I am travelling to Tibet and will be staying with a Tibetan family for two nights.What is a suitable small gift to give?

I am travelling to Tibet and will be staying with a Tibetan family for two nights. What is a suitable small gift to give Asked by David524 22 months ago Similar questions: travelling Tibet staying Tibetan family nights suitable small gift give Games & Leisure > Travel.

Similar questions: travelling Tibet staying Tibetan family nights suitable small gift give.

Call the consolate for suggestions they know their own culture, don't overgive, they have to return in like value What you can do is contact the consulate for that region, they will give suggestions. Those guys have so little, and to overgive can be overwhelming. Their culture is to give in value as to what you are giving, and they cannot afford to give at what value they think we are giving them.

Sometimes a cheap thing takes huge shiping charges to get to the remote areas, so even cheap is expensive to them. That part of the world will give the shirt off of their back to make their guests feel at home and welcome, and sometimes will go in the hole to do that. China, Tiawan, India, Tibet, Pakistan, Afganistan, Iraq, Iran, Arabia, Egypt, that basin area up to Europe go to great expense to make their guest feel respected.

Even cultures like Japan do the same. Always remember as well, in those areas when someone offers you food, don't say insulting things about the food...ever...! Always remember if someone offers you food, you have to eat it because it is an insult if you don’t, and it’s all they’ve got. That wife or family took time to cook it as a gift to you, and if you don’t eat it, it is as if you are insulting them saying you are too good for the food, and too good for them.At least eat or drink some of each item they offer, unless you are allergic.

Even if you don’t like the item, just at least eat or drink some of it. They are giving you ALL THEY HAVE. I recall a time I was in an area where my husband and I were staying with a college friend’s family.

We were invited and stayed 2 weeks in their home. Every morning the family’s 8 children would eat breakfast and go off to school before we got up. Always breakfast was ready and waiting on the UPSTAIRS DINING table, and my husband’s college buddy would eat UP THERE with us.

Always there would be at least 2 eggs for each of us. If there was an extra egg the college buddy would push the extra egg onto my plate saying, "Take it, I want you to not be hungry!" My husband is a small eater, but would eat more at his friends insisting.

That was a total of 7-8 eggs for the 3 of us. One morning I came down earlier, before the family had left for school. I wanted to say good morning and wish them a good day before they left, so I went DOWNSTAIRS into where they were eating breakfast.

The mother and all the rest of the children were STANDING around the DOWNSTAIRS BREAKFAST table drinking Milk Tea (1/2 milk, 1/2 tea or Chi) and Roti (flat wholewheat flour flat bread, like tortillas). My mother had raised me to EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST BEFORE SCHOOL so I admonished them "You need to eat more than that for breakfast!" One of them said this is all we are eating.

I again said "You need to eat better than that, You need protein to think better with, not just tea and bread! " Then one of the girls said,"This is all we can afford, we don’t have the money for anything else." To my horror, I had been eating 2 eggs every morning and sometimes 3, and BISCUITS and Lightbread that were expensive to buy, instead of their Roti, and tea with cream, and British Orange Marmalaide.

All the luxeries, upstairs in the dining room, and here I was mouthing off when downstairs they had NOTHING! (but were giving all they had to me!) For years, whenever anyone I knew traveled to that part of the world, I always sent gifts along with them for this family. They always said they could not understand how I still remembered them, after all those years.

HOW COULD I EVER FORGET! Be careful how you talk, don’t flaunt what you have in front of them. They cannot afford things we have, and cannot return the same value of gift if given upon arrival.

If invited to stay in their home, if you are in the area, it is an insult if you do not, even if they sleep on the floor on pallets. We were in a really remote area traveling years ago. One of our aquaintences in the government in that country had written to his friend in the area where we were traveling to have him take us around as a local so we would be protected.

The Man invited us to stay in his house as well. When we got there we found the man had a 2 room house. Kitchen and small living area.

All 4 of his family slept on the floor on blankets.My husband being a bit of a snob told him we would stay in the local hotel and used me as an excuse. The next morning the man did not show up. We found out later that it was an insult to him to refuse the home he had offered.

That was all he had and he had offered it willingly for his friend in the government. We had snubbed him, so HE WAS PUBLICALLY HUMILIATED in his small town. We would have given him GREAT PUBLIC HONOR FOR HIS COMMUNITY if he had us stay IN HIS HOME, for years to come for his community immage.

Now he was just a laughing stock. Another time and place, my husband and I had been invited to a Malik’s house on the other side of Swat. We were offered tea, but my husband does not drink tea, so when the people were not looking he would pour half of the cup out into my cup so it would look like he was drinking his tea and not insult the host.

Another time, we were in China immediately after it had opened from Communism. We had been given a special invitation by the chinese government to come to a Government sponsered product fair. In those years, the only way to get in was to be invited.

We were going room to room in one of the buildings, and we noticed that each room would offer you tea. I love different types of teas so wanted to sample each style. I kept asking them about the teas and types and styles, and about their culture and how they lived, and when they would find that I was TRULY INTERESTED they would open up and speak expansively.

One Chinese lady said, "You nice lady....Come here. " while crooking her finger for me to come look. She then opened up a wall of drawers, and inside were the HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS.

You see their culture was to put the lower quality products on the tables, and keep the high quality products inside for only those they approved of, or relatives that had businesses. If you are aggressive and rude, you don’t get to see the best. As to differences in culture, one day I was sitting in a Denny’s resturant eating.

I heard VERY BRITISH accents speaking behind me saying they were going to LOOBOCK TEXAS for a wedding. I turned and corrected them letting them know it was pronounced (Lubuk). As with the word Love sound with each u.

After speaking to them for a bit I found that they were in town over Thanksgiving for 5 days then on to Lubbuck,Texas. They waiting to go on a tour bus of Dallas at a later time that day. I offered them a ride to the bus station, but since they had several hours before the tour started, I let them come to my office and stay out of the weather until time for their tour.

I took them back a bit early and drove them around Dallas letting them see the city, and the Kennedy center and gave a bit of the history. They were so shocked at how much more modern downtown Dallas was from England. Knowing the way other cultures are from my world travels, I made them feel better saying, "What you see here is from your country.

We are like the CHILDREN of England. England was our MOTHER COUNTRY, it is like your children who have grown up here and progressed and created all of this. It is because of YOU that we are here and this is here.

What you see here are your children and their creations. " They felt better and happier then. I invited them to spend Thanksgiving with us.

When they arrived at my home, I was in the Restroom dressing after cooking for 200 relatives. My husband was giving them a tour of my home, and as I came out they were upstairs. I had gone into the Kitchen again, so missed them as my husband gave a tour of the master bedroom and bath.

Later after the evening was over, my husband told me that when they had gone into the master bath, they were shocked saying that in England, their whole Flat (home or appartment) was the size of my bath and walk in closet. I said, "Oh my God and it looked like we were flaunting our huge house to them, we made them feel bad! " (Again, cultures and differences, and the huge values of property in crowded cities compared to the huge amount of cheaper land in Texas.) One lady this last weekend told me that she came from California and for the price she sold her house in California she would be able to buy two like hers in Dallas.

She was even happier when I mentioned that my son was a Realtor who’s office specalized in Foreclosed properties and she could get 4 for the price of one in California from him, and he would manage the properties for her, and find the renters for her, as well as collect the rent checks for her. Good way to make side money. Again, I say, be polite in what you say, in those more remote countries.

Don’t waste things in front of them, don’t flaunt what you have in front of them, even out in town away from your friends home, or in front of others there, it will get back to them. Small towns or villages all communicate by chatting and (gossip as we call it.) Many towns away, or even in the whole country, they will talk to each other and their relatives are all over the country. Word gets back quickly.

Remember they don’t have anything much to occupy them as we have movies, TV and video games to keep us from being bored. All they have is chatting with each other, and they do, and the latest visitor will be the subject of the chat, all over the country, for years. Always dress appropriately according to their SOCIAL rules and RELIGIOUS rules.

What we consider OK is loose or an insult to them if we walk around that way. COLORS also are strictly regulated in some countries, so check on that as well. When my college age son spent a summer in Jordan in Total Immersion learning the language dialects, he witnessed a European lady harrassed by a local man at a lake there.

He was telling her to cover up and not wear a Bakini there on the beach in front of his family. He was right, she was IN HIS COUNTRY BREAKING HIS COUNTRIES RELIGIOUS RULES. NOT OK!

We may also do things in other countries that we would not be caught doing in our own. That is NOT OK either! Be respectful, remember we are guests in their country.

Act Socially appropriate for the culture you are in. Keep in mind....in those areas, KISSING IS CONSIDERED A ...SEXUAL...ACT... so do not be kissing around on each other or groaping each other. Remember when Richard Gear kissed the lady in India, he was shouted down publically even in the news, and left India immediately.

Some countries do not want ladies to show your UPPER arms much less your legs and sometimes ankles are taboo. Wearing our short skirts is not ok. Check ahead of time on the styles of clothes frowned upon by locals.

If you wear pants make sure they cover the ankles, or wear the locals clothes. Also, We are known as the Ugly Americans, since so many girls and boys go around looking ragged haired, or muggy in hiking boots camping out as they travel. Stay clean, and groomed, male and female.

You represent your country, and what you do and say gives the respect of your country. If you loose respect those peoples resprect for your country, you will get attacked easier. If they respect your country, you will not get attacked, and will many times get invited into homes you did not expect.

To be invited into the home is the home owners highest honor in those areas. WARNING HERE, now days be a bit cautious, since respect for Americans are down. That is what happened to that guy in Iraq who was trying to do the electrical contracts, they chopped off his head on TV.

He had been invited to someone’s home for dinner. Who knows if he was captured there or on the way back. Some countries that have NOT been influenced by CNN still think the same way for THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of years.

You do not have the right to FORCE your rules or religious values on them. Dress respectfully when you go to their homes. If you need to, ask ahead of time of how they require you to dress.

Thinking THEY WILL JUST "HAVE" TO GET USED TO IT, can get you pushed away or not helped, or hurt by other locals as you travel.In 1966 when I was a young girl, our family traveled to Mexico. In those days you were mailed ahead of time, a list of things you could and could not do by the Mexican government. 1.

Ways to dress: (No pants or shorts on ladies and women were warned not to wear the color red. The papers said that RED WAS FOR PROSTITUTES) and you were warned that the local men would sexually approach you if you had on the color red, even as a tourist. There was a difference between Mexico and Spain.

Spain has some of the Flamingo dance dresses in red. With Mexico so close by and CNN changing rules, I have seen Red on more people throughout the years during my travels. I suppose The younger girls grow up with CNN as a base and go more towards what they see on TV.

CNN is changing the world. 2. Foods not to eat for Tourist: You were also warned not to eat the lettuce and other specific types of vegetables since they used city waste as fertalizer which carried parasites that attacked the intestines.My cousin lived there for some time.

The parasites damaged his intestines so bad he had to have several feet of his intestines taken out. He wasted away to nothing before he died.3. Actions to watch not to do.

Women were also warned that they were not allowed in Bars with SWINGING DOORS. If they went inside they were considered prostitutes. Other types of bars were ok.

(Swinging door types I suppose were the lowest type of bars or saloons then?. ) Today our country is a blender of different cultures, but the rest of the world still hasn’t gotten blended yet. Don’t think you can change the world in one day.

Sources: Years of traveling, and my 33 years of Genetic research around the world..

1 This is reminiscent of the description that goes back to the mid 1930s, a gift of the traveller to the Tibetans. I wonder if things have changed that much since then. Probably it has.

macdonaldbayne.homestead.com/getBch2bey....):When I had my caravan ready the contents seemed considerable, but in fact I had only bare necessaries. In addition I took about fifty one-pound tins of Huntley & Palmer's biscuits, as these are a great delicacy to the Tibetans, especially for the lamas. I depended upon them to some extent for assistance, mostly from the head lama of the monasteries.

This recognition would be of assistance, as I would be likely to be welcomed by the populace also. I also took with me a number of silk scarves, which are the traditional ceremonial gifts in Tibet. I was informed of this courtesy previously.

If you place the silk scarf around the neck of the person receiving the scarf, it is a sign that you consider him your equal. If the scarf is just handed to him he is considered beneath you. On all occasions I remembered to place the scarf around the neck and it paid big dividends.

The great lamas granted me many privileges which I accepted with open arms.

This is reminiscent of the description that goes back to the mid 1930s, a gift of the traveller to the Tibetans. I wonder if things have changed that much since then. Probably it has.

macdonaldbayne.homestead.com/getBch2bey....):When I had my caravan ready the contents seemed considerable, but in fact I had only bare necessaries. In addition I took about fifty one-pound tins of Huntley & Palmer's biscuits, as these are a great delicacy to the Tibetans, especially for the lamas. I depended upon them to some extent for assistance, mostly from the head lama of the monasteries.

This recognition would be of assistance, as I would be likely to be welcomed by the populace also. I also took with me a number of silk scarves, which are the traditional ceremonial gifts in Tibet. I was informed of this courtesy previously.

If you place the silk scarf around the neck of the person receiving the scarf, it is a sign that you consider him your equal. If the scarf is just handed to him he is considered beneath you. On all occasions I remembered to place the scarf around the neck and it paid big dividends.

The great lamas granted me many privileges which I accepted with open arms.

3 I would bring something that you know they don't normally have in Tibet and also, if possible, something which represents where you are from. Maybe some really good chocolate from a local candy store and a book with photos of the city you are from.

I would bring something that you know they don't normally have in Tibet and also, if possible, something which represents where you are from. Maybe some really good chocolate from a local candy store and a book with photos of the city you are from.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.