This is probably old news for expatriates and long-term travelers but if you’re on vacation or just set out on the road outside of the US, you don’t have to miss out on the 4th of July (Independence Day). There are 3 good ways to get in touch with Americans abroad who are celebrating the 4th of July and join in with them.
1. Call the US Embassy or Consulate
They will most certainly have a party or get together to celebrate. Where it’s possible, you might even get to see some fireworks, have drinks, food, and meet up with other travelers who might be from your hometown. If you happen to be far from an embassy or consulate you can still give them a call and they’ll let you know if there are any 4th of July meet ups or organized parties going on near you.
2. US Army Bases
It depends on where you are in the world and the nature of the base but generally if you give the embassy a call you can find out if there’s a 4th of July bash going on at a nearby army base (i.e. Germany, Turkey, Japan). If you do find one don’t forget to bring your US passport.
3. Find Expats
Groups of expatriates (US citizens living abroad) often organize 4th of July parties which are a good way to mix up your travel routine, meet new people, and add unique experiences to your trip. Start with some Google hacking and a search should yield some expat groups around you. Transitions Abroad has a good list of expatriate resources and Twitter is also an excellent resource. Do a search (‘Find People’) and type “expat” and see is any of the results are close to you.
Two Other Good Options
- Have your own party or go out and celebrate like the locals do.
- Contact big US companies or charities close by who usually have parties for their employees.
Celebrating the 4th of July abroad is a good way for Americans to make a trip or vacation more memorable, especially if you party like the locals. I’d be interested to hear how you American expats will be celebrating the 4th of July this year and any tips you’d like to add. Much of this advice isn’t limited to the 4th of July or for American holidays for that matter – you can adapt them to your country and national holidays and celebrate wherever you are traveling.
Great tips – thanks for sharing!
As a Norwegian, I do it my way: I married an American and had her come to Norway. So now we mix our culture and traditions.
Wonderful! The ribs look good 😉
We fired off a few Roman candles and tempted our American friends with Canadian beer and whiskey. Since our 2 days of independence are so close we just kept the party going.
I like the idea – perhaps a 4-day holiday is needed. How can anybody say no to Canadian beer and whiskey?
Good ideas! A blog I follow Ottsworld.com is from the States and she celebrated by eating a durian, going to the market and making a traditional Vietnamese meal. It was a great post http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/durian-the-king-of-fruits/
Thanks for the link – a great way to celebrate like a local!
Thanks for the post–I love the 4th of July and wouldn’t want to miss it when I’m away from home! ^-^