The Adventures of Tai'an

Outside our apartments Ian has started a garden which I refer to as the "Teachers Garden". This garden has a history although it has only a short life.

Ian saw this rock that he liked. He borrowed the girls 3 wheeler bike to bring the rock back to the apartment. He took Michael with him to help him lift it.

When he went to get the rock there was all sorts of commotion. Basically the rock was owned by someone else and if he wanted it he could buy it for 600Y ie $100. He wasn't having this. Eventually he took the rock.

A school leader came to the apartments to tell Ian he couldn't do this and he was stealing from someone else. He convinced them that he wasn't and that he was just borrowing it, it is still for sale but just living somewhere else!

Check out the photo!

Packaging in China is amazing. Everything is double packaged eg say you buy a packet of Oreo biscuits. They look the same on the outside as they do at home, however inside they are wrapped again. Everything you buy they want to put into plastic bags. Takeaways are served in plastics bags. Even beer is sold in plastic bags. And China has a severe problem with waste. There are no dumps.

From the 01/06/08 China has introduced that you must pay for plastic bags at the supermarket in a bid to reduce pollution. I'm in full support of this especially when you see red plastic bags multiply in the rivers. I am now also the proud owner of several environment bags. It's the same story as at home you buy them but forget to take them back with you. The bags here are a little more stylish then the green bags we have back home.