Rob and I are not gift-giving people. It's not that we have anything against it as an institution, it's just not something that either of us is really into. We exchange birthday gifts with one another, but that's pretty much it. (We don't even do the anniversary thing.) And what does this have to do with our little bambino? Well, it turns out that Taiwan is a gift-giving culture. Oh joy. This means a gift for the social worker, a gift for the driver, a gift for the person at the fake consulate, a gift for the foster family, and a gift for the birth mother. Seriously, I can't even figure out what I want for my own birthday, and now I have to come up with an appropriate gift not only for the people have taken care of my child day and night for six months, but for the person who made him and loved him enough to put him to our arms? A Hallmark figurine is just not going to cut it.
We have learned that it's not about the financial worth of the gift, but it's best if it is representative of the area which you are from. (Thanks Jean.) We figured we live in the desert, in the southwest, close to Mexico and among Native Americans. How hard could this be? You would be surprised at just how many authentic Native American dream catchers are actually made in China. I am NOT buying a tchotchke here in Tucson just to schlep it back halfway across the world. My mom did find some beautiful Indian blankets in a store around the corner. We thought we had hit pay dirt, until we read the label: "A German product made in Saudi Arabia."
I'd curse the global economy...if we still had one.
We have learned that it's not about the financial worth of the gift, but it's best if it is representative of the area which you are from. (Thanks Jean.) We figured we live in the desert, in the southwest, close to Mexico and among Native Americans. How hard could this be? You would be surprised at just how many authentic Native American dream catchers are actually made in China. I am NOT buying a tchotchke here in Tucson just to schlep it back halfway across the world. My mom did find some beautiful Indian blankets in a store around the corner. We thought we had hit pay dirt, until we read the label: "A German product made in Saudi Arabia."
I'd curse the global economy...if we still had one.
1 comment:
Now you have to haul gifts to Taiwan,
and you'll probably have to haul gifts back.
Oh, you'll also have to get used to giving Romi gifts, at least a few times a year.
have a safe trip,
dave
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