Thread: Why expats get trapped away from home

This seems to be the trend from that direction for now...

Originally Posted by Kockupocket

Originally Posted by Little Chuchok

u really is a cock smeggles

runner is Smeg. I'm somebody else.

an idiot?

Originally Posted by runner

^ The regret referred to, per the article, may come years down the road when an expat decides it's time to repatriate and realise too late that there is an opportunity cost for what they have spent the past few years doing.

Also covered here https://teakdoor.com/the-teakdoor-lou...ml#post2960542 (Would you change your name and become 100% Thai?)

It happens to quite a lot of people who work in places like Saudi Arabia, for example. The experience they get is pretty much worthless in the real world...people who've spent years EFL-ing in Thailand may find themselves in the same situation.

Originally Posted by ltnt

Originally Posted by OckerRocker

Ok, my definition of 'Expatriate' is" An individual living in a country other than their country of citizenship, often temporarily and for work reasons."

An Ex-pat is someone living and working in a foreign country not of their birth. Nothing to do with temporary...in my opinion.

You could do a simply an Ex-pat is a person living abroad full time. As is my case now.

It's different for UK citizens, as your domicile and prolonged residency can complicate your life, especially if you assert formally that you intend to live abroad permanently and sever all ties. Expat as a term is nice and vague...

Originally Posted by nidhogg

^ and ^^ This is why there is a problem without definition. Many people think you are only an "expat" if you are getting your salary from you "home" country (and the full package). Personally, I think they are a very small percentage of people who work away from their home country, and nowadays the "strict" definition is out dated.

But, that having been said, I would not really ever call myself an "expat". I am just someone who has always made a living overseas.....

Originally Posted by Dan

Originally Posted by quimbian corholla

Originally Posted by Dan

I would classify an expat as someone living in a foreign country, with an income stream from their homeland.

That definition seems way too narrow. Define 'homeland'?

I haven't spent more than 6 months total in the county of my birth since I upped sticks and got out as soon as I could 25 years ago which is more than half the time I have been alive.

I haven't derived a penny in income from there in all that time but since I am still forced to have a passport that labels me as a citizen of the dump I am considered an expat.

Oh sure, I'm not saying that mine is the definition, just what I consider it to be.

Originally Posted by Neverna

Originally Posted by Dan

Originally Posted by Neverna

Definition

Expatriate
(adjective): Resident outside one's native country.
(noun): A person living outside his native country.

Would you consider some backpacker turned TEFL teacher an expat? Some backpacker turned barman or hostel deskman? I certainly wouldn't.

While he's/she's backpacking no. He/she would be a tourist. While he's/she's working, probably yes. Why wouldn't you?

Originally Posted by robuzo

Originally Posted by Neverna

Originally Posted by robuzo

I've worked for law firms overseas (outside my native country) and been considered a local hire as opposed to an "expat."

You are describing different employment hiring packages, that's all. You would still be an expat when you worked abroad, unless you also had citizenship of that country.

An expatriate, yes, but not an "expat," as the slang term has come to be used. There are workers from the Cote d'Ivorian embassy on my street who are expats. There are white guys living here who are tourists with jobs and families.

Too much semantic nitpicking is tedious, non? What was the thread about? Why it is hard to return to one's home country? I just spent over a year in my home country, in my own home. Not exactly hardship but I did miss being around other people who, like me, had lived in other countries. Eventually I did find an interesting set of people, including those with international experience, to hang with, but it takes a bit longer to make new acquaintances when home as opposed to when abroad, I think, especially the older one gets.

ExPat - technically means living out of your country, we all know what we mean by it. We mean wealthy foreigners living as long as they feel like abroad... either as retirees or working there for a foreign company that put them there, or working elsewhere (like on ships) and spending time off there.
It says nothing about how you are able to afford to live abroad. Most sensible Ex pats would not have all their money tied up in one place or in the place that they are "Expatting" in.

Any difficulty in reintegrating back home if it all goes tits up in your playpen of choice is more to do with the industry you've chosen to specialise in.

If you do stuff that's very transferable, like computers; or stuff where international experience is a benefit, like law perhaps; or stuff were it doesn't matter, like working offshore, then you're probably in safer territory, but it's hard to imagine where life will take you, even if you're certain that you will be adventuring abroad.