Do you still take pencils, crayons, greeting cards, ribbons, hair clips, or napkins as gifts to foreign countries? Many well meaning people do and in most cases children (and adults) just love to receive something. They are then able to make contact, smile, say thank you, and shake your hand.
However, think through thoroughly what a child might like: much the same stuff, really, that a child in your own country might enjoy.
I remember, I gave some coins to a child before I left for the airport to return home. She accepted them and said to me, "I can't spend too much of this on food, because there are other things we need." She became very quiet and thoughtful and placed the coins in her pocket. Be thoughtful in your giving.
Fending off the Google Anti-historians
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Upon hearing that Google plans to purge old inactive accounts, thereby
erasing a great history of blogging upon which I often depend, I have
decided to ...
11 months ago
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2 comments:
You do have to be careful when giving gifts to children. Some South Pacific tourist offices discourage the practice as it encourages begging and creates a nuisance. If you're staying with a family, it's just fine to give stuff to their kids, but handing out goodies on the street should not be encouraged.
That's the spirit, Anne!
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