anyone?

If you don't get any replies, hopefully you can still return the camera to the store where you bought it.

It's more practical to give a hospitality gift while still visiting the family. Sending things to places like Bhutan after the fact from the US is not so easy as you are finding out.

I am trying to think how i can help you.

The Rubin Museum in NYC had featured a bhutanese exhibition last winter where they had flew in a weaver and several monks to perform ceremonies. My neighbor who works there on the weekends hung out with them but i think she is currently out of town. I don't have her contact info anyway.

In the meantime, you might want to call if any of those monks is still around or if they know anyone who is heading that direction. The website is http://www.rmanyc.org/ It's a long shot but it doesn't hurt to try.

I hope you can find help here but do you know if the farmer has a computer so that they can fully appreciate or use the digital camera?

Jaya- wed did give them $50 when we were there, but we still wanted to send them something from US and make them happy. Can you imagine to be the only one to have a camera in the village?
Hanuman- I don't think they have a computer but they said that they could go to town periodcally and have the picture printed.
I am still hoping to find some one to take this camera to them.
Adeleh

Maybe someone who works for the Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the U.N. can carry for you or give you a suggestion.
http://www.asianamerican.net/bhutan_main.html

You want someone to take delivery of an electronic object thru the mail from an unknown person, pop it in the diplomatic bag and take it secretly [and illegally] to Paro where someone will then travel eight or so hours to Bumthang and find a young girl in a farmer's house in Ura to give her a digital camera worth three months wages in a village without a computer...

The Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the U.N.?

Loony tunes.

Your gesture is great but do they in fact have a computer??

I will bring this to the top until I find someone.

I admire your gesture - but why don't you just go back to the camera store, get your money back and send the cash? I'm sure $200 would go a lot further than a digital camera.

How much do you think your farmer and his family earn in a month? I'm not sure, but IMHO your kindness might be better used a different way.

adeleh, with all due respect asking a total stranger to deliver a camera to a family that is also a total stranger is remote at best.

People are rightfully paranoid to be the carrier of items between two unknown parties!

You have already given them $50, which is probably very generous onto itself when converted to local currency.

If they don't have a bank account you cannot even wire the money to them.

Write them a note thanking them for their hospitality and you regret that you cannot mail a gift to them due to postal difficutlties (or words to that effect).

adeleh,

I understand your well meaning intention but you have to be realistic.

1/. As I've explained to you in a previous post of yours, it will cost money for the farmer to receive the camera if you send it by mail or courier. Could cost as much as the camera or more for custom clearance, tax, duty etc.

2/. The farmer does not have a computer and it will cost them to print photo at the shop. Even I, with good income, hesitate to print pictures and would rather look at them on my computer.

3/. It will be very hard for you to find someone to carry it over and it will be of a great inconvenience to them to go and seek out the farmer. Best bet is to find someone just to carry it into the country and then mail it to the farmer.

4/. Why don't you contact the farmer ask them how much a digital camera cost there, and they might even have the same make and model that you've bought, and wire the money instead. Again the farmer must have a bank account for this to work. If they did buy the camera there the warranty will be better for them.

or just send some cash through Western Union or any equivalent that has offices in Buthan.. then all they need to pick it up is some ID.

Have just looked up WU and in Buthan they operate through Buthan Post Offices so money can be picked up through any post office...

http://www.westernunion.com/info/osMoneyTransfer.asp?country=BT