Embracing Local Traditions: Exploring New Holiday Customs as an Expat
Collaborative Post
There are many brilliant things about living abroad as an expat, but one of the most exciting things about moving to a new country is the chance to discover and embrace new holiday traditions. Immersing yourself in a whole new set of customs is an incredible experience, helping you connect with your new home in a far more meaningful way and giving you the chance to learn new things and gain important insights into your host culture.
Being an expat can often be challenging, so if you’ve submitted your Panamanian immigration requirements or are checking your eligibility for a Mexican visa but are worried about spending the holidays away from home, fear not! Here are some simple tips on how to embrace and explore new holiday customs as an expat.
Understanding the Importance of Local Holidays
Every country in the world celebrates holidays differently and celebrates different holidays. Chances are as an expat you will discover new holidays you might never have heard of before, that celebrate the history, culture, and values of your new home. Understanding and embracing the importance of these celebrations, even if they aren’t your own, is a huge part of immersing yourself in local culture and fitting into your home away from home. Doing a little research into the most important local holidays is a great way to deepen your appreciation for their traditions and help you participate more meaningfully.
Adopting New Traditions at Home
The local customs and traditions shouldn’t just be left to street festivals and public places. Incorporating decor, festivities, activities, and experiences into the way you celebrate holidays in your own home is a wonderful way to create your very own unique combination of customs that make the most of both your home traditions and the style of your host country.
Learning from Locals
The best people to listen to and learn from when it comes to local customs, traditions, celebrations, and holidays, are unsurprisingly the locals themselves. Their firsthand experience is invaluable, as there may be regional variations within a country or interesting personal or family twists on classic celebrations that can make the holiday even more enjoyable. By asking questions and demonstrating an authentic interest in their culture you will show local people you are genuinely embracing your new home, and you might even get invited to a party or two!
Sharing Your Own Traditions
While it is important to embrace local customs, cultural exchange is a two-way street, and your new friends will appreciate you sharing the things that are important to you with them as well! Whether you always celebrate your birthday with a Caribbean cruise or put up your Christmas tree on the 1st of December, connecting with local people means letting them into your own customs as well as embracing theirs.
Living life abroad as an expat is a fascinating experience that is all about learning new things and having new experiences. Being away from home can be a challenge at times, and there’s no getting away from the fact that loneliness and isolation can be big problems for full-time expats.
This is why embracing local traditions and exploring new holiday customs is so important. Not only is it a fascinating insight into the culture of your new home, but it is a great way to integrate and immerse yourself into that culture. By learning more about the things that are important to the local people in your host country you will get a far deeper understanding of the way things work, as well as showing your genuine interest in being part of the community. By broadening your horizons and sharing the culture and customs of your new home, you will find your life as an expat so much easier and enjoyable!
Photo by Alonso Reyes on Unsplash
