Spain has a system of free and compulsory education for ages 6 to 16, covering 6 years of primary school and 4 years of secondary school. 📚 School Hours and Tuition Differences Spanish Public Schools: School hours are from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with 4 classes per day. Education is free. Spanish Private and International Schools: School hours are typically from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with 6 classes per day. The median tuition for private schools is approximately €6,000/year (about 50,000 RMB). International schools cost around €8,000/year (about 70,000 RMB). Costs vary significantly by grade level, region, and school, with differences of up to 1-2 times the median. 🏫 Teaching Staff and Pedagogical Features Teacher absenteeism is relatively high in Spain. A doctor’s note for sick leave is legally binding, and paid sick leave can be granted over the phone. Primary schools generally use a “generalist” system, where a single teacher teaches multiple subjects like English, math, humanities, science, art, and physical education, which may limit subject-specific expertise. Subject-specific teaching only begins in secondary school. The saying “the gym teacher taught my math” is not a joke in Spain but a result of the generalist system in primary schools. Exam scores are not ranked. 🈯 Language of Instruction and Multilingual Environment International schools primarily use English for instruction. Private and public schools mainly use Spanish. Autonomous communities like Valencia and Catalonia require students to learn the local regional language. In secondary school, a second foreign language such as French or German is added, making the multilingual workload demanding. 📖 Workload and Holiday Schedule There is less homework. The academic year is divided into three terms, with a total of about 160–180 instructional days. Holidays are long. 🇨🇳 Comparison with Basic Education in China Public Schools: School hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with 6–8 classes per day. Education is free, with some regions offering after-school programs. Private/International Schools: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with evening self-study sessions starting in middle school, which do not exist in Spain. Private: Approx. 60,000 RMB/year International: Approx. 180,000 RMB/year The academic year is divided into two semesters, with over 190 instructional days. 🏟️ Disparity in Campus Facilities International schools in China often have campuses exceeding 100 acres, featuring heated swimming pools, theaters, multimedia libraries, maker labs, Olympic-standard stadiums, and even equestrian centers, golf courses, and drone and robotics labs. In contrast, Spanish schools are modest and compact, with simpler facilities. 📘 Curriculum and Difficulty Many people believe that primary school math in China is much harder than abroad, but this is a long-standing misconception. ...

No verb conjugations, no grammatical gender, and highly efficient and precise expression. The logical beauty of Chinese is not just something to marvel at, but something to be confident about. 🇨🇳 There’s a Confidence We Should Express Loudly Living abroad these past two years, I’ve often heard some Chinese friends belittle their own mother tongue and culture: “Chinese people aren’t as beautiful as white people.” “Chinese people have always been uncivilized.” “The Chinese diet is too eclectic.” “Our language lacks class; it’s not as high-end as English.” ...

My previous article, [《The Downsides of Living in Spain: A Detailed 2024 Comparison of Madrid vs. Beijing》], sparked considerable debate despite objectively presenting Spain’s cost of living with reliable data. One commenter asked, “Why not compare the income of Spanish locals? For them, these prices are nothing.” Alright, let’s complete the picture today: What are the income levels in Madrid and Beijing really like? We’ll cover high-income earners, blue-collar workers, and post-tax disposable income all in one go. ...

Spain has long been regarded as a country with a high quality of life in Europe, attracting a large number of immigrants and international students. However, when we make a direct comparison with China, especially its capital Beijing, we find that Spain has significant shortcomings in many core aspects of life. Based on the latest data from 2024, this article provides a systematic comparison between Madrid and Beijing across dimensions such as consumer costs, education, healthcare, transportation, housing, home appliances, automobiles, and public safety, to deeply reveal the various inconveniences and cost pressures of living in Spain. ...

We often say, “If you’re sick, get treated promptly.” But often, the real problem isn’t about being “prompt” but about being: “Treated correctly.” When faced with discomfort, many people’s first reaction is to judge based on experience: 🧠 “Nasal congestion? Must be rhinitis.” 🧠 “A cough? Just a cold.” 🧠 “A headache? I’ll just take a painkiller.” Then they begin to self-diagnose and self-medicate. But the truth is, many different illnesses can present with the exact same symptoms. ...

Almost everyone has heard the old saying, “A turtle for a thousand years, a tortoise for ten thousand.” In Chinese culture, turtles and tortoises are seen as symbols of longevity, as if they are naturally destined to outlive several human generations. But here’s the question: Has there ever really been a turtle that lived for a thousand years? Many people see a giant turtle or tortoise and exclaim, “Wow, this one must be hundreds of years old!” While such statements might “sound reasonable,” they actually don’t stand up to scrutiny. ...

I passed my road test, and I’m here to share my experience. During the driving road test in Spain, the examiner will only give instructions in Spanish, and the instructor is generally not allowed to translate. Therefore, it is crucial to master the following common Spanish commands and their expressions: Start the engine: Arrancar Turn right: Derecha Turn left: Izquierda Go straight: Recto Make a U-turn: Cambio de sentido Indirect left turn: izquierda indirecto Roundabout: Rotonda First exit: Primera salida Second exit: Segunda salida Third exit: Tercera salida Fourth exit: Cuarta salida Stop: Parar Park: Aparcar If you don’t hear an instruction clearly, you can ask the examiner to repeat it in Spanish, for example: “Por favor repita”. ...

📍Starting Point: Town parking lot (39.6599279, -0.8916659) ⏱️Duration: 3 hours River Valley Exploration: Follow the fork (39.6572005, -0.8921885) deep into the emerald river valley to reach the hidden Blue Lagoon (Charco Azul) (39.6650017, -0.8922144) Rope Climbing, Cave Exploration + Hanging Bridges, Return to the fork via the hanging bridges above the river. Canyon Wonders: From the back mountain entrance (39.6572988, -0.8929979), loop around to the other side of the town (39.6546164, -0.8941087) ...

1. How to Study for the Theory Test It is highly recommended not to just cram questions, because: The question bank is vast. The English version has over 200 sets of tests, each with 30 questions, totaling more than 6,000 questions. Completing them all is time-consuming and exhausting. The translations and questions in the bank may not be accurate, and the answers could be wrong. The actual exam questions are not taken directly from the question bank, so finishing it is not a guarantee. The knowledge in the question bank is fragmented and not systematic. Without systematic learning, you might not be able to answer if a question is phrased differently. Efficient Learning Method: Since I took the English exam, the following content is based on English materials. ...