What, precisely, is a "real" ex-pat?

I was wondering the same thing.  It sounds rather 'wasp'y to me.  I just hope that the recent posts do not detour too many people from using the forum as it is usually a good place to get information. 
Some of us seem to be a bit on stressed side, so take some time to give yourself some TLC, yoga or whatever you enjoy. 

If four established, credible members say that I should, then I'll have to pitch in in spite of how I feel.

Ah Jeez! So glad I escaped for Ramadan! I was expecting this kind of 'waspy' (WTF does that mean?) reaction. At least the mods had the foresight to shut down the last topic that was becoming another venting ground for locals.

"Ex-Patriate".

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin term expatriātus from ex ("out of") and patriā the ablative case of patria ("country, fatherland").

We - that do NOT come from Libya - use this forum as a source of information and knowledge sharing - between non-Libyans. Not to preach our religion, nor to promote our 'wonderful' motherlands - just to help others in the same boat as ourselves.

It ain't rocket science

Er, what's your point ElMo - that you (locals) are in the Majority here. Couldn't agree more mate

yeah , i understand a lot behind this, but let's be honest, it is generally used by wasps and related. In many countries not only, muslim i have seen subconscious tendency to refer to americans, british (even this word makes some welsh and scotsman angry:), canadian, australian, mainly english speakers as ex-pats. most germans and french don't even qualify:)

But in time i learned to rake it as an innocent reflex without harm:)

a pat on the back and we live together:9

wasp = white, anglo-saxon protestant. Please note that bluejay wrote 'wasp'y not 'waspy'

And how stupid and naive I must be. I'd thought that it was Kasoo's outburst that was the last straw and got the thread locked rather than Imran's post.

By the defintion given by Kasoo, a Pakistani living and working in Libya would then count as a ex-pat. I wonder if he took he trouble to find the status of Imran Ayub, to whom he was so very rude.

So the question is still: what is a "real" ex-pat? Evidently Imran doesn't count in some people's eyes.

I think TolagU might have hit the mark. To certain ex-pat wasps only another wasp can be a "real" ex-pat. All other overseas workers (Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos etc.) are TCNs. (Third Country Nationals) Sad really. I would have thought that there were enough divisions without having to manufacture new ones.

I do believe, there is a point to this. TCN thing.

Main walls are erected because of the people from our countries.(turkish status TCN??

I think as a TCN if you have developed yourself, linguistically, professionally, socially, culturewise, you overcome the prejudices and become somewhat of an expat:)

But plain workers, employees, who live and act like they are still at their village, even from my own country, even to me seem TCN.

But there is a limit. There is no soul on this earth who can actually make me understand what the cricket game (sport??, no not in sweaters:)) is all about.

And still need to learn what is the red animal on welsh flag. I called it once shrimp in a cardiff pub, cost my life almost ,been told it was a dragon but hey, who last saw a dragon and can draw it??

These two points make me ineligible to become even a hybrid wasp:)

I like the lads, who come from a land down under! they really don't care about these generally . But does that accent qualify ffor english anyway:)

and also realized from the dictionary definition that ball i said was BS, sorry, the word comes from fatherland, and only them germans use it to describe it, as we all have motherlands:)

so nothing waspy about it anymore:)

how do austrians call it?

Kasoo wrote:

Ah Jeez! So glad I escaped for Ramadan! I was expecting this kind of 'waspy' (WTF does that mean?) reaction. At least the mods had the foresight to shut down the last topic that was becoming another venting ground for locals.

"Ex-Patriate".

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin term expatriātus from ex ("out of") and patriā the ablative case of patria ("country, fatherland").

We - that do NOT come from Libya - use this forum as a source of information and knowledge sharing - between non-Libyans. Not to preach our religion, nor to promote our 'wonderful' motherlands - just to help others in the same boat as ourselves.

It ain't rocket science

Er, what's your point ElMo - that you (locals) are in the Majority here. Couldn't agree more mate

Sanity at last 10/10. In Mo's defence he is part expat himself, he is treated neither as a local, or as an expat, not easy to deal with. BUT I am getting really p!ssed off with this forum, threads being hijacked for religeous reasons. I started my Ramadan diary thread, for info, and yes for a bit of a laugh at peoples behaviour, but NOT to laugh at Ramadan or Islam, or to show ANY disrespect to ANY religion. Ah stuff it, home in 2 days, forum will doubtless go into meltdown now !!.

IMO, if you are living in a country that you weren't born in, you're an expat. So I'm an expat in every country in the world except the UK.

I can explain it with pictures, if it's too complicated.

Clansman wrote:

BUT I am getting really p!ssed off with this forum, threads being hijacked for religeous reasons.

This is just too much. Please discuss about religion in private, not on the Expat.com forum. We won't hesitate to moderate.

Wow... and there was me just going with the 'if you're not a local, you're an ex-pat' thing... course, at the end of the day, I don't give a crap what country people are from, as long as you're not a complete and utter arsehole you're fine..

Never really been one for overcomplicating things, takes far too much effort!  Tho have to say there's been a bit too much negativity on the site lately, makes me want to run around shouting 'can't we all just get along!'.. either that or just not bother with the site at all.  Shame...

TolgaU wrote:

I think as a TCN if you have developed yourself, linguistically, professionally, socially, culturewise, you overcome the prejudices and become somewhat of an expat:)

my reply went through many incarnations, one of which began 'your full of complete sh*t', another 'i can't believe what i am reading here!' but i settled with (see below):

does anyone else find the subject matter of this post somewhat offensive!? it comes across condescending at best and at worst rascist. I'm not sure how this is helping anyone.

Best R's

blahblah wrote:

does anyone else find the subject matter of this post somewhat offensive!?

No.

And I cast a vote for Mo.

To add what Mudman just said, by definition an expatriate, "expat" is someone who lives in another country other than his own.

So, a BRITISH, an AMERICAN, a TURKISH, SUDANESE, NIGERIAN, FILIPINO, PAKISTAN, INDIAN, LIBYAN,UKRAINIAN (whatever/wherever you come from) not residing in their own native country OR AN ESKIMO ORIGINALLY FROM NORTH POLE WHO IS NOW LIVING IN THE SOUTH POLE is considered to be an EXPAT.

@Mudman,
I suggest you post a picture for the benefit of those who does not seem to understand what the term means.

blahblah wrote:

TolgaU wrote:

I think as a TCN if you have developed yourself, linguistically, professionally, socially, culturewise, you overcome the prejudices and become somewhat of an expat:)

sorry, unsuccessfully tried to bite my tongue but i have to comment. moderator, feel free to delete my post or my account for that matter in order to keep the status-quo for the resident ex-tw*ts  but i have found the post by TolgaU offensive. he is basically saying that those from countries such as india or the phillipines or nigeria,  have to somehow prove themselves linguistically, socially, professionally etc to reach the lofty heights and gain the wondrous prize of being an "expat" whereas someone born in the west i.e. a 'wasp' has earned that right by birth!? it's pre-determination by the colour of one's skin! @TolgaU - stop me if i'm wrong, a Qatari is a TCN but a belerussian is an expat yeah? labels labels labels, oh how we love thee.

seriously, if this is not offensive then i'll eat my dog! good day.

here is my definition.

No matter your origins, your skin colour, your religion, or your income, if you are living in a different country than your country of nationality, you are an expatriate.

There is no "real" or "not real" expat. This debate is no sense.

Discussion closed.