For most of us, shopping is an expected and anticipated part of traveling to another country.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s the perfect souvenir, a promised gift for a friend, or an impulsive \u201cgot-to-have-it\u201d item, purchases overseas will be long remembered, for the good or the bad.<\/p>\n
First time visitors to a country sometimes return home as dissatisfied customers.\u00a0 Their expectations of what was available in that country and how much it would cost proved inaccurate and will forever cloud their evaluation and feelings about the trip.\u00a0 That\u2019s why knowing as much as you can about a place, talking with people who have been there, and reading about where to shop and what to buy before you leave are a critical part of any trip preparation.<\/p>\n
Lots of general information is now available on the World Wide Web, but it usually lacks the personal, insider secrets that entice true \u201cshoppers.\u201d\u00a0 For those of us who experience shopping as entertainment, researching the options is as critical as selecting theater or sports tickets.\u00a0 So unless you know someone who lives in the place you\u2019re going, and has similar interests as your own, you need to go to a large library, or better yet, a bookstore and take notes.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll usually buy one book about the place I\u2019m going\u2014the one with beautiful pictures.\u00a0 I\u2019ll fill a notebook with addresses, phone numbers, and times, but the photographs will inspire me before, during, and after the trip.\u00a0 Look through travel magazines, as well.\u00a0 If your destination is featured, buy the magazine and tear out the pertinent pages to take along with you.\u00a0 All your research will make you an informed traveler who can converse with the nationals and assist fellow tourists.<\/p>\n
When you pack, take along a fold-up bag in your suitcase for an extra carry-on.\u00a0 (Since you\u2019re only allowed two carry-ones, be sure your purse, camera bag, or computer will fit into one of your two bags, or can be used in reverse as your second carry-on.)\u00a0 A measuring tape and a list of sizes for friends and family members you might be tempted to shop for is also a good idea.\u00a0 Many countries don\u2019t use our standards of measure, and if a conversion chart is not available, the measuring tape will come in handy.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve found that shopping for Christmas and birthdays, even shower gifts, is best done while I\u2019m away on a trip.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have to take time out from my at-home schedule to go and look for something at the last minute.\u00a0 The gifts I buy overseas are unique and have a story attached to their purchase, and I enjoy spending the money more when it\u2019s for someone else.<\/p>\n
One of the best places to shop in any country is a hardware store.\u00a0 Think about the hardware stores in your town, especially the independent \u201cMom and Pop\u201d variety.\u00a0 Every place has these kinds of stores that sell every day gadgets, small, inexpensive household items, from toys to tools.\u00a0 In the United States, we used to call these shops, \u201cvariety stores.\u201d\u00a0 Other countries still have them right on the most fashionable streets and readily accessible.<\/p>\n
Bookstores are also great places to buy souvenirs and gifts.\u00a0 Sometimes they are overlooked because of their non-English titles, but that can be a novelty in itself.\u00a0 I often buy preschool, \u201cboard\u201d books of familiar children\u2019s stories, or alphabet books, which are primarily pictures anyway.<\/p>\n
The best books about any country are found in that country.\u00a0 Often I\u2019ll find a beautiful book with photographs of the particular town I\u2019m in with an English text, or at least, bilingual captions.\u00a0 Great maps, both old and new, can be found in bookstores.\u00a0 Unusual post cards, art cards, bookmarks, pens and pencils, stationery, posters, and wonderful prints can also be found there.<\/p>\n
Usually, cookbooks from the region can only be found locally.\u00a0 Of course, you\u2019ll probably need an English version, but they are easier to find than you might imagine.\u00a0 Make sure the measurements have also been translated into \u201ccups\u201d and \u201ctablespoons,\u201d etc., or buy their measurement devices for \u201cgrams, liters, and ounces\u201d for an adventuresome cook at home.<\/p>\n
Packaged, processed foods are a typical purchase for tourists, and they are usually available in duty-free shops at the airport, as well as in local shops.\u00a0 There is usually not a problem getting them into the States although you must declare them when you reenter the country.\u00a0 Fresh produce, homemade items, and opened packages are almost impossible to bring back, but I was surprised several years ago when I successfully brought home cut flowers (orchids) as a very special gift.\u00a0 The hassle of keeping them wet and uncrushed and the extra time in Customs was a part of the gift.\u00a0 Remember, customs agents have the right to take anything away from you.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget about the \u201cfree\u201d (or free for the asking) shopping available.\u00a0 Some hotels have beautifully wrapped soaps, creams, and slippers that you can take home.\u00a0 Colorful menus or placemats from restaurants are often complimentary, if you ask.\u00a0 I have even inquired about the dishes in restaurants, and purchased cups, platters, and condiment containers very reasonably.<\/p>\n
My favorite purchases are handmade linens and embroidered pieces.\u00a0 Placemats, napkins, handkerchiefs, towels, and pillowcases are lightweight, malleable to any bag, relatively inexpensive, very practical, indicative of the culture, and unique for Americans.\u00a0 Unusual Christmas ornaments are also great finds and easy to pack.\u00a0 Stamps and coins from the visited country make for distinctive displays and memorable souvenirs, as well.\u00a0 If something is really inexpensive, I\u2019ll get two, just so I\u2019m not tempted to keep it for my self.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not much of a clothes shopper, except for baby clothes, which I find irresistible and so different from the manufactured things found in U.S. department stores.\u00a0 I always have a stock of booties, sweater sets, and hand knitted blankets for baby shower gifts.\u00a0 Most of the adult ready-to-wear is not locally made and is no different from what is sold in America, and is usually no bargain.\u00a0 Some exceptions might more likely be found in shoes and accessories (perfume, too) where the local manufacturer is selling a unique design (fragrance) not exported and offered in the States.<\/p>\n
Unlike American apparel retailers, European shopkeepers do not want you to serve yourself.\u00a0 They do not want you unfolding, or even touching the merchandise.\u00a0 Virtually every style they have is in their shop window, which is usually half or three-fourths of their total store space.\u00a0 Sometimes I\u2019ll buy something that looks so right for the country where I\u2019ve purchased it, but when I get it home, it just doesn\u2019t fit into my wardrobe, climate, or color scheme.<\/p>\n
All countries have special products for which they are famous.\u00a0 These are usually collector items, which are expensive and often breakable.\u00a0 If you know you want to purchase such an item, you might consider having the store ship it home for you.\u00a0 Of course, you will have to pay for this service, but you won\u2019t have to hassle with carrying it, and it will be insured.\u00a0 Send it the slowest, cheapest way possible so that it will arrive after you have returned home.\u00a0 You can sometimes avoid paying the duty on the items sent home separately.\u00a0 Every U.S. traveler is allowed to bring home in their luggage four hundred dollars\u2019 worth of goods, duty free.<\/p>\n
Speaking of duty free, perhaps you have heard of the VAT (Value Added Tax) rebate.\u00a0 Most countries price an item with the tax included, unlike the U.S. where a separate sales tax is added to the marked price.\u00a0 This tax is for residents of the country only, but getting your money back requires some forethought and effort.<\/p>\n
Minimum purchases are required in each store and they vary from country to country, as do the percentages for the taxes.\u00a0 You must get the refund forms in each store, fill them out in detail, and take them to the customs agents, along with the items you purchased, when you leave the country in order to get the forms stamped.\u00a0 Match each form with its self-addressed, stamped envelope.\u00a0\u00a0 If your purchases won\u2019t fit into your carry-ones, you must do this before your luggage is checked.<\/p>\n
In Europe now it\u2019s even more complicated because EU member nations will not always stamp non-member nation\u2019s forms.\u00a0 (Switzerland, Hungary, and Norway are not EU countries.)\u00a0 Mail in the envelopes when you get home, but remember there are deadlines.\u00a0 Then, wait five to ten months for your check, if you paid in cash, or a credit on your charge card.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t take a lot of American currency, if any.\u00a0 Charging on a credit card usually gives you the best rate, but in small shops and remote villages this may prove to be a problem.\u00a0 Travelers Checks are getting harder and harder to cash.\u00a0 Stores won\u2019t do it, and banks are not open when I usually need them, and are sometimes difficult to find.\u00a0 I think the best way to get cash in the local currency is through ATM machines.\u00a0 Remember your password in numerical form because the letter keys don\u2019t always match up with those in the U.S.\u00a0 Make sure you can recognize such words as \u201cchecking, savings, withdrawal\u201d in the local language.<\/p>\n
By far, the best souvenirs from any trip are the photographs I\u2019ve taken.\u00a0 Film, extra batteries, and camera accessories are cheaper in the United States than anywhere in the world although they can usually be purchased in most places.\u00a0 With the new high-powered x-ray machines, it is never advisable to pack film of any kind in checked bags.\u00a0 I put mine, along with the entire camera, if loaded, in a lead pouch, which I carry on.\u00a0 The lead bag is easily opened for inspection, if required.\u00a0 In some countries you can get your film developed quickly and take home the finished pictures.\u00a0 Digital cameras are also a solution to the \u201cfilm problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final hurdle to bringing your bargains back is the Declaration Form, which you must fill out for the Customs agent in the U.S.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t collected more than the duty free maximum, you can lump things together in categories, including \u201cmiscellaneous.\u201d\u00a0 But, you are required to pay tax on things you didn\u2019t buy like gifts and found items.\u00a0 Just estimate their value, but be prepared to give them up or pay the tax on the value assigned by Customs.\u00a0 Ideally you should have receipts for all your purchases, but, in any case, have a list of what you bought and its value in dollars.<\/p>\n
Shopping overseas is one of the best ways to get to know another country.\u00a0 I wander into grocery stores, pet stores, and service providers like dry cleaners and barber shops just to observe.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great way to practice a language in an environment where people are trying to understand and please you.\u00a0 Besides, it\u2019s fun!\u00a0 The treasures you bring back will remind you of your own experiences, or communicate to a recipient that they were a part of your trip.\u00a0 You remembered them while you were away.\u00a0 What better way to say, \u201cWish you were here?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For most of us, shopping is an expected and anticipated part of traveling to another country.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s the perfect souvenir, a promised gift for a friend, or an impulsive \u201cgot-to-have-it\u201d item, purchases overseas will be long remembered, for the good or the bad. First time visitors to a country sometimes return home as dissatisfied […] Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-europe","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=756"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":872,"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/756\/revisions\/872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/janicebyrd.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}