Small gifts for trip

[elcolombiano]

I am leaving for Cali in about 10 days for a month. Any suggestions on small inexpensive gifts I can buy in the states and take with me to give to the ladies.

Thanks

Alan

[Celt]

... in response to Small gifts for trip, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 17, 2002

--I bought my novia a "Miami" t-shirt at the airport
before arriving in Cali. She said the gift was "perfect",
because a more ostentatious one would have suggested that
I now "own" her. She preferred a small gift. While in
Cali, I wanted to buy her a dress, which made her angry.
The smile returned to her face when I bought her the new
Gabriel Garcia Marquez book. I guess that makes me, as
one alert poster noted, a cheapskate.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Small gifts for trip, posted by Celt on Nov 18, 2002

My wife reads this list sometimes.She read the book as a gift and said"that is a stupid".She said all ladies like nice gifts.If I gave her a book she would-makes motion hitting me over the head with it."I kill"she says."A book,a book".She couldn't get over it.
Her idea of gifts for ladies.Perfume and lotions and creams.
Clothes and jewelry would fit right in also.

Pete

[Celt]

... in response to Mife wifes thought on a book as a gift, posted by Pete E on Nov 22, 2002

Pete,

I agree with your wife! My girl tugged my arm when
we walked by a bookstore, and showed me the book. So, I
went inside and bought it. She did not want anything
else but that book. Maybe knowing the context of events
will lessen your wife's scorn, maybe not.

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Re: Small gifts for trip, posted by Celt on Nov 18, 2002

I read a review on the new Gabriel Garcia Marquez book. I am glad to see there are girls with intellectual interests.

[Celt]

... in response to Gabriel Garcia Marquez book, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 19, 2002

In my experience in Cali, girls will not show you their
intelligence if they think it will not help them. I spent
some time with a 20-year old stylist who took me to the
"Paraiso" Villa N. of Cali, and explained to me that it was
the setting of the famous Colombian novel "Maria". She told
me that during most of her citas, the American men just
wanted to go to Chipechape, and look at her breasts.

While we size them up, they are doing the same.

[LouieB]

... in response to Re: Small gifts for trip, posted by Celt on Nov 18, 2002

a key chain or other cheesy trinket, Newsweek Magazine, or commodity like soap I would consider an insult.  have you ever walked down a main street in latin america and noticed all the "trinkets" they sell there???

if guys are so worried about their wallets then why buy a $2.00 key chain in the US when you can get one for 50 cents or less  right there in latina america.  they both might say LA Lakers  but the one from Colombia might be spelled wrong.  but hey how would she know.  

skin lotions and other cosmetics can make good gifts too.  but Dial Soap and Crest I doubt are on the top 10 list of what women want.  

[LouieB]

... in response to Small gifts for trip, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 17, 2002

you can also buy her an engagement ring from a gum machine.

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to what a bunch of cheapskates!!!!!!, posted by LouieB on Nov 18, 2002

Damn, I paid $20 for my engagement ring at Target!

Steve

[LouieB]

... in response to A gum machine?, posted by DallasSteve2 on Nov 18, 2002

n/t

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to Small gifts for trip, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 17, 2002

Colombiano

I took some small keychains in the shape of Texas which had the major cities and some Texas icons on it.  Sometimes if was useful to help show them where I live.  It was also something to talk about if the conversation got slow.  Maybe it was a lame idea, I don't know.  If I liked the girl I gave her one, if not, she never saw it.

Otra cosa: Take a camera (preferably digital) and take photos of all the interviews, if you are doing interviews.  It's a lot of fun to look at their photos again after you return to the US.  I took my camera but I usually got so involved in the interview that I forgot to take pictures.  Don't make that mistake.

Steve

[Hiker]

... in response to Small gifts for trip, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 17, 2002

At any airport here you will have the little beeny baby teddy bear with your city or state logo on it.  They are cheap and went over very well.  Sports jerseys work great also.  I took a few Dallas Cowboys, (yes they used to be a football team) with me and they were a hit.  A suggestion here is to buy youth sizes in a 10-14.  If you have someone you want to impress go to walmart and buy a portable cd player for 17 bucks, then download some good latin music and burn her several cd's.  If you have a photo of her and a printer, then create cd labels usinf her photo as the background.  A big hit.

[JunFan]

... in response to Small gifts for trip, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 17, 2002

Be careful with giving these women gifts.  It can set the wrong tone for the whole deal.  Small little trinkets may be OK, but stuff like perfume, clothes, should be very much avoided.  It is a huge temptation, I know...but not necessary.  

JunFan out.

http://www.sparhard.com/colombia.htm

[Aaron]

... in response to Small gifts for trip, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 17, 2002

I never take small gifts to give to the ladies. What I usually do is maybe send a nice gift to the one woman that I'm really interested a couple of weeks in advance. I only send a gift to one woman.

However, taking small gifts with you on the trip for the women wont hurt. Latinas in Latin America really like cute plush dolls. So, I guess you could fill up a bag full of plush dolls. I would stay away from clothing.

You could take it up a notch by puchasing some beauty products at a cheap dollar store, body creams, soaps, lotion, etc..

And, you could do both, and make packages-up with a doll and some cosmetic stuff.

However, this is not my approach. What I tend to do is set up a cita, take the girl out to a really nice restaurant and go to a movie or dancing. If there is mutual chemistry, have more dates. When it's time to return home, tell her how you feel, and give her a gift, like some nice perfume and maybe some phone cards so she can call you.
After that, try to keep the relationship going.

Aaron

[LouieB]

... in response to Re: Small gifts for trip, posted by Aaron on Nov 17, 2002

n/t