Flea Markets

When asked where they prefer to shop, (34) students replied that they are keen on flea markets. You can pick up a large variety of items: clothes, antiques, plants, second-hand furniture, rugs- just about anything you can think of. For example, you can find fabulous vintage clothing at very low prices, so you come away feeling you’ve found a great bargain worth much more than what you paid.
Beware, (35) , as you have to pay in cash and you are often not given a receipt for the items you buy. This can be a problem if the item is faulty as you will not have a (36) . Of course, you often get great value for money but if you want to return an item for some reason, the (37) are rarely willing to give you a refund. As there is no price tag on the item (38) you buy, the seller can’t be expected to remember how much they sold it to you.

A gift card is a card that is issued by a particular store. It’s worth a certain amount of money. It looks like a credit card, but it actually works like cash. A gift-card holder can spend the amount of money noted on the card in the store that issued it. These cards are big money makers for retail companies. One reason is that when gift-card holders go to the store, they often see other things to buy, and they end up spending more money than the gift card is worth. Unused cards are another big source of revenue. Companies make millions of dollars because large numbers of people never use their cards. They either lose them, forget about them, or decide that it’s not worth the effort.
Gift cards are becoming extremely popular in many countries around the world. In the United States, they are one of the most popular types of gifts. Why? People love the convenience – cards are easy to buy and easy to use, either in the store or online. The recipient can select his or her own gift, and the giver does not have to worry about finding just the right thing.

When we think of the Hawaiian Islands, they often bring to mind a thriving tourist destination with white sandy beaches and palm trees. However, on one of the most northern islands, you will not find any tourists or holiday activities. The island of Niihau is characterized by an extinct volcano, a delicate wetland and thriving forests. It is also the home to various endangered species such as the Hawaiian monk seal. The island belongs to the Robinson family who bought it from the King of Hawaii back in 1864 with the promise to maintain the traditional Hawaiian culture and language of the natives living there. In order to keep this promise, the family over time began to limit visitors to the island. Today, contact with the native Niihauans on the island is forbidden except by invitation. Therefore, until recently, the natives knew very little about the outside world.
A walk through the main village of the island shows how Niihau appears to be frozen in time. There are no cars, shops, restaurants or police. The only means of transport are horses and bicycles. There is no running water, power or telephone lines. All of the 130 permanent residents are native Hawaiians and speak Hawaiian as their first language. They don’t pay rent and live by fishing and farming. It’s a lifestyle far different from residents on the other Hawaiian islands.
The children of Niihau may not have TV or electronics like other children, but they attend a small school that relies entirely on solar power for electricity. The school is one of the few schools in the USA that is completely solar powered. The school teaches the Hawaiian traditions and values of living off the land and ocean, and at the same time offers the children the opportunity to learn how to use computers and connect with the outside world.
Oneway outsiders can connect with Niihau is to purchase the islanders’ handicrafts such as their shell jewelry. These products are on sale in other islands. Although few have the chance to visit this forbidden land, its mystery continues to fascinate tourists.