GIFT FOR FRENCH TEEN
 

I am going to France this summer to a town called Limoges. I will be living with a french family who has a 16 year old teen. I am from Georgia and wanted some ideas on what i could bring him and or his family that would be of some interest. I dont want any t-shirts, hats, or pins. No cd's and no candy. I've got some of that stuff and some of it is just too cheezy.
I want something really cool. but what??

A new leader, for starters!

US

Teens are notoriously unpredictable when it comes to "cool". What day of the week is it again?

Try something from Georgia. Or PC computer games? Kind of a crapshoot.

A few ideas:
A Bop-it Extreme2
A book of cool websites
A supersize frisbee or flying ring (can't remember what those things are called!)

Maybe some Levi's? If the Teen is a girl maybe something from the Gap or Limited Too.

American cds are very expensive there . ASK the parents what he likes in music.

thanks i'll try that. Anyone else?

Um unless France is just very different than Italy in music stores, the American CD's here are no more expensive than they are in the States. Typically pay 10-20 euro.

I do think denim is generally more expensive in Europe, but you could never buy somebody else a pair of jeans and expect them to fit (especially a teenage girl!). However, I'd go with demin accessories. Both a denim pocketbook and a denim hat in that style the American kids all like now. (It's kind of shaped like an upside down flower pot with a smallish brim all the way around.)
Also, does she study English? A popular teen novel, or translation of something popular in France, or the English or American version of Teen People would probably be fun.

Oooops! Thought it was a girl! Not quite awake yet... sorry.
Okay... Do they have Game Boys in Europe? Just kidding!
I'm clueless about older boys, but I'm thinking a couple baseball gloves and balls to try something new? Or a wiffle or nerf ball baseball set?

Limoges is our sister City and we have visited it with some teens in our group. An American sweat shirt might be nice--we saw a Hanes sweat shirt with the Hanes name and zip code as the design for $75 at their Galeries Lafayette!!! For the family a book about your state or area might be nice. A piece of Georgia pottery? HOw about a really nice beach towel--I think linens can be expensive there. What would your boy "friends" like to get? Be sure to take a little photo book of your family, town, house, school, etc. to show them.

yesmar, I asked some French friends and they advised 3 things:
- a computer or video game
- the latest Nike shoes (!!!)
- a sports team or university sweatshirt (hooded, large) from your home state or town

Come to think of it, this last one is something that practically anybody would like to receive.

Great ideas, thanks

When my daughter's French friends visited us here, they bought lots of Levis. And they loved everything with a NY logo on it. They had no idea who the teams or schools were, but loved the NY.

ok great!!

Anything from the Gap; hard to find in Europe, and very popular.

I would bring him a "coffee table" type book guide to American sports, explaining the rules of American football, baseball, etc. Even if he never actually plays those sports, he will be considered cool for understanding the games. FYI, American football games are shown more and more on Euro tv (esp. the Eurosports channel) and is gaining in popularity as a spectator sport if not a participatory one.
BTilke (Brussels)

US, thanks. I was going to suggest a one way ticket ANYWHERE.

what is this about a one way ticket??

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