oooh, we're over 100!

When you planned your last vacation, how much money did you appropriate for souvenirs?

One month after our honeymoon I am still doling out souvenirs to friends and students. Phew. It is quite tiring to remember who to give it to, who I have yet to give to, and so on. To date I have given out around 130 souvenirs...and still more to go. Sometimes we do not always have a chance to meet someone, especially in the busy holiday season like now!

So if you live in Japan and plan on going on the trip, remember that a big chunk of your budget will go toward buying souvenirs. Sure people are big on souvenirs back home but it seems more obsessive and obligatory here, in Japan. Nevertheless my students are often so generous to buy me some souvenirs from their trips so I was happy to finally return their kindness. (and for all those who gave us wedding presents!)

Tahiti is well-known for its amaaazing vanilla and beautiful shell jewelry. I would have liked to buy black pearls for all my friends but at 200 dollars a pop, I did not even buy one for myself. (not to mention I do not find them particularly flattering on me, no matter how hard the salesman tried to convince me)

It is hard to buy suitable presents for men, yet for women there are plenty of beautiful jewelry and shell artwork, too! To give you an idea of what souvenirs cost - a magnet the size of a one-dollar coin cost 15 dollars. Umm, yes, um, did I mention one month later and we are still recovering from the magnitudal (a word?!) financial hit...ooOoooOooOooo!!!