gift for Italian hosts

Hi everyone--



I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this spring and I'm staying
with an Italian family. I'd like to give them a gift when I arrive to
thank them for letting me stay there. Not to mention sweeten them up
for my appallingly bad Italian, but that's another story :-) It would
be nice to give them something from my home, but since that's the US,
there isn't much that's particularly unique to give. So if anyone has
any ideas for a nice, simple present that would be suitable for an
Italian family, any hep would be greatly appreciated!


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Why not a nice photographic book about your region or your city or even your
country?
Just to let them know where you coming from... to share your personal
experience...
Don't forget to bring with you some family photos... to explain your way of
living, your family, your friends...
We often have many things in comon but we just don't know about it...
It will help you with the "first contact". Talking about your family is
maybe easier than plunging into international events or politic issues...
)

Have a good stay anyway!
Braque


"Liliana" ha scritto nel messaggio
...

Hi everyone--



I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this spring and I'm staying
with an Italian family. I'd like to give them a gift when I arrive to
thank them for letting me stay there. Not to mention sweeten them up
for my appallingly bad Italian, but that's another story :-) It would
be nice to give them something from my home, but since that's the US,
there isn't much that's particularly unique to give. So if anyone has
any ideas for a nice, simple present that would be suitable for an
Italian family, any hep would be greatly appreciated!


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

The afore mentioned book on your area would be very nice.
Also, I have to disagree, the US is famous for unique, at least that's my
opinion.
You might consider the following: post cards of your area or any places
"famous" from the US, a baseball type cap of "your" favorite team, a mug or
T-shirt of your univrsity or any place you enjoy, or again team,a local
newspaper, or a Christmas ornament if you have anything that's "done" of the
area. Also, any particular foods your area is famous for, consider some of
that, a magazine about the area, if any children, a toy(s), almost anything,
just so age/gender appropraite and of course candy.
I suggest trying to find things that "have your place on them." So nice gift
shops, as well as, though probably more expensive, the airport you'll be flying
from. I take these sorts of gifts every year to people I visit in England.
Some have visited the US and already have some favorite things. So you might
check to see if your host family has traveled to your area or any where in the
US before and ask what they really liked and enjoyed.
Anything that will give them a little peek or taste of your area I think will
be very appreciated. Maybe ask yourself/Mom/Dad/others what would they most
like to know about and receive something of from where you're going.
Hope these are appropriate ideas.
Gloria

Do not forget that the region Toscana is one of the
RED ( communist majority) italian regions..

be careful not to talk too much about politics..
until you find out how yr hosts think about politics.-
"Liliana" ha scritto nel messaggio
...

Hi everyone--



I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this spring and I'm staying
with an Italian family. I'd like to give them a gift when I arrive to
thank them for letting me stay there. Not to mention sweeten them up
for my appallingly bad Italian, but that's another story :-) It would
be nice to give them something from my home, but since that's the US,
there isn't much that's particularly unique to give. So if anyone has
any ideas for a nice, simple present that would be suitable for an
Italian family, any hep would be greatly appreciated!


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 14:12:09 GMT, tile wrote:

be careful not to talk too much about politics..
until you find out how yr hosts think about politics.-

Good advice when visiting anywhere. The same goes for religion. But that's
just common good manners.
--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 04:28:21 +0000, Liliana
wrote:

I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this spring and I'm staying
with an Italian family. I'd like to give them a gift when I arrive to
thank them for letting me stay there. ... So if anyone has
any ideas for a nice, simple present that would be suitable for an
Italian family, any hep would be greatly appreciated!

I second the picture book idea. Lots of pictures, little text, since
they may not be fluent in English. Other ideas are crafts from your
region (for example, a pillow made with Amish quilt patterns if you
live in Pennsylvania). Fine ceramic or crystal, maybe a vase or a
small dish, is also a typical hostess gift in Italy. For example, a
small piece of Lenox china would be nice and represent something made
in the US.

In general, the same sort of thing you would bring as a hostess gift
to an American family is appropriate. Don't try for something that
can't be found in Italy, as virtually everything worth finding can be
found the world over. The idea is just to give a nice gift, possibly
American, but something that would be equally appropriate at home.
-----------
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

In article ,
Liliana wrote:

Hi everyone--



I'm going to be studying abroad in Florence this spring and I'm staying
with an Italian family. I'd like to give them a gift when I arrive to
thank them for letting me stay there. Not to mention sweeten them up
for my appallingly bad Italian, but that's another story :-) It would
be nice to give them something from my home, but since that's the US,
there isn't much that's particularly unique to give. So if anyone has
any ideas for a nice, simple present that would be suitable for an
Italian family, any hep would be greatly appreciated!


a picture/photo book of your home state or the US is a good hostess gift
-- or a regional delicacy [if you are from California bring a good
bottle of California wine]

there is almost nothing that can't be purchased in the US or in Italy in
the world today -- so it is the gesture rather than the uniqueness that
counts

tile wrote:

Do not forget that the region Toscana is one of the
RED ( communist majority) italian regions..

What has that to do with choosing an appropriate gift?


be careful not to talk too much about politics..
until you find out how yr hosts think about politics.-

That's just common courtesy, no matter HOW they "feel about politics".
Discussions about politics or religion should ALWAYS be avoided with
strangers! (Also with close friends, if you know you disagree and want
to REMAIN "close friends".)

tile wrote:

Do not forget that the region Toscana is one of the
RED ( communist majority) italian regions..

be careful not to talk too much about politics..
until you find out how yr hosts think about politics.-


Yes, she could risk being raped, then slowly killed with a knife by the
red communist family craving for her blood. And her body torn into
pieces and burned into ashes in the living room. Her family will never
find the remains as they will be dispersed in the wind.


--
Luca Logi - Firenze - Italy e-mail:

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:41:47 +0100, (Luca Logi) wrote:

tile wrote:

Do not forget that the region Toscana is one of the
RED ( communist majority) italian regions..

be careful not to talk too much about politics..
until you find out how yr hosts think about politics.-


Yes, she could risk being raped, then slowly killed with a knife by the
red communist family craving for her blood. And her body torn into
pieces and burned into ashes in the living room. Her family will never
find the remains as they will be dispersed in the wind.

Yeah, that sort of thing happens a lot in Tuscany. Especially if they
don't like the gift you bring them.
-----------
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup