Job Discussion Forums

[NikkiJ]

I am moving to Madrid early next year. As I have planned my move, I had intended on buying a laptop to bring with me, but as the time is getting closer for me to leave, I am beginning to question whether I would absolutely need a laptop. I am really trying hard to bring one suitcase with me to Spain and I don't know if I would want to carry around a laptop. Is it too impractical to count on using the internet cafes to make lesson plans, etc?
I guess my main problem is that I only have limited volunteer tutoring experience and I have always had my home computer to use. So do most of you guys that are already teaching have your own laptops? Is it something that would make teaching more difficult if you didn't have one?
Once again, I would like to say thank you to everyone for any and all the great advice that is given on this forum!!

[Moore]

You don�t need a computer in order to be able to teach: people have been getting by without them just fine for a long time, believe me. They are good for getting free material, but you still have to print it out, so you can go to an internet cafe, or the academy you will work through when you get here will more than likely have one too for teachers to use.

That said, I think for the sake of your sanity a laptop can be very useful: email your mates back home, listen to music, watch a film: a lot of cheap entertainment. It doesn�t take up all that much space, they go on the plane as hand-luggage, so maybe you should think about leaving something else behind.

[gmjones]

Hi,

I spent a few months in Madrid and the place is full of internet cafes... so for work purposes I suggest you do your work there and save it and pint it out at your school. If they wont let you access printing facilities you can print out at the internet cafes, only it costs a little bit more... there are copy shops to which are usually reasonable.

The only advantage to buying a laptop as far as I am concenred is listening to music (but stereos can be got quite cheaply in supermarkets/department stoes) or watching a movie...cable is cheap though and presumably if you share they will probably already have a TV/cable etc.

I would say dont bother...see how much you feel you would need one when you are there, and then ask around at your school/the uni for a second hand one if you are desperate. If you are travelling to Spain from within the EU you can only take one suitcase, and I know all too well how fast it fills up!!!