If it's made here, why can't I buy it here
One of the rich fantasies I held before I got here was that once here we would be able to buy all kinds of toys, particularly Thomas the Tank Engine or Bob the Builder, for great prices, because most of these toys are made here in China. If they're made here, doesn't it follow that I might be able to buy them here.
You already know the answer is no.
We were in the toy store and I was trying to ask about Thomas the Tank Engine. I wished Myles had on one of his Thomas shirts, but he didn't. I was about to give up until I remembered my wallet, which I showed the salesgirl. She pointed out some train toys they had, but no Thomas.
Okay, I figured. In order for there to be a market for Thomas or Bob, they probably need the books or the TV shows. I can understand that. However, I also didn't see any generic wooden train sets, like the kind at IKEA or Wal-Mart or Target. I was hoping that we would at least be able to get an inexpensive no-name wooden track set, like I leave at my parents' house. No dice.
We have been able to buy a few cars, a few trucks, some wooden blocks, and a plastic battery operated train that goes on a track. Most of these toys we bought here are also of a very cheap quality. In Wal-Mart we see a lot of toys like you would find at the grocery store, or at a party supply store and give out as party favors at your kids' birthday. Last week when Myles was eating ice cream at Home Bar, he drove one of his Monster Trucks right off the bar and onto the floor (yes, it was the one with the Jesus sticker on it). One of the girls picked it up, amazed it was still in one piece, and said something like we clearly brought that with us from America because a Chinese-made truck would have broken from that fall. I told her that, yes, we did get that truck back home, but it was, in fact, produced in China. I think that surprised her.
So, I guess we are back to a post of mine from before I left--that part of coming here will mean packing up Myles' toys that are made in China only to bring them back to China.
You already know the answer is no.
We were in the toy store and I was trying to ask about Thomas the Tank Engine. I wished Myles had on one of his Thomas shirts, but he didn't. I was about to give up until I remembered my wallet, which I showed the salesgirl. She pointed out some train toys they had, but no Thomas.
Okay, I figured. In order for there to be a market for Thomas or Bob, they probably need the books or the TV shows. I can understand that. However, I also didn't see any generic wooden train sets, like the kind at IKEA or Wal-Mart or Target. I was hoping that we would at least be able to get an inexpensive no-name wooden track set, like I leave at my parents' house. No dice.
We have been able to buy a few cars, a few trucks, some wooden blocks, and a plastic battery operated train that goes on a track. Most of these toys we bought here are also of a very cheap quality. In Wal-Mart we see a lot of toys like you would find at the grocery store, or at a party supply store and give out as party favors at your kids' birthday. Last week when Myles was eating ice cream at Home Bar, he drove one of his Monster Trucks right off the bar and onto the floor (yes, it was the one with the Jesus sticker on it). One of the girls picked it up, amazed it was still in one piece, and said something like we clearly brought that with us from America because a Chinese-made truck would have broken from that fall. I told her that, yes, we did get that truck back home, but it was, in fact, produced in China. I think that surprised her.
So, I guess we are back to a post of mine from before I left--that part of coming here will mean packing up Myles' toys that are made in China only to bring them back to China.
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