Ideas	Voting results and bounty paid	Comments

Give your friend whatever s/he needs to store memories of the time in China: a thick journal, a good camera, an empty envelope, an empty box. Think about what your friend is like. Not likely to write down thoughts? Skip the journal. Always has odds-n-ends in a pocket? A small envelope or box will be a good place to store random things: coins or tokens, a flower or leaf, etc.
Suggested by Gina

Buy a new white T-shirt or request one with printed image of you 2 somewhere. Write a going-away thought for him or just a simple sentence. Use special or some ordinary photo and convert it into special one - use your creativity! Add frames, funny objects, .. anything you want! The point is to punctuate the scene on the picture and you 2 as friends! Whatever are you planning to prepare for him .. think it as memorial gift! For all my friends who have gone away, I have prepared memorial going-away gift, and they always liked it - a lot! Cheap gifts or expensive are unnecessary .. you can make very special and priceless gift for small amount of money! Believe me, it's tested!
Suggested by AnzeT'o

bringing the authentic taste of Austin to China.
Suggested by Troy

for entertainment during all the traveling.
Suggested by Troy

sleeping pills, etc. will be much appreciated.
Suggested by Troy

Long international flights are killer, especially with uncomfortable seats with poor neck support. The airline pillows suck! A small token that would still be helpful is a small, ergonomic pillow for the neck, making the flight over and back much more comfortable and relaxing.
Suggested by James

My sister made me a 4"x4" mini-photo book before I left for a year abroad. It was the perfect travel gift and reminded me of everyone back home. It was the perfect "pick me up" when I was having a down day. :) PhotoWorks or Snapfish?
Suggested by Olivia

Could range from pictures, posters, shirts, statues, etc. with something from Austin.
Suggested by Baris

Apparently it's hard to get good belts and shoes in many parts of China. If the person is into TV, and you want a higher-end gift, you may want to look into a Slingbox, or maybe even a Netflix subscription (you can apparently still stream NF abroad). Or maybe a magazine subscription to their favorite US magazine.
Suggested by Jeremy

You never know in the first few weeks. Your mind and body need to adjust to the new lifestyle (food, heat, etc.) + a new undergarment +;)
Suggested by Frank

Not a 10-gallon old school cowboy hat. Get him a cool Stetson or other cool "Texas" hat to show where he is from. It will set him apart in a crowd and the western friendly Chinese will spark up conversations with him forging new and important friendships in another land.
Suggested by Doyle

though expensive, it is by far the best and most effective language software I ever tried.
Suggested by John

I travelled in China wearing a T-shirt with Chinese characters painted on the front saying "big nose", which is apparantly the Chinese "nickname" for Westerners. I met laughs and friendly faces everywhere.
Suggested by Ben

http://www.magicjack.com for $39.99 (includes annual cost first year) they can setup a local number (like 512) and call anyone in us for free using VOIP(must have good internet). It will work with any normal cordless or corded phone. It is much better than SKYPE because don't need to do with computer.
Suggested by John

Many people I have known who traveled to China came back with a tape worm. Although a great way to loose weight, not something you want to hang onto for too long. Hook him up with a perscription and tell him to get good advice on eateries.
Suggested by Doyle

ACL is widely known around the world and China is a growing economy. This shirt is a great way for your friend to make friends and break the ice on conversations.
Suggested by Doyle

or their favorite Brand of Hot sauce
Suggested by Larry

It seems like an impersonal gift, but travelers inevitably forget to bring something important with them, and they'll be glad you're "there" to pick up their slack.
Suggested by Michael using Word Atoms "would" and "ideas" ($0.25 bounty each)

if he doesn't yet journal...he should take this amazing opportunity to learn
Suggested by Diane

If I was moving to a foreign land, I would appreciate a care package of comfort food and products ... and/or a coupon booklet good for redeeming those items. Reason being that I probably would not be able to obtain those items overseas. For example, I imagine that Luzianne decaffinated tea bags are not available in China, and I would not be a happy camper without iced tea!
Suggested by Kim