Secondary School and you have to deliver it on exam day) and a practical oral exam (where you have to explain how you'd organize a lesson - selected randomly from the lessons you have included in your project - and how you'd explain it to the students, in one hour).  Only if you pass all of them, will you get into the State Education Employment exchange. To remain on it, you must pass this exam every 2 years.

Once you are in this Employment exchange, you can be called to work at any moment during the academic course (from 1th of September to 30th of Jun). You can be very lucky and get a vacancy for the rest of the course, or more likely you only get to work for a few months, weeks or even days. When the teaching possition is finishes, you go back again onto the Employment exchange and can be called once again until the course is over.  In any case, you have to move away to the city where your new school is. We are always carrying our houses in our backs.

 Today I am in 9th possition in the Employment exchange, so I think that I am going to move out very soon... Always "con la casa a cuestas" ;-)

PS: You could find more vocabulary about job and other topics (and its pronuntiation) here. 

Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

New Year Resolutions

Since I was a child, I have been scared of needles. I mean, the sort of needles that are placed in a vein - only those make me feel panicky. I have always had a bad relationship with them:

• When I was 5 years old, doctors prescribe my first blood test: When my parents and I arrived at the health clinic, nurses had to tie me (literally) in order to extract me blood.
• Every time I have had a blood test since then, I have felt dizzy and even fainted.

To give blood was not only a recurring "new year resolution", but also a "life resolution": I would like to help people to feel better and healthy.  It seems to be so easy that I always feel bad with myself when I don't take a step forward to give blood.

Last Friday, my mother had her back-checked at Puerta del Mar Hospital, in Cádiz. She was operated on 9 months ago. She had 4 slipped discs (hernias) at the bottom of her back (lumbar spine) and she needs to have the screws and the plate checked to see that they haven't moved. Normally, this type of checking takes a long time, so I don't know why but I decided to spend this time in banishing my fear.  

Today I can say that on 28 December 2012 it was just the first time I gave blood. It made me feel so so happy and proud of myself.   

And what about your resolutions? Did you carry them out in 2012? Have you thought abut your 2013 resolutions?

In relation to this post, I want to upload my next note here, and this one is about vocabulary for healthy (Illness And Treatment).


Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

Light, Crowdfunding and Science

Something like a light bulb could be lit or not depending where in the world you happen to be. As we know, there are millions of people who lack not only the basics (food, water,..) but also place to live, medical assistance,... and light? Could you imagine a day without light?

Developed countries boast about their aid to disadvantaged countries; they give (theoretically) 0'7% of their GDP to developing countries. Developed countries help when less developed countries suffer a natural catastrophe, they send many NGO to disadvantaged countries,... but it is not enough. It will never be enough.

In all this, Science can contributes greatly. Not long ago, a research group designed (in their free time) something that can bring light to anywhere on Earth: it's is powered by gravity and after 3 seconds of effort, you'll have 30 minutes of light:

http://www.fayerwayer.com/2012/12/una-lampara-a-gravedad-busca-entregar-luz-a-paises-en-desarrollo/

But, what company or country is going to finance a product that can't be afforded by the people who need it? Anyone. It's for that reason that developers have resorted to crowdfunding through the indiegogo platform. Here you can read about it and even cooperate with them.

CONGRATULATIONS to JIM REEVES and MARTIN RIDDIFORD on their creativity, dedication and started up. As well as CONGRATULATIONS to Science that has provided an answer yet again.


Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!

My Language School

I'm in the fourth year of a State-Run Language School (specifically, Escuela Oficial de Idiomas). The equalize levels between Common European Framework of Reference (from now on CEFR), Cambridge and E.O.I. is the following one:

I receibed B1 two years ago and, according to this information, I should study 2 years more to get a B2 certification.

We work on four skills; reading, writing, speaking and listening. Furthermore, we work vocabulary and grammar, but they are not included as questions in our exams. The most difficult skill for me is listening. People said "the more you listen to, the more you understand", but I think I still need to listening very much.

I'm thinking to work abroad in a few months to resolve my listening problem and to improve my English. I'm looking for an agency (or something like that) that can help me find a job, an apartment and maybe an English course to travel to England to do it. Soon I will tell how I'm doing the search and what I have worked out yet, but not today.

Today I want to raise a question: Why don't the European English tests have the same grading scale? 

Two years ago, at the same time I passed my Language School exam that certifies me as B1 English Speaker, I passed GESE-8 certification at Trinity Colleague. The equalize levels between CEFR and Trinity Colleague is the following one:

So, according to Trinity Colleague, my Europe level was B2 whereas according to Cambridge my level was B1. Which one is right? Which Europe English Level do I have?


Please, If you find any mistake or you have another point of view about the information that I have posted, please leave a comment. We can all learn together! This blog feeds on your coments!!