<p>My D1 will live with a French host family for two months this fall. It's suggested she bring a small gift for them- a picture book about our area or a pretty calendar with local photos. Any ideas? There are some beautiful calendars that would work, but I'd like to send her with more than that- not crazy about the book idea. (After the initial look, I imagine it would just get shelved.)</p>
<p>Can anyone who's been in a similar situation suggest what worked for their son or daughter or what they now realize what would have been great? Not too pricey and I think, not food. Thanks.</p>
<p>We host exchange students often, and our kids do exchanges. The best gift I have received was a cooking apron from France - decorated with baguettes, etc. I use it every day and think of the young man from Norway who gave it to me (he had just visited Paris before he came to us and bought the gift at the last minute!) We’ve also received stained glass Maple leaves (from Canada), pottery (from India), wine (from Italy), and wooden ■■■■■ dolls (from Norway) along with picture books. </p>
<p>My kids have taken calendars, hand decorated tea towels, homemade salsa (we’re from TX), and children’s books about Texas (for families that have kids).</p>
<p>Our exchange student from France last year gave us a cute “bonjour” mug and a salt and pepper set, along with chocolates. For her Paris hostess, my daughter took Starbucks coffee and both Frango Mints and either Sees or Ghirardelli (senior moment–can’t remember!) chocolates (for both the Chicago and Northern California influences).</p>
<p>My standard gift is maple syrup or maple sugar candies. Maples don’t grow in Europe, but everyone likes the flavor. Table clothes, tea towels, aprons, mugs all seem okay.</p>
<p>Send a container of some edible American goodies: a small bottle of maple syrup, chocolate covered cranberries, Pez candy, Ghiradelli chocolate, a bottle of a California red Zinfandel (a uniquely california wine.) My husband gives a lot of gifts to foreign business contacts - and I usually get stuck with the chore of thinking up gifts, buying, packing, etc. The food basket is the route I usually take, and usually with great success. You can usually find fun, small-sized food stuff in the food section of World Market stores.</p>
<p>When my D did the same thing we sent her with some scented body washes from Bath and Bodyworks. The French are very into personal care items.</p>
<p>On the flip side, when we hosted, I appreciated the gift of a box of specialty candies from the student’s region of France. So if there is a local food specialty in your town/state, I think that would be good too.</p>
<p>IMO don’t really like the idea of book/calendar.</p>
<p>When my French colleagues would visit the US, they would always buy electronics, especially iPods, since they are a lot cheaper int he US than in Europe. So, I would suggest the lowest end iPod.</p>
<p>I also like the local food specialty idea, and peanut butter, since they don’t have peanut butter in France. I would avoid chocolate, since it is so easy to get there. </p>
<p>Another idea is a family game, that the student could play with the host family, that requires some English, but not too much, assuming the host family will know some English but not be totally fluent. Something like Apples to Apples or Pictionary or Telestrations.</p>
<p>I like the idea of children’s books of your local area, not so much the photo album book (unless you are going to also give them plane tickets so they can see it themselves.)</p>
<p>When we moved overseas, I took a couple small “photos of our home state” books to give as gifts. Never gave any of them away, as it never seemed like the right gift. After moving them twice, I finally donated them to a book sale.</p>
<p>Also like the idea of tea towels, I smile when I see some of the ones we have collected on our travels.</p>
<p>Maple syrup is always a favorite, and especially appropriate if you come from a region that produces it. A children’s book about your area, if they have children, is a good idea, as is some other local specialty. I would refrain from taking mediocre chocolate like Sees, since they can get much better stuff there, but a local artisinal candy is another story. If you have an outstanding regional maker of specialty foods, such as American Spoon Foods in Michigan or Stonewall Kitchens in Maine, a jar of something unique that they make would be nice, and travel well in luggage (unlike chocolate!).</p>
<p>I’ve hosted exchange students, and frankly had no interest at all in picture albums of books of photos about their region.</p>
<p>One word of warning on the maple syrup. Many internationals do not know what to do with it, particularly in a non-pancake culture like France. So you probably need to priovide suggestions (on crepes perhaps?), or go for the candy version instead. Two things that were a big hit for my DD overseas – chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate peanut butter cups.</p>
<p>She should bring photos of her family to share - not so much as a gift. You can buy a nice package of pancake mix (gift size) to go with the syrup.</p>
<p>Agree with Reese’s peanut butter cups. Our international visitors have brought these back as gifts for family and friends. They have also brought back shirts or hats with team logos.</p>
<p>I love the idea of local candy or wine…not so much a calender ( keep in mind they will have different holidays that we have ) We sent my daughter with maple sugar candy and chocolate shaped lobsters from a local chocolate company to share with her host family in Spain this past summer</p>