FeedNovember 4, 2007
British expatriate Henry Levins, 32, returned to his hometown of Colchester, England for a visit last week, delighting friends and relatives with a selection of cheap Chinese souvenirs. "I got this lovely silk scarf", exclaimed Levin's mother Janet; "Henry must have gone to so much trouble!"
The scarf, much like the chopsticks Levin bought for drinking buddy David Hatton, cost just 8 RMB (1 US dollar) at the Yu Garden last Monday. Levins, who earns around 70,000RMB a month at a international bank, haggled the price down from 10RMB after a enthusiastic bargaining session. After gathering all his presents in a ten-minute shopping spree, he set off to catch his flight.
Levins has been conducting a long-distance relationship with girlfriend Amanda Eaton, 28. She was also overwhelmed with her necklace engraved with the Chinese characters for "love". Unfortunately due to a miscommunication, the 8RMB piece is actually engraved with the characters for "sweet and sour pork".
The banker says that his friends loved "all of that Chinese shit".
The scarf, much like the chopsticks Levin bought for drinking buddy David Hatton, cost just 8 RMB (1 US dollar) at the Yu Garden last Monday. Levins, who earns around 70,000RMB a month at a international bank, haggled the price down from 10RMB after a enthusiastic bargaining session. After gathering all his presents in a ten-minute shopping spree, he set off to catch his flight.
Levins has been conducting a long-distance relationship with girlfriend Amanda Eaton, 28. She was also overwhelmed with her necklace engraved with the Chinese characters for "love". Unfortunately due to a miscommunication, the 8RMB piece is actually engraved with the characters for "sweet and sour pork".
The banker says that his friends loved "all of that Chinese shit".