Made for China
I’ve been trying to think of some good American souvenirs to bring to China to give to the friends and acquaintances I’ll meet over there. So far I haven’t been able to come up with anything better than American coins and postage stamps (and even those are only American by definition).
The problem, obviously, is that there is very little in the way of consumer goods that is still manufactured in America. The last thing I want to do is hand a Chinese a gift and say “This is from America” only to have them turn it over and find the words “Made in China” stamped on the bottom. D’oh!
I realize in today’s free market world that nothing I bring will be the equivalent of smuggling denim jeans into the Soviet Union, but I still want to do a little better than pocket change and postage fare. Those of you with China experience, what should I bring? Baseball? Apple pie? Representative governance? Non-native flora or fauna that will multiply out of control and displace native species? Help me out here, folks!
Postage stamps, as you mentioned, are a very good idea. The Statue of Liberty stamp especially so.
Houston Rocket and other NBA swag are good gifts for your very close friends or those that control your daily life. Want to make big points? Give an official NBA Yao Ming Jersey to the Dean of Student Affairs.
I bought bunches of Cleveland Indians hats and gave those away. I explained that baseball is America’s sport and that ‘this hat represents my hometown team.’ You know, that personal touch.
Perhaps a Visa to travel to the U.S. ;-?
Some people will love cheap used paperback books. One of my students had read Freud in Chinese so I arranged to give her a English copy of ‘On the interpretion of dreams.’ English language comic books, baseball/basketball cards, etc.
And remember, you can always have something shipped to you after you’ve arrived. You can wait and feel the situation out then place an order for a care package later.
↓ Quote | Posted August 9, 2006, 10:34 amI never brought anything, even though I was told specifically to do so. I never came to a situation where I needed to give someone anything from the States at all. I usually just took someone out to a nice dinner to say my thanks.
↓ Quote | Posted August 9, 2006, 1:58 pmI’m not a “nice dinner” kind of guy.
↓ Quote | Posted August 9, 2006, 2:29 pmYourself and your kindness is the best present for them.
↓ Quote | Posted August 9, 2006, 4:20 pmThe other Dave said everything I was going to say. All I can do is second his suggestions and broaden comics to “magazines in general”. Almost anything published in English is Made in USA. Just be sure that you want to part with the magazines you bring. Good English reading material here is scant, apart from Dave’s Wagon, of course.
↓ Quote | Posted August 9, 2006, 6:54 pmWow, praise from Ceasar.
↓ Quote | Posted August 9, 2006, 7:16 pm