~ SHOPPING ~

Shopping in Guangzhou:

First Charity Store (within walking distance from the White Swan).  They cater to adoptive parents and have every supply imaginable that you could need for free. Lots of people drop off extra diapers, baby food, formula, medicine, strollers, snugglies, etc. before they head home, since they don't want the extra weight.  You can borrow (a stroller for example) or keep anything you want.  It is run by a young Chinese woman named Doreen and an American named Samantha.  They also sell handmade crafts by Chinese women.  ALL THE PROCEEDS GO TO HELP DISABLED ORPHANS!  They don't have a sign, so call first for directions.  Their phone # is: 81915869.  The email address is:  [email protected]

Shopping Mall, yee-haw!!! Photo by Teresa Hill

Jewelry:

The Jade Market, go to the alleyway stalls rather than the stores.  Be prepared to haggle and negotiate!  One previous shopper bought 4 strands for 100RMB each (about $12 each).

Teresa Hill's (Sept. '99 DTC'er) Shopping Tips:

~ Tips for Shopping in China ~

Plan ahead for what you want.  

In advance, I compiled all APC buying advice and guessed at what to get whom.  I didn't follow it exactly, but it became apparent how *many* things I wanted to buy.  Therefore, I knew I needed to hit the ground running with a purpose and a plan.

Learn the best shopping places in each city: 

I knew from the APC to make my first question in GZ:  "Where are Sherry's & Jennifer's?"   It would be great to have a site (perhaps under the Database section of the  Egroups?) where shopping, travel, history, and website information was permanently compiled for each Province.  Now that's a project for someone!  :  )

Know WHERE to go and WHAT you want BEFORE you go:

There is not enough time to scope things out, price compare everything, and then buy.  You'll have other priorities while there (like your daughter and the adoption).  And if you like it, buy it.  You might never see it again.  However, being informed can save you money!  I skipped the $15 chops in Wuhan, knowing from the APC to wait until  GZ ($5 at Sherry's).

Money:

Estimate in advance of what things will cost so you can budget for them.  It's easier to cough it up if you've financially and psychologically prepared.  Otherwise you might feel like you're in a spending frenzy, even though the prices are low, so you probably aren't spending that much money!

Keep your financial perspective:

Chinese items are usually very inexpensive.  I paid 5 Yuan for a Jade heart pendant in GZ at the Jade Market.  That is about $.60.  Why did I not get 5 of these to share as gifts ($3 total)?  I bought pink pearl necklaces for $2.75.  These would make gorgeous gifts.  Why not get 10 for $27.50?  Keep a reasonable financial perspective and a buying plan.

Decide exactly for whom you would like to give gifts. 

Remember all your friends and those "Adoption Angels."  I wanted to share the joy with everyone upon returning home!  I ran out of the Cloisonné ornaments ($1 ea. Beijing).  Beautiful gifts for $1 and yet I was unprepared to buy many. 

Buy more than you think you'll need.

The things you buy in China will likely carry much more meaning for you after you get home.  You can't just hop a plane and get the things you now decide you want.  This isn't like going to Wal-Mart!  Plus, every time I passed out gifts, there was one person I wanted to share with who had not originally been on my "buy list."  Get a few extras.

When you buy items to share, buy MANY of ONE item:

Otherwise you may want to give one of each different kind to special people.  Then your Mom has a black, a pink, and a white pearl necklace, but you're now 2 necklaces short for gifts!  It is also very, very difficult to decide who gets which different kind of necklace. In hindsight, I'd buy many different ones for my 2 daughters and myself, and then buy 30 black pearl necklaces or pink pearl necklaces for my other gifts. 

Okay, so now you are completely overwhelmed!  Hmmm. 

I'll just sum up my advice:  Choose a few nice items for gifts and buy many of each item (maybe 20 pearl necklaces and 75 cloisonné ornaments).  However, buy these secondary to gifts for your daughter (it is most important for her)

~ What I bought and costs (so you can anticipate):  8 Y= $1, 100 Y=$12 ~

Below are my favorite items: 

Gifts for our daughter:  at least 18 gifts for "Gotcha Day" presents, significant enough for an annual gift:  Jade chopsticks from Tienanmen (100 Yuan-overpriced), chop, silks in even sizes 2-14 (50 Y each), wedding box (80 Y. Sherry's), Pearls (about 6 different necklaces & bracelets), Malachite necklace (165 Y.-Yellow Crane Tower, Wuhan), jade bracelet, panda tea set (40 Y. Sherry's), Jade confirmation cross pendant (store by "photo shop"), Squeaky shoes (20Y? Sherry's), Chinese dance tape (10Y Sherry's), calligraphy set with chop (80 Y. Sherry's)

Gifts for family- with significance to our daughter:  Pearls, silk panda tie (Jennifer's), silk bathrobes (store by the "photo shop" GZ), silk scarf (30 Y.? Yellow Crane Tower, Wuhan), Charcoal pictures of all 3 kids for 2 grandparents (400 Y. each- Sherry's), Granite Etching (450 Y. Sherry's)

Gifts for me!  (Well, I didn't say I don't like presents!  Just shopping!):  Hand painted silk robe (360 Y WS basement, 1st store on Left after elevators), pearls, Charcoal pictures of all 3 kids for mantle (400 Y. each- Sherry's), Postcards if pictures didn't turn out of Historical places, cities (20 Y. per pack?), Pearls: (in GZ by the "Jade Market"--I'll upload the directions soon or ask at Sherry's Place) White pearl bracelets (formed):  100 Yuan ($12) Knotted black pearl necklaces: 50 Yuan ($6.25) Pink pearl necklaces: 30 Yuan ($2.75)- these are so beautiful! Big pearl necklace knotted:  125 Yuan ($15) Medium sized pearls necklace:  100 Yuan ($12) Big & small pearls (packaged) bracelets: 18 Yuan ($2.25) Mother of Pearl pendant:  100 Yuan ($12) Black pearl bracelet strand: 15 Yuan ($2) Small pearl necklaces: 56 Yuan ($7) Jade heart pendant: 5 Yuan ($.60) silk Chinese blouse (350 Y- WS basement)

Wish I had gotten: Split pants (1 outfit) to have Lia wear once and then put away for her later.  Plus, it's hard to describe and would be neat to show other's "split pants."

~ Shopping locations of interest ~

In Wuchang (one of 3 parts of Wuhan), there were just 2 dept. stores, the Yellow Crane Tower stores, the museum store (expensive), etc.  and other info. that people can share.  All babies from the Hubei province come to Wuhan, so it is easy to glean much info. fast on the APC about that city.  I would bet there can be much sharing on the other areas too, particularly Beijing and GZ!

Another great shopping location:  In Beijing, there is the "Pearl Market" that Lisa put on the list on 10/13/00 (post 48077):  "Hongqiao Market (Chongwen District), a three story market near the Temple of Heaven.  The third floor is devoted to gift items galore and pearls ...Ling Ling in stall 118..."  Wow!  What fabulous information!  (turn Left after exiting Temple of Heaven and cross the street to the sidewalk, if I remember right)...

The Beijing "Tian Huan Market" Job's Pearl No. 081, David.  I thought this was the same place as the Hongquio Market, but it may be a little further down the street.  Great prices ($1 for a triple strand "floating" pearl necklace).  I never again in Beijing saw pearls like that.  Now why did I not get 20 of those necklaces for $20??

Compiled APC "Buying List"

(Organized by type of item / stores)

This was the list I took to China, basically unaltered, from APC tips.  May it help you prepare for the scope of choices and plan successful shopping in China!

Enjoy!

Teresa

Jade Market in Guangzhou: the cabbie, who spoke not a word of English, stopped and pointed to an alley about 1/4 mile long containing hundreds of tiny stalls with jade, gems, huge bundles of pearls, and old dusty wood carvings and other treasures lying all over the place.  (Be very wary of buying jade since it is very hard to judge a good piece of  jade.)

We were taken to a shop to buy jewelry (which I imagine someone had a deal with). I bought 5 rings -spent about $100 ea (and they were said to be 18kt gold). They were worth about $3 ea

 Jade Market in Guangzhou (photo by Teresa Hill, Sept. '99 dtc'er)

Jade necklaces: Jade Store, Photo by Teresa Hill, Sept. '99 dtc'er

Cloisonné:

Pearls: Photo Details View knotting pearls (photo by Teresa Hill, Sept '99 dtc'er)

Business Card from Pearl Shop, show this to the cab driver          (Photo by Teresa Hill)

Silk:

Artwork & Painted items:

I LOVE these reminders of being in China - buy a mail tube - often found it in the strangest places (an electronics store in a basement of a building in Guangzhou. Most watercolors are done on silk canvas- $15 to $60 for these. I bought watercolors at two of the temples, at an outdoor garden shop in Guangzhou, at the art museum (pricier) and in stores.

The one that was $60 is just an incredible painting (20 x 24) of a beautiful cherry tree with tiny birds in it. When I took it to be framed, the shop owner and staff just loved it.

You can also buy parchment scrolls with calligraphy on them that say things like "happiness" or "love".-$7 each.

Chinese peasant paintings are brightly colored paintings that are done in what almost resembles tempura paint- $2-10 usually. - have scenes with village life, animals, or children.  You can find these everywhere (Jennifer's, etc.) I only bought the one (why, why, why?)  Chinese artists usually don't sign their work, they "chop" it. You can tell how many people worked on a painting by how many chops there are. Many artists have someone else do the calligraphy.

Toys:

Clothing:

Paper Products:

  Porcelain:

Additional Things:

Stores!

Jennifer's: Jennifer, in black  (photo by Teresa Hill, Sept. '99 dtc'er)

(The very first shop one comes on that street near the White Swan in which one finds also the Shop on the Stairs and Sherry's- lots of gifts for about $5.00- Make sure you haggle to lower your prices)

Sherry's:  Sherry Chen (photo by Teresa Hill, Sept. '99 dtc'er)

  Shop on the Stairs/ White Swan.:

Friendship Store GZ:

Wuhan:

Elsewhere:

Gift Buying Tips:

Get gifts for all those who helped me along the way in the  paperchase (i.e. references, social worker) a little something. Although the items were small, they were greatly appreciated.

I'm planning on giving to her when/if she has a child: besides her China Box of memorabilia from the adoption trip, I have some of the clothing she wore in China, baby clothes I bought FOR her IN China, baby shoes, toys etc... I'll save things like favorite toys, dolls, books from her childhood. I've started a collection of pictures of just me and her, about every 6 months or so (as she grows up it will be yearly pix). I'll put this collection in that basket too. I think this will be a very special gift.   Every year we wrap her China gift in red paper.

Hope that helps!

Credit to all the APC'er's who supplied these details!  Thanks!!

Have a fabulous adoption journey!

Teresa   Travel: 8/21/00 thru 9/9/00 (Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou)   

 Guidelines in Gift Giving and Chinese Meeting and Greeting:

http://thetearoom.8m.com/china.htm

http://www.netique.com/giftsearch/international.html

http://www.bsicorp.net/960924/giftgive.html 

http://shop.sap.com/consumer/s_intl_gift.asp

 

 

Special Thanks to Kelly for putting this page together.

 

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