Overseas Vote Foundation
This submission from Louis Tamasi. You can visit Louis’ personal blog here.
Many times I have heard people living over here say that they don’t want to be called an expat. I always found that to be a little interesting, but maybe the answer as to why can be found in the word itself. To us now the ex- prefix means “former” Ex-wife for instance. So people take expat to mean former patriot. However the Ex on expat comes from Latin and it means “From the”, Patriate means homeland or country. So saying expatriate simply means you are from the country of. This is similar to the ond book marker ExLibris or “from the library of”. Living in a foreign country does not mean we forsake our homelands, indeed many of us are more patritotic than our fellow country men back home.
If you are an American I know you are following as closely as you can the Presidential Race back in the US. It promises to be a tight race this year, and I personally think the primaries are going to be very interesting. I wanted to be able to take part in this vote as it is the duty of every citizen to vote. I have always felt strongly about this as fewer than 35% of americans actually vote in elections. Many people don’t vote because they feel they can’t make a difference. Well the power is in numbers and you can make a difference. All US citizens can vote by absentee ballot and I found a website that will help you get one for the 2008 elections. The website is run by the Overseas Vote Founation which is a non-profit organization aimed at making it easy for US citizens outside the US to get an Absentee Ballot. It took me 15 mins to enter my information, print out the papers and sign them. Then a trip to the post office to mail to your local board of elections. That’s all there is to it and your ballot will be mailed to you next year. I really want to get the word out about this site, let’s give every US citizen over here a chance to make a difference next year.
Visit Overseas Vote Foundation
Hi Louis, very interesting article. I have nothing against to be called an expat.Also me, as a German, I really don’t forsake my home country. I am not sure, if Germans (or a certain percentage of them) are more patritotic HERE in the Philippines or wherever abroad than at home.
Klaus - Deutsche sind einige sehr patriotische Leute. Ein kann Ihre
Liebe für das Vaterland nie bezweifeln.
Hi Louis - For posts that are written in English, I would ask that comments also be posted in English. A couple of writers here have my permission to post in other languages, and that is fine. Comments on those foreign language posts can also be in the language of the post. But, all other comments should be in English.
Thanks!
Sorry Bob - Translation: Germans are a very patriotic people. One can never doubt their love for the Fatherland.
Hi Louis, you are right. Thanks.
well, you can count on me voting next year if my US citizenship is granted. i also voted in the philippine elections. i hope to take advantage of getting dual citizenship because i really feel that is my identity.
some people can tell that i am an opinionated person regarding important issues. i feel that they are just empty words if i do not vote.
we meet a lot of strongly opinionated people in this world and i wonder if they do actually take time to participate and vote. all talk and no action is simply unacceptable.
Macky I agree with you 110%! So many people in the US complain about the Powers that Be, but if they didn’t get off their butt and vote then what right do they have to complain.