The problems after the school.

By Xènia Nogué

There is a lot of people that when they finish school, they want to live in a flat, maybe with their friends, maybe by themselves. But they can't. Flats in the city are very expensive, and it's very difficult to find a good job and that you like it.

Sometimes you have studied for something and later on you have to work in something different because you need the money to live. When you are young, you think that everything is perfect when you finish to study. But then you discover that it's more difficult to find a job and a place to live on, than study and live with your parents.

Another problem we can add is the flat's cost. They are very expensive for students or for people starting to work. Only rich people can buy a flat for themselves. Most people need help from someone, sometimes their parents, sometimes their grandparents...

That is my opinion but I think it's reality too. So I can only say that you can study for something that you like but at the end you have to work on another thing because it's very difficult to find a job and live of it.

Social network – Connecting People

By Leon Buengel

Facebook, Twitter, Bing. These are some of the names of the many social networks existing in the world. To be connected to the 'world' you have to be connected to a network. Meetings are arranged on the networks and personal problems are discussed on the Internet. Many people live their lives on networks such as these. Facebook becomes their real life while 'real' life is just not real any more. On social networks you can connect with your friends, or find other ones, you can search for guys/ girls, and you can see who the friends of your friends are and add them to your own list of friends. You can join a group on the basis of a shared interest or you just can 'like' various websites. Or you just can post something on other people’s walls and hope that you will receive many ‘likes’ and comments. Or you can do as some people do and post everything that you do under your status - and I really mean everything.

Sure, having a social network is fun and interesting and can help you find friends, but people have to know the problems that exist in relation to the use of a social network. Not only teenagers use Facebook – adults are connected to this 'virtual' world as well.

The following table shows the advantages and disadvantages:

ADVANTAGES:

You are in touch with your friends.

Even if you are away you know what is happening in your city.

You can stay in contact with friends who have moved home.

Old friends can be found and friendships can be rekindled.

You can get in touch with people who have the same interests as you.

You can search for and find friends you just met.

DISADVANTAGES:

People spend too long in front of the computer.

Communication takes place only on the Internet, not in real life.

Personal details such as e-mail addresses are not safe on networks.

You cannot be sure you are chatting with a real person.

There is no privacy, because there are posts about you.

Internet bullying.

Everyone knows what you do, because people post everything that they do.

Racist groups can be formed.

People know where you are.

All in all, I would say that social networks are dangerous, but they are helpful, too. I can say this because I apply many of the advantages to my own situation. I am an exchange student from Germany and I have lived here for half a year. Facebook helps me stay in contact with my friends in Germany and with my parents, and it helps me find friends in Spain too. People help me with homework and I learn things about different people. We talk about when we want to meet and things like that. The disadvantages do not apply to me because I am only on the Internet on my phone, so I do not use my computer very often for anything other than homework.

However, even though Facebook helps many people, there are some people who live their lives on Facebook, and they should be aware of the kind of problems associated with using Facebook.

The manipulation of the information

The manipulation of the information

By Laia Esquerrà

We all know that the information we get through the media has been manipulated, but to what lengths are people willing to go to sell something?

The house on the left is the same as the one on the right but they do not look alike. The real house (on the right) is falling to pieces, has green netting and is full of graffiti. In the magazine, the house is plain white, has some amazing wooden doors (one of which does not actually exist) and looks like a restored country house. No one would recognize them.

After seeing this example how can we believe what we see in magazines? Every single picture is manipulated. We don't get any real information through the press and even less through commercial magazines. Fashion magazines are also great manipulators. All the models get longer legs, have their skin colour and shadows modified and their clothing gets retouched.

The only type of magazine we could believe could be the celebrity magazines, which are meant to reveal their secrets, but none can prove what they print and celebrities often get annoyed because the information published is not true, so who should we believe? I think we shall never know where the limits are.

Barcelona, the third happiest city in the world

Barcelona, the third happiest city in the world

By Pol Berbel Arqués

Forbes and the market research company GfK Roper City Brands published a list of the 10 happiest cities in the world. Barcelona is in the third position, after Rio de Janeiro and Sydney. Barcelona is in the 15th position in a survey made by the ONU in 2009 for its standard of living.

This list is the result of a study based on the opinion of 10,000 people who probably have never visited these cities. A worker of Oh-Barcelona asked about it to his teamwork in order to find out what Barcelona citizens really think.

People who were born in Barcelona say that this position of the city is justified because of its mild climate, its geographical location and its cultural and night life. The opinion of foreigners who live here is the same, but they add that catalans are quite reserved.

Is Barcelona a good or bad place to live in?
By Denice Arandia

Barcelona is a city situated in the north-est of Spain.
Last year, Barcelona had 4.992.193 inhabitants.
Most of the people are from different races because a lot of immigrants and foreigners live here.
I don't know if that is good or bad, but it contributes to develop the city and to share cultures of different contries.

Barcelona is a little bit expensive, although it doesn't bother us, because we have a lot of advantages and a good standard of life.

It's a beautiful city to walk in and to see, especially the arquitecture and the art.
Moreover, its good weather and its beaches make it lovely and attractive for the tourists.
Barcelona is situated near the sea, and when summer arrives there are a lot of parties near these places.

Above all, we have to think that it's a town that can show good and bad things, but it's a nice place to live.

The friendship
By Anastasia Macovei

One of the most important things in this world is friendship. A friend is like a brother or a sister. The word ''friendship'' comes from the latin and it means: amicus = amore. You have friendship in every stage of your life. There are friendships which are born in just minutes, and others that become a real friendship over years, they take a lot of time. A real friendship never finishes, it is for ever. We are friends, not only humans, but animals have friends too.

The principal part of friendship is confidence and fidelity, because if you aren’t faithful to your friend you are not his friend. A friend, when you need help, always helps you, you can always tell him your secrets, you are really friends, and he gives you advice, and all that you need. In life friendship is very important, and you can have a lot of friends, but in the moment when you need help you see who your friends really are. A friend is always with you, in the bad moments and in the happy moments, he always is going to be with you.

There are not only friendship with girls, girls and boys are friends too, but there are people who think that there can't be friendship between a girl and a boy, because in the end the boy or the girl falls in love with the other person, and then nothing is the same. When you have a boyfriend, and you split up with him, very few people save the friendship that they had before they fell in love.

You will never forgot the best moments of a friendship, a friend always can get a smile on your face, he always makes you laugh, and when you are sad, he is sad too, because he feels that you are sad, and for that reason he is sad too, but he tries to put a smile on your face.A boyfriend or a girlfriend is also like a good friend, because they love you a lot, and when you need something, they help you, they make you feel very special, but remember that it will never be forever.

Interview to a German classmate
By Berta Fontboté

Our English teacher told us there is a German student in 1st year of BTX at our school. His name is Zeno and he is sixteen years old. He is staying in Barcelona for a year. Let's get to know about him and his country:
-Why are you studying at this school?
I'm here to improve my Spanish.-Why did you choose Spanish?
Because I like how it sounds. In Germany Spanish has become important and the number of Spanish students has increased in the last few years. In my school there are three classes in each level and two of these three study Spanish.
-Really? And how long have you studied Spanish?
I've studied Spanish for two years.-How long are you going to stay in Barcelona?
I'm going to stay in Barcelona for a year.
-Who are you staying with?
I'm staying with a host family.
-And, where does your real family live?
They are in Berlin, my native city.
-Have you got any brothers or sisters?
Yes, I’ve got a little sister who is fourteen years old. But now, I have two new Spanish brothers and I teach them German.
-Perhaps you miss Germany, don’t you?
Of course, I miss my family and my friends. But in reality I don’t have much time to think about Germany.
-Do you like Barcelona?
Yes, I do.
-Have you visited Gaudi’s architecture?
Yes, I have, and I like it very much!
-And have you visited our country before?
Yes, this is the second time that I've come here. The first time I visited Vic and Girona. -Do you prefer Spanish weather or German weather?
Definitely I prefer Spanish weather! In Germany it’s always cloudy, and it rains a lot...
-And, what about food? Do you prefer Spanish food or German food?
I would choose German food. Here, in Spain, the food has always oil, and I don’t like too much oil.
-... Because in Germany you cook with butter, don’t you?
Yes, we do. That’s why I’m not used to oil.
-Is the education system very different in Germany?
Yes it is. Here, the classes are like... :the teacher writes everything on the blackboard and the students copy it. In Germany the classes are much more interactive.
-What’s your favourite subject?
In Germany it was Physics, but here I don’t know... It’s for the language, you know?
Yes..., here it’s all different...
-Are you planning to go to University? What degree are you going to study?
Yes, I want to study Physics.
-What do you do in your free time?
I play Handball and I play the drums too.
-Really? So, Do you have a band?
Yes! In Germany I've got a band.
-What sort of films do you like?
I like thrillers. My favourite film is "Public Enemy".
-And who is your favourite actor?
I like Will Smith (very much) a lot.-Have you watched any Spanish films?
(Maybe) I haven't watched a lot of Spanish films. But I watch films in Spanish. Oh, and (last day) yesterday I watched "Rec".
-What type of music do you listen to?
I like indie-rock. I listen to The Kooks.
-This question must be asked... Do you like BFC?
Hahaha, m... yes! But in reality I don't like football very much. In Germany I don't support any team.
-Tell us a typical meal from your country?
Hm... I don't know. The Patata con Pau is a typical German food.
-And are the Frankfurts as good as it is said?
Maybe.... but I’m vegeterian... -Oops!