Take a trip
Whether it's to the desired destination from your bucket list, or a short (and more affordable) local trip, you can use your birthday as an excuse for a memorable travel experience. Find the appropriate time, when work has slowed down, and get some time off to start your journey. If you plan well in advance, you can agree with family and friends from back home to a party destination, which will serve as a meeting point. However, if all your besties are busy around this time, you can invite people you have met in your host country, and grab this opportunity to bond, and possibly mark the beginning of a strong friendship. There's also the option to set off alone, even if this will be your first time as a solo traveller. Not only you will get to do the things you like, from sightseeing and shopping to hiking and sunbathing, but you will also reconnect with yourself, and reflect on your expat life.
Follow the local traditions
Adaptation is the key to a successful expatriation project. Complaining about all the things that are different in your adopted country, and striving to recreate your old life in a new place, isn't going to make you a happy expat. As it is with most things (e.g. food, entertainment, transportation, communication, etc.), with birthdays too — find out how the locals do it. Talk to your local colleagues or neighbours to unearth some local birthday traditions, which you can incorporate to a party or casual gathering. For example, in China, be prepared to be given a plate of long noodles, which you must slurp as far as possible for longevity. In Germany, you buy birthday drinks for your friends, whereas in the UK you cannot leave the pub until your friends have bought you enough drinks to ensure a heavy hangover. If you are in Norway, the flavour of your birthday cake should be chocolate, and in Australia, you will probably be offered fairy bread (buttered bread with colourful sprinkles) on your birthday.
Expand your social circle
Your birthday presents a great opportunity for getting out of your comfort zone, meeting interesting people, and expanding your social network. The feelings of homesickness and loneliness that you may be experiencing during the first months in your host country are real, but not unique — expats before you and those after you will also have similar emotions at some point of their expat life. Thus, it's a good idea to connect with individuals who share the same experience with you and include them in your celebration plans. Fellow expats may be nothing like your friends from back home (why should they?), but they can understand you and help you create beautiful memories.
Pamper yourself
A birthday celebration can still be a lot of fun with no one else but you. Yes, you heard right — you can take the day off to do the things you enjoy, but usually don't have the time or excuse to do. You can lie in, have breakfast in bed, buy yourself a present, go to the spa, watch a whole season of your favourite series — anything that makes you happy. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, depending on the country you live in, you can take a ride to the countryside and have a picnic, go for a swim and spend the day reading your book and soaking up the sun, or get ready for a hike. Whatever you do, remember to do it with all your heart!
Connect with technology
In spite of the many alternative options, insisting on celebrating your birthday with your beloved ones is only natural. Pick the quieter time of the day, when you won't be in the middle of something or surrounded by other people, and invite your friends from back home to a video call. To avoid the disappointment of non-appearance, schedule the day and time a couple of weeks in advance to give time to your virtual guests to make the necessary arrangements, especially if they are joining from a different time zone. This is a great opportunity to catch up with your friends and reminisce about past celebrations together. If you wish to add some fun, you can play some music in the background and encourage everyone to join with a glass of their favourite drink so you can make a toast.
