What it means to buy your first house

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Getting onto the property ladder and owning your own home is an aspiration that almost all human beings would like to realise. Some list this step as one of life’s major goals. However, one question that seems to arise when discussing home ownership, is why owning a house is so important that people are willing to go to great lengths to achieve this goal? Lengths such as leaving family and friends behind and relocating to different cities or even different countries.

As many would agree the benefit of owning a house is not only financially rewarding but on a personal scale can bring a sense of achievement and security.

From a financially beneficial point of view getting on the property ladder will allow you to own such a valuable asset while on the other hand providing you with shelter, a basic human necessity. Imagine the torture of having to live outside without shelter. What happens when it rains, snows or you experience a heat wave? Imagine living in Dubai without shelter when a sandstorm occurs. Although a population experiences this in their daily lives, it would be challenging to say the least to withstand the dirt which is swept away by wind at high speeds reducing visibility. Not only is it a necessity but it puts you in a better position to be more financially independent throughout your life.

spain houseOwning a property these days is also an opportunity to travel and live abroad. As many know it is near impossible to acquire a property in a city like London on an average UK full time income. People have now resorted to either buying to let in the outskirts of London or totally relocating further up the north of England or even abroad. A popular destination abroad to buy cheap in the current economic climate is Spain where houses and villas can go for less than half the price you would pay buying within the UK.

One thing that is overlooked by people when deciding to buy is the costs that come with the process; legal costs, stamp duty etc. When buying abroad it is even more vital to take the right steps in ensuring contracts are drawn up accordingly in your best interest especially when you are dealing with information in a different language. You cannot simply rely on Google translate to clarify legal information. In such instances it is imperative to use professional translation services to ensure you are making the right decisions.

One thing that many may agree with is that the desire to own a property is something that is instilled within us from an early age. As we get older the reality of owning a property is realised and our actions show a tendency to achieve this goal. After all we all want to experience the feeling of being financially independent and having a worthy asset for security and if done correctly is a rewarding and comforting feeling.

The Good, Bad, the Ugly; 5 things graduates should expect after graduating

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It is that time of the year, students receiving their final grades and classification on what they have been working on for 3-4 years. For the majority it is a journey which you began as a teenager seeing the end to your juvenile years, developing you into a young adult now into your early twenties ready to become a fully functioning member of society. A transition marked by a single lavish ceremony simply known as graduation! A joyful time to reminisce and celebrate with family, class mates, friends and tutors for those who made it this far, a time to cross over to the next chapter of your lives but the most important question is what lies ahead?

Well the answer to that starts with the actual reason why you enrolled at university in the first place and for that there is no one answer, however a common binding factor for all who attend university is to advance in life, whether professionally or personally.

After graduation you will inevitably be faced with the decision of what industry to take your career path down, whether you stick with what you studied or seek pastures new? When it comes to industries to look out for, the major ones include the financial, marketing, sales, and engineering industries; but an industry of great importance internationally that is often overlooked by many is translation services. For those who are able to speak different languages can use this to their advantage and work on freelance basis. Other roles such as graphics designers or animators also present similar opportunities to work on a freelance basis giving you more time to relax and enjoy a less stressed working environment.

The hope for most is that a university degree will help you advance from one stage to another. Some attend university in order to follow a direct career path such as accountancy or Law, others attend to acquire knowledge about business in order to start their own ventures. One thing is certain there are things to take into consideration once the fun of graduating is over.

1. You need a job: Once you have graduated the number one thing which is on people’s minds is what they are going to do next? Where will they work? Who will employ them? This question is one which should be asked from before signing up to go to university. It is important to know why you are doing your degree and where it will get you. This helps to focus on your goals, know what is expected of you by your future employers in terms of degree requirements whether 2.1 or first and what experience is needed to get that position.

2. Interviews, lots of interviews: As far as interviews go all graduates after competing their studies should be able to attend interviews with confidence, after all your years of hard work may get you an interview, however if you cannot communicate what you have to offer to your future employer effectively then your years of experience will hold no value in an interview instance. The best way is to research, prepare and practice as much as you can.

3. No, No, No: With the competitiveness for graduate jobs still at a high not everyone will be able to get into their specific job role requirements and graduates should prepare themselves to hear the word no. With this graduates should not be discouraged but continue to pursue their passion until they get there. You cannot give up until you have tried all possible avenues to get to where you want to be and in doing so you will find what you want so giving up should not be an option.

4. Learn to budget/save: You are not a student anymore, you need to save, you cannot rely on your student loans or grants anymore, what you work for is what you get. For many ex-students you will be moving back in with your parents and hoping to one day live on your own having experienced that during your university years. Saving is key in ensuring you achieve that goal of being independent and living on your own.

5. Freedom: Graduation to some, can be seen as a sign of freedom at least temporarily. For those choosing to venture on travelling whether short or long term may feel a sense of freedom without any commitments. This is the perfect time to see another side of the world and get to learn about yourself whilst having fun and meeting new people. For those worried about the prospect of travelling not looking as though they are working and as something holding them back from work experience compared to their peers who go into work straight away, do not be discouraged because employers actually value travelling as good experience. Another point to add on to this is whilst you are on your travels try and do some voluntary work whether it is working with underprivileged children or teaching English abroad, if possible try and squeeze this into your time travelling as this may not only advance your career prospects after graduating but also help you grow as a person.

Despite it being a tough job market always stay driven and motivated to succeed and you will get to where you want. Do not be shy of hard work and follow your dreams whether you dream of becoming an entrepreneur or working in a specific industry, do not pick a path only because it pays well. Think about whether you will be happy doing what you will be doing 5 days a week. Take this time to reflect on where you have been, where you are and where you want to be and most of all enjoy these moments.

Has KLM gone too far with Mexican ‘exit gibe’?

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KLM Airlines

KLM Airlines

When the Netherlands met Mexico on 29th June 2014 for their crunch encounter in The 2014 FIFA World Cup round of the last 16 to decide who progresses into the quarter finals; that night in Brazil’s amazing 67,000-seater Estádio Castelão in Fortaleza, few would have predicted that the match would have been remembered for off field antics rather than on the pitch itself. But even more unprecedented would be the fact that the match was more talked about worldwide due to a bad joke, the Dutch airline KLM, and translation services.

Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (KLM) which roughly translates into the Royal Dutch Airlines had stayed largely patriotic in their support of the Netherlands throughout the 2014 FIFA World Cup which is all good and well as most business and celebrated individuals would follow suit regardless of international presence but there is a fine line you tread between friendly banter and offending a whole nation. In a joke gone horribly wrong KLM had kicked their competitive nature well into overdrive; which in all fairness encompasses the World Cup and football as a whole, and in all honesty was probably not a very well thought-out gibe broadcasted internationally on Twitter at the fact that the Netherlands had overcome Mexico’s 1-0 lead to then overturn the deficit to win 2-1 thus eliminating Mexico from all further participation in this year’s World Cup. A joke which left a very sour taste in many Mexican’s mouths. The joke itself was a picture of a departures sign in an airport with a small image of a man wearing a sombrero, poncho and a moustache with the caption phrase “Adios Amigos” which you don’t need professional translation services to work out that was their way of mocking Mexico’s exit from the World Cup at the hands of KLM fellow countrymen.

In all fairness to KLM the joke itself was pretty harmless but when you are making it at the expense of the whole Mexican nation with an estimated population of 120 million with even more worldwide, you are bound to offend someone. Not everyone will take a joke like this in good humour. One such person Gael Garcia Bernal an A-list actor in Mexico launched an expletive rant on Twitter about the joke declaring his intentions to never fly with KLM again. “It was meant to be a joke, but there was too much negative reaction.” KLM spokeswoman Lisette Ebeling Koning said, adding that KLM never intended to offend any Mexicans, this form an airline which it serves daily direct flight between Mexico City and Amsterdam. Was KLM’s Mexican World Cup exit joke just friendly banter or was it a step too far? Right now it seems the latter but as the dust settles this will most likely be seen as a lesson learnt or could blow over, who knows but what is for certain right now is that if KLM came to Exchange Lingo for translation services or interpreting services you can put your money on the fact we would have definitely advised KLM to steer well clear of any World Cup exit jokes especially while it is still hot.