An extra room, a garden, to energy-saving features and caring relationships are among the desired improvements expressed when Epoch Times reporters from Tanzania to New Zealand asked locals, “What one improvement would you like to make to your home?”
Beachwood, OH, USA
Jessica Jonlia, 23, Cosmetologist
I want better, more updated appliances. It’ll make me more motivated to use it more, and make me more comfortable.
Jessica Jonlia, 23, Cosmetologist
I want better, more updated appliances. It’ll make me more motivated to use it more, and make me more comfortable.
Mahango Village, Tanzania
Abel Thomas Simwaba, 81, Retired Laboratory Assistant
Because I’m old and weak now, and cannot work in my field anymore, I would like to have a cow that could give me milk to improve my health. I can also make some money from it as there is a high demand for milk here.
Abel Thomas Simwaba, 81, Retired Laboratory Assistant
Because I’m old and weak now, and cannot work in my field anymore, I would like to have a cow that could give me milk to improve my health. I can also make some money from it as there is a high demand for milk here.
Dunedin, New Zealand
Tracey Hildreth, 42, Customer Services Relations
It would be to install a heat pump. It’s only because it’s coming up to winter. We’ve got a large home and we need heating first thing in the morning, or when we get home from work.
Tracey Hildreth, 42, Customer Services Relations
It would be to install a heat pump. It’s only because it’s coming up to winter. We’ve got a large home and we need heating first thing in the morning, or when we get home from work.
Biella, Italy
Rita Deusebio, 46, Surveyor
For me, the house is the place of family, security, and warmth; I like to call it a “warm shelter.” It’s very important, and I always try to make it a welcoming place for my family. If I could, I would like to make it safer and more efficient, perhaps with energy-saving features, such as photovoltaic panels and other innovative systems.
Rita Deusebio, 46, Surveyor
For me, the house is the place of family, security, and warmth; I like to call it a “warm shelter.” It’s very important, and I always try to make it a welcoming place for my family. If I could, I would like to make it safer and more efficient, perhaps with energy-saving features, such as photovoltaic panels and other innovative systems.
São Paulo, Brazil
Marcia Ferreira de Souza, 37, Office Assistant
Oh, there are so many improvements I would like to do at my home! Since my 7-year-old daughter does not have her own bedroom I would definitely like to build her an extra bedroom.
Marcia Ferreira de Souza, 37, Office Assistant
Oh, there are so many improvements I would like to do at my home! Since my 7-year-old daughter does not have her own bedroom I would definitely like to build her an extra bedroom.
Gold Coast, Australia
Kim Davidson, 44, IT Admin
I think a garden, you know, fruit and veggies—just a practical garden, and more flowers. It does a few birds with one stone, you know: healthy; I’m being constructive, and creative; and it’s physically good. I was thinking today of growing pumpkins; I can share them around with other people so it’s not just for me. I can pass on the tomatoes, and pumpkins, and herbs.
Kim Davidson, 44, IT Admin
I think a garden, you know, fruit and veggies—just a practical garden, and more flowers. It does a few birds with one stone, you know: healthy; I’m being constructive, and creative; and it’s physically good. I was thinking today of growing pumpkins; I can share them around with other people so it’s not just for me. I can pass on the tomatoes, and pumpkins, and herbs.
Dunedin, New Zealand
Justin Stent, 38, Accountant
Add a garage so my son and I can have a boy’s area and start to become mechanics!
Justin Stent, 38, Accountant
Add a garage so my son and I can have a boy’s area and start to become mechanics!
Ikara Akoko, Nigeria
Ogungbemi Isiaka, 39, Machinist
I would like to give my children the best education. Not only in terms of formal education that everyone acquires at primary, secondary, and university level, but also, and chiefly, to teach them to love people, and have a wonderful relationship with others because people need to be loved.
Ogungbemi Isiaka, 39, Machinist
I would like to give my children the best education. Not only in terms of formal education that everyone acquires at primary, secondary, and university level, but also, and chiefly, to teach them to love people, and have a wonderful relationship with others because people need to be loved.
Bangalore, India
Tina Luthria, 21, Student, Masters in Economics
My home has been recently renovated, and I would still like to make one more change. This is to make it more environmentally friendly by using solar water heaters, eco-friendly lighting, segregate waste products in a more efficient manner, grow greens on my veranda, and hence make my house more environmentally friendly and a greener, safer place to live in.
Tina Luthria, 21, Student, Masters in Economics
My home has been recently renovated, and I would still like to make one more change. This is to make it more environmentally friendly by using solar water heaters, eco-friendly lighting, segregate waste products in a more efficient manner, grow greens on my veranda, and hence make my house more environmentally friendly and a greener, safer place to live in.
Göteborg, Sweden
Sonja Lindquist, 64, Municipal Secretary
Then, I would do some changes in our workroom and make it more pleasant for our guests. Right now, we put out several mattresses on the floor in the room when we have guests. We usually use the room as a combination of TV and workroom. I would make a better combination to improve that room.
Sonja Lindquist, 64, Municipal Secretary
Then, I would do some changes in our workroom and make it more pleasant for our guests. Right now, we put out several mattresses on the floor in the room when we have guests. We usually use the room as a combination of TV and workroom. I would make a better combination to improve that room.
Canary Islands, Spain
María Jesus Lopez, 58, Housewife
I’ve been thinking about it the last few months, because I want to change several rooms in my house, specially the kitchen and the three bathrooms since these are the ones that are in the worst condition because all the family uses them frequently on a daily basis. Although these are my plans, we, my husband and I, have decided to postpone it until the economic situation improves, because reforming these rooms the way I prefer would mean almost like making them new; it’s going to be expensive, so for sure we’ll wait some months to make the final decision about when to begin.
María Jesus Lopez, 58, Housewife
I’ve been thinking about it the last few months, because I want to change several rooms in my house, specially the kitchen and the three bathrooms since these are the ones that are in the worst condition because all the family uses them frequently on a daily basis. Although these are my plans, we, my husband and I, have decided to postpone it until the economic situation improves, because reforming these rooms the way I prefer would mean almost like making them new; it’s going to be expensive, so for sure we’ll wait some months to make the final decision about when to begin.
Otwock, Poland
Ania Anczarska, 22, Student of Sociology
I would like to change tiles in the bathroom into a regular mosaic, because the colors are patchy. I bought them as the prettiest tiles according to my financial ability, but now I wish to change them.
Ania Anczarska, 22, Student of Sociology
I would like to change tiles in the bathroom into a regular mosaic, because the colors are patchy. I bought them as the prettiest tiles according to my financial ability, but now I wish to change them.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “Clean Water for a Healthy World” is the theme for World Water Day 2010 on March 22, 2010. Do you have concerns about obtaining clean water in your community?”
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