Housing

People living in the Czech republic usually live either in flats in housing estates or in family houses with gardens. I live with my parents and sister in a flat in one of typical housing estates. Our flat is large and not silent and comfortable. Out flat consists of an anteroom, a bathroom, a toilet, a kitchen, which is also used as a dining room, a balcony and three rooms (bedroom, living room, children room).

The anteroom is quite large. You can find there three wardrobes with our clothes and boots, a red carpet which is very old (and dirty because I am lazy to clean it up) and a picture on the wall. The kitchen is also used as a dining room because of lack space. You will find there a table with four creaky chairs and then a sink, microwave oven and a cooker. The bathroom and a toilet are tiled. A washing machine is situated in the bathroom. In the bedroom there is a large bed for my mother and father. Next to the bed you can see two bedside tables with night lamps. There is a blue carpet and two wardrobes.

The living room is the most used room in the flat. In this room we watch TV, read books, have a rest or just idle about. In the living room you can find a TV set, a video and a stereo. There are also two armchairs, a sofa, flowers, a lamp, a picture and many other things. The children’s room is shared by my sister and me. There are two wardrobes (one for me and one for my sister) a TV, my tape deck, a receiver and a computer. We have also a table and a chair there.

Many people like living in town and spending their weekends in the country. My family and I prefer life in town. I was born there, and so I am accustomed to living here. But we also like to go to my parent's birthplace – small village in the South Bohemia. I always look forward to staying there, where it is possible to spend all day in the open air.

I like going for walks there. Sometimes we take a trip with my friends. The countryside looks different in each season of the year. I am always eager to see large fields, woods and hills. In towns we are constantly assailed by the noise of the traffic but in the country you can hear at most he bird's singing.
The air in the country is different from the town's air. In the country there are fewer exhaust fumes and gases like carbon dioxide because of fewer number of cars.

But I must say that the country has also many disadvantages. The biggest problem is to get a job. Many people are forced to travel many kilometers to town, as the matter of course if they gained it. In town you have much higher chance to get a good job. Another unpleasant problem is that everyone knows you and knows what you do, because you live in a small place together with a lot of people. It is a great advantage of living in town, because you are hardly unknown there. I like both the exciting life in town and relaxation in the country. So, I think, the best thing is to live in town and to stay in the country at weekends and during holidays.

In the USA, people in cities live in rental apartments or in single-family houses. Six out of every seven homes have at least one room for each family member. Although most Americans shop and cook for themselves, life is made easier by many domestic timesaving devices. About 85 per cent of homes have a TV set and a car, while 50 per cent have two or more TV sets and cars. Americans usually live with their relatives or their households contain only parents and children.