Tips for Souvenir Shopping

Avoid collecting vacation junk with these helpful tips買紀念品有訣竅  - 這些有用的訣竅能讓你在度假時 少買一堆無用的紀念品.

One of the fun parts of traveling is shopping for souvenirs. But I go to a lot of different places, and how many T-shirts, mugs and keychains from everywhere do I want? Plus, those things aren't usually cool or unique to me. With a bit of effort, I can find something better that will really awe my friends back home.

Here's what I do:
Pick and choose. Think: Do I really want this? I don't need a ton of things to help me remember my vacation. I buy myself two or three small things that I really like. They won't weight me down on my trip, and they won't clutter up my room when I get home.

Use it, I get so many compliments on clothes and jewelry I bring back from trips. I love saying, "Oh, I bought this at a little market in Thailand!" For you it might be wall art, bags or maybe music. Buy things you'll use; don't spend money on something that will just collect duct!

Get personal. Think of your friends and family I recently went to India and bought my mom a bracelet made out of seashell. It wasn't expensive, but I had my mom in mind when I bought it. And she loved it! small, colorful unique. Perfect. If you're buying a gift for someone, think about who they are and what they like.

Now get impersonal. You need to take something back for your class or office, but you can't buy something special for everyone. Buy a tasty snack or candy from the place you're visiting and bring it back to share.

Make an exception. I do collect one useless thing: flag patches. I like to buy one for every country I visit. Collecting the same thing from each place you visit is fun, and big collections are impressive. But pick something small and interesting.

The last tip? Enjoy the hunt! Shopping for souvenirs should be an entertaining part of your travel adventure, not a chore!


Grammar Gym:
They won't weigh me down on my trip......
'weigh me down' -
To weigh (someone) down - to feel the trouble of carrying or dealing with.
Janet is carrying a lot of shopping bags and they are weighing her down.
The stress from having three jobs and going to school every night is weighing Scott down.

Vocabulary Tips:
souvenir (n) -纪念品，纪念的物品。
*I bought some clothing as souvenir when I visit Taipei.
*Sandra kept a handmade bookmark as a souvenir of her summer vacation.
awe - impress someone. amazed. 使惊讶，使惊奇。
*the little kids were awed by the lions in the zoo.
*Everyone present was awed by the courage of the firefighters.
awe - amazed. in awe生出敬畏的心。
*you can't help but stand in awe of this rock legend.
clutter - messy, not organized. 弄乱或堆满（常用被动式）
*Tommy's desk was cluttered with newspaper and soft drink cans.
clutter - things pile up and messy. 乱七八糟的东西。
*Nancy is organized, so her home is tidy and free of clutter.仅仅有条。。。没有 乱七八糟的东西。
compliment - praise, say something nice when you notice about someone.恭维，赞美。
*About what you said before, I take it as a compliment.
*Mark loves to pay his wife many compliment, which made her very happy.
tons of something - a lot of something.
use it - something is useful to you that you will use it or wear it.
wall art - a piece of art that able to hang on the wall.
dust collector - something not use just laid on there for dust to pile up.
bracelet - something that you wear on your wrist.
*Sam bought a diamond bracelet for his wife as her birthday gift.
necklace - 项链
pendant - 项链上的坠子。
brooch - 别针。
anklet -脚寰。
impersonal -not very important to you. 不是针对个人的，一般的，针对大众的。
personal -very important friend or relative in your life. 针对个人的，个人的。
*The course can be tailored to your personal needs. 这课程是完全针对你个人需要而制定的。
impersonal - not personal. normal people.
*The boss comment is totally impersonal and objective.
patch - 布块，特别指印有文字或图案的布块。
*Mom loves to use colorful patches to decorate her bags.
patch - 补丁，补片，贴片。
*The boy wore a jacket with patches on the elbows.
entertaining (adj)- 有娱乐性的，有趣的。
entertain - 使有趣的，有娱乐性的。
*The movie is educational and also very entertaining.
entertainment (n) -娱乐。
*The multi-talented star is a role model in the entertainment business.
hunt - seriously seeking, searching for something.

Language Tips:
tourist trap -专门以高价卖敲诈游客的地方。
Don't go to that store, it's a tourist trap.
touristy -观光客的，或是观光客喜欢的。也有比较负面的意思“过度观光化，观光气息的。
I don't like that area. It's too touristy. 太过于观光化，观光气息的。
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errand / chore - 杂事，跑腿 （要出家门去做的杂事。 / 作杂物，家中一些固定有重复的杂事。（在家中做的）
chore - 单数不加“ s”是指“令人讨厌的事，一件非做不可又不喜欢的事”。
chores - routine things you are doing it at home. always 用 复数 加“s”。 
household chores -  such as take trash out, wash dishes, do laundry etc. 家事杂物。
errand - 跑腿办理一些杂事，出门做一些或一件琐碎的事
go on an errand / run an errand - go to bank or post office, run to a store to get something. 出门跑腿。
chore - A thing that is unhappy, not present  to do.
It's such a chore to file taxes. 报税是一件令人讨厌又不得不作的事。


Study notes taking of StudioClassroom.