Let’s face it, when you’re studying abroad, you want to make sure everyone you know back home is fully aware that you are having the time of your life. From posting photos of you pushing against the Leaning Tower of Pisa (classic) to writing statuses about your day chilling on the Great Barrier Reef, there’s a small part of you that loves to make your friends a teeny bit jealous.
Despite the fact that you truly arehaving the best time ever in London/China/fill-in-the-blank, deep down it’s hard not to get homesick sometimes. One of the peak homesick moments for me while in Europe was my birthday. Not spending it with your regular crew can be tough, so here are some tips to make your special day on the other side of the world the best one yet:
“There are the obvious choices, such as going to your favorite restaurant around the area or going out dancing, but another great way to celebrate is using your birthday as an excuse to do adventurous things you've always wanted to. For instance, when I was living in Israel, my birthday fell around a fall break, so a few friends and I traveled down to Eilat, a nice beach town, and we all went tubing and banana boating for my birthday. Cultural immersion on your birthday is another good way to celebrate. Partying the way whatever country you’re in traditionally does it. It would be a unique, memorable birthday for everyone!”
-Hannah Skahill, Junior, Hofstra University
“France is known for its amazing desserts, so we bought my friend a really beautiful cake from our neighboring bakery. Since it’s hard not to feel homesick with a low-key birthday, we try to avoid them if possible. We went to Barcelona for a girl’s birthday and next month, we're hitting a Belgian music festival for another friend’s birthday. Since the 21st birthday doesn't exactly wear the same novelty as it does in the States, we have to come up with creative ideas of making it unforgettable.”
-Lauren Kirby, Junior, University of Michigan
“In Australia, we rented out a room for a few hours at a karaoke bar for a friend’s birthday. We also had a dinner cruise on the harbor followed by going out to a club to dance. A bar crawl party bus that takes you to five or so different bars is also great. Once we also had a day birthday party and barbequed at the free grilles down the street from us.”
-Amanda Del Bove, Junior, Boston College
Photo: at http://afsblog.org/2011/12/how-to-celebrate-a-birthday-abroad.html
