Char

We are taking an 18 day tour of China in October that goes from Beijing to Hong Kong. I have read where people advise future visitors to take things like candy and post cards to give to the children. How much should we take and where is the area that people ask for things like that?

xxx

We just came back from China a couple months ago. We were encouraged not to give children candies or money. As a matter of fact, we didn't even see children begging for candies. It is not the same as going to South America or Central America.

Barb

We went to China last year and the only time we gave "gifts" was when visiting schools, orphanages or private homes. We gave school supplies--(pencils, erasers, paper, and colored pencils or stickers for the teacher). Not sure about ballpoint pens -- writing style is caligraphy. <BR>As for giving candy--put yourself in the shoes of the parent. How would you feel about a someone "off the street" giving your child candy?

Peter N-H

There are professional child beggars in the streets of some cities who target foreigners, but they want money. Ordinary people and their offspring do not expect charity from foreigners, although those in the business of selling things to tourists certainly expect you to pay more than the locals wherever possible. <BR><BR>If invited into a Chinese home you should take gifts, but food or drink items are more usual. These will be refused several times, but you should always insist. The ballpoint pen is the most common writing tool, and you'll have to go to a very remote area indeed to find people who cannot afford one. A respectable educational gift would need to be something a notch or two up from that, but there is no expectation of such a thing.<BR><BR>The demand for sweets, where it exists, is created by patronizing tourists. So far it doesn't exist in China--let's not start it. <BR><BR>Furthermore, with the arrival of better nutrition, and worse nutrition in the form of Western fast food chains, the urban Chinese are putting on weight, and they know it. No need to encourage that in their children, and be quite sure that a trip to a Chinese dentist is something you wouldn't wish on yourself--so don't wish it on others.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

char

Thanks for the great advise. It sounded bad to us too, so thought I should ask. I have never taken anything on any other trips so I won't this time either.

John G

Whenever I have travelled to China, India, Sri Lank, Cambodia, Thailand, etc., I have always given the children I meet a hard candy (like a Jolly Rancher), pen, stickers, gum, tennis balls, or even bubbles (although the children of Nepal were terrified of bubbles). Now, I can see not giving children money, but almost always when I gave the children candy, the parents smiled approvingly.<BR><BR>And, Barb, the people in Asia aren't paranoid like us Americans, terrified that every piece of candy given to a child contains a razor blade or rat poison. I think Americans watch too much TV, thinking there is someone out there trying to harm, kidnap, or molest their offspring.<BR>

John G

If you feel uncomfortable giving candy, then give the children a pen or little tablet they could use in school.

Paige

I've never taken stuff to give away. We just spent a week in Beijing and I wished I had a few postcards of where I live to give a couple of people I talked to. I think they would've been interested to see some pictures.

lze

Hello, I read on this post to take "gifts" also. We took post cards, candy, stickers and "buttons" to wear. We did not use all of them. Oh yes, we also took "special" money, commerative coins etc. Nothing really valuable or collectable but non the less really appreciated. The post cards were a hit also. Message to Peter. I have been to a Chinese dentist when we lived in Hawaii, and I don't care to go to one ever again. You are so right about that.