I see the term Expat all over different Web Sites; I thought I knew what it meant, yet I still looked it up to know for sure. After reading the definition, I found out why I’ve not referred to myself as an Expat.
Taken from: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, exile
2: to withdraw (oneself) from residence in or allegiance to one’s native country
Intransitive verb
: To leave one’s native country to live elsewhere also: to renounce allegiance to one’s native country
I read it over and over and found nothing that I thought was flattering to me, although not all definitions were that bad. But! I’m a Foreigner, a Kano, a Hey Joe, Paul, Knuckle Head, and many other things that I’ve been called, But Expat?
So there it is, I’ve said it, the cats out of the bag, and it’s now in the light of day. This opinion only applies to me, not to any of the many fine and honorable Expats that reside in countries all over the World. (See how I covered myself there?)
The reason I choose to write about this subject at this time is I felt it was my turn to put the stick into the Bee Hive and stir things up. Like others before me, with subjects such as, “Eating Dogs”,” Giving up Citizenship” or being an “Average Joe”, and others.
Thought provoking subjects that brings out the best in us, and disagreement, debate, donnybrooks, or just small brouhaha’s, which are good for the human condition. (Synonyms are a wonderful thing)
I stand by my ranting, I won’t back down, and it’s my opinion and I’m stickin’ too it If you agree, fine, if not take, your best shot, tell me how wrong I am, knock me of my shaky perch. Sic the dogs on me (not the ones you’ve consumed), take me down a peg. But please don’t hurt me and or say unkind things about me.
I had put this definition on the LIP Forum and took a couple of mild dings over it, but now, I want that full blown train wreck. I’m just out to incur wrath. Well that’s not 100% true I also tiring hard to get this up to 500 words so it will be published.
Ok, Bob, I owe you 105 words.
Hi Paul – Oh, you expats are all alike! 😆
Paul;
Expats are all alike, that is proven wrong when the first foreigner drank a Beer-Na-Beer. I rest my case!
Paul:Nice witty article, short and sweet and to the point, I nearly split my sides laughing. Nice to see some people still have a sense of humour and aren’t on a mission to change the world and its habits . Love your attitude, ” vivre et laisser vivre” as the French would say.You definitely need to submit further articles. (y)
Tony;
I knew I’d fire a few up by writing about this, but then it’s all done with humor. I could really care less if someone calls me an expat, or Hey Joe. Just don’t call me late for last call.
Now, Paul, you have given irrefutable evidence as to why you are an expat, vis a vis, you have given up residence in your own country! It is not a given – when one refers to him/herself as an expat – that one has given up allegiance to his/her former country of citizenship, though one doing so is considered an expat. Perhaps, because you are American, there is a very real fear of being considered no longer a patriot of the United States of America. In truth, the term has existed for hundreds of years. In fact, those who first began to colonize the U.S. were British expats, as you know. Some chose to split with their government abroad, as they could not see the rationale in a colonial existence, while others, labelled “Loyalists”, wanted to continue their association with their “Motherland”. These Loyalists were considered to be expats, until they returned to England, at which point they were repatriated. A misnomer is that many believe that they have an inherent right to return to their country of origin, at a time of their choosing. The truth of the matter is that it is at the convenience of the government of your country of origin that you may be allowed to return. That is why countries such as The U.S. of A., Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, etc., have requirements for repatriation, when you return home after an extended absence. An example of when this does not occur is when a country attempts to deport a foreigner whom has committed a heineous crime, yet, that foreigner’s country of origin refuses to accept him/her. Some Guantanamo Bay detainees are an example of this.
Here’s food for thought: We all know that John (“Imagine”) is planning to sail to The RP. If he were to remain outside of The U.S. for an extended period, then return to The U.S. without reporting to an immigration officer, he would be considered to be in his own country illegally. From the moment he performs “clearance”, whether in Florida, California, or Hawaii, he is considered by The U.S. Government to be an “expat”, until his official return.
Being an expat is actually a good thing, because it shows a connection with your country of origin, however tenuous. embrace the title, Paul! Join us! (lol)
Mike2
Mike;
Following your pre-revolution definition of expat, If I lived on Guam I’d be one or Puerto Rico for that matter, were they not British living in a British Colony?
Embrace the term if it’s what one wants. I’m gonna stay with Knuckle Head, and clutch my passport with the eagle on it, tightly to my chest. BTW: Quite a few loyalists went to Canada, it happened again in the 60’s.
You’re right, Paul. The Loyalists hung around in Canada, though. In fact, Until the Statute of Westminster(1932) Canada couldn’t even join a fight without The Queen’s permission & our constitution was kept in England until a couple of decades ago. Yes, whether you live in Guam, Puerto Rico, The RP, or anywhere else, your government considers you an expat. However, as this term bugs you, like I said before, I won’t call you one. I think that you’re caught up on that one vile description of one whom surrenders allegiance. No rational person will seriously accuse you, or any of us, of this.
Mike2
Hi Mike;
You see I didn’t know that about Canada, new knowledge is good. Mike, now that I’ve pulled a few chains, I’m Ok with the term expat. And I liked the way you presented your case!!! Today I’ll have a Beer-Na-Beer, for you.
lol!
Mike;
I knew you’d get it!
Hi Paul,
In the 1760’s the were called Loyalists
In the 1860’s they were called Runaway Slaves
In the 1960’s they were called Draft Dodgers
Randall;
And now, Expats???
Paul the Expat
I prefer the Wikipedia definition of Expat,you could probably live with that.
Hi Neal;
Where have you been? If there is a cold beer involved, I can live with anything. I’d prefer to be called by what my wife calls me, “Thick Head Kano”.
Paul
I been busy spending 5k to have my house re roofed after the rainstorm here. I have been busy with the real estate guy tryng to sell this house so I can LIP. I showed it 30 times and 1 lame ass offer.
Epidural injections in my neck for the injury and you can see I been plenty busy.
Im back!!
Neal;
Welcome back, we missed your humor. I hope all goes well with the selling of the house, and take care of yourself. Go get a Gansett and relax.
Hi Paul
In the Concise Oxford Dictionary, explanation no 1 is ‘living abroad, especially for a long period’.
I think that is a good definition of most of the folk on LIP.
All the Best
Marjorie
Marjorie;
Thank you for that information. One would think they could standardize Dictionaries. I’ll go with your definition.
But Paul, considering the emblem on the passport that you are clutching to your chest, you might want to stick with American dictionaries (lol).
Gary;
Good point, the way the British miss-spell so many words, like harbor, favor, humor, and so many others. I would have failed English in school if I’d used their dictionary.
What’d the cat do? If you moved to the RP and brought it with you , you should have had the decency to keep it….some jeepney might run over it and kill the poor thing. Albiet they do make wonderful violins. Anyhow I feel sorry for your excat.
ooopsss…sorry…..next time I’ll keep my reading glasses on…thought you typed ex-cat….pass me a beer plleezzzz
Brian;
San Miguel or Beer-Na-Beer????
Senior,
I love the way you summed it up and to be lumped together with the characters in the photos I think not.
When I get settled in over there I would not concider myself and expat (dame that words just sound like vomit). I’m just on permanent vacation from the rat race abroad. I’m also completing the last honey do on my list. Living with her family OH MAN do I need a BEER Got one? 🙂
Hey Bruce;
J-ville just came up in the good way for me. A really good friend is living there now and I found and contacted him using FaceBook, (which otherwise I just don’t understand) So, after 20 plus years, we’ve reconnected. Lord the internet is a good thing. So who cares about being called an Expat? Just crack a cold beer and relax, as that’s a plan we can both enjoy shipmate.
Senior:
That is awesome that you found your friend in J-ville. Good friends are hard to find in the navy and even harder to keep. Thanks to Al Gore’s internet you can know stay in touch with him. (oh no I didn’t just say that shame on me :().
On a more serious note do we ever really finish our Honey Do Lists?
Can you retire from them and collect ssn or a pension? If not then what do you get for all that hard work pogi points? If so then it should be called the Pogi point list not Honey Do.
What is your take on this. Don’t try to be politicallt correct on this they can see right through that. 🙂
Bruce;
When the Honey Do’s are completed you then receive the Pogi Points, kinda’ like S&H Green Stamps (Showing my age there). Pogi Points are redeemable for cold San Miguel delivered by a smiling wife.
Bob would not allow me to tell any of my adventures with my friend Don, when we were stationed together at NALF San Clemente Island, off San Diego CA. They were some fun years.
Senior:
You can tell me those stories next year when I visit. Saving my pennies as we speak.
I remember green stamps and grew up on watch Leave it to Beaver and My Three Sons on black and white tv. LOL
Bruce;
We can do that!!
Hi Paul- Being Britsh let me inform you of the definition of the word expatriate in the Oxford English Dictionary( noun-a person living outside their native country).
A very simple explaination of the term therefore you I and all the other foreigners are by definition expatriates.
I trust this prevents any further confusion on the issue lol.
Regards.
Jim.
Hi Jim;
As I pointed out to Gary, using your dictionary would have caused me to fail English in school, due to all the bad spelling in it. Example: arse vice ass. (BTW: even spell-check won’t recognize arse). But since I was pulling everybody’s leg over the Expat thing, and want no riff between our two Great Nations, I just come out and admit, “I could be an Expat” as long as I never lose my “Hey Joe” moniker.(lol) BTW: Jim, preventing further confusion with me is a full time job.
Hi Paul- As we say in the UK if you don’t know your arse from your elbow your in trouble and you may as well put your head in a vice and by the way an ass is not a donkey lol.
Regards.
Jim.
Hi Jim;
We’re closer to speaking the same language than others might think, as over the pond we use that same expression, (Except the Spelling) I spent a lot of time with the Royal Navy both in Portsmouth Naval Base, and Diego Garcia BIOT. The joking between us about word usage was off the charts. Like the time a drunk British Stoker was walking nude to the laundry at our barracks. It was explained to me that he was “Just Doin’ is (his) Dhoby, and ad forgot his Dhoby dust!” A term that harkens back to Singapore’s Indian Laundry Section, Dhoby Ghaut.
Hi Paul- Thats very funny, I often heard the stoker described as a “hairy a***d” stoker.
Kind regards.
Jim.
Jim;
As big as John the Chief Stoker was I’ll let you tell him that! (lol)
Hey Paul I know this is off topic but I wanted to become a merchant seaman.I live in the phils some times and also live in Norfolk,Va. could you tell me where to look an unliscened merchant mariner job? I am a welder and pipe fitter by trade I was wanting to start out as an oiler I guess.
Jason;
I sent you an E-mail.
Hi Paul and Jim
I just thought that the description I quoted made it sound as if you had not abandoned the country of your birth so to speak.
I’m also in the UK. I’m the English Mother-in-Law of two lovely Philippinas.
Just out of interest I have looked in a dictionary printed for the British Empire Exhibition in 1924. It just has short descriptions for each word. Expatriate – to drive from ones native country. As you say its a pity Dictionaries do not give the same meanings.
Keep up the good work in making us smile Paul. Thanks
Marjorie
Marjorie;
You are most welcome, I have been to the United Kingdom, Great Briton, The U.K. or G.B. and years ago I visited a place named England. And once years later, I visited The United Kingdom of Great Briton and Northern Island, it also was quite a nice place.
On each occasions, I found it to be rich with warmth and friendship; I had no trouble with the driving except roaring up the motorway out of London and encountering a massive roundabout dead in the middle of a highway. We have roundabouts in Boston, but never one you’ll meet at 120 KPH. (Now I understand the silent policemen just prior to the roundabout.)
Hey Paul,
When I was there and I was called “hey Joe”, I simply smiled and said NO!… I’m Jose. I usually get a smile.
I found a new use for beer. I soak my chicken overnight in some beer and garlic, then grill it. Serve with a a cold beer of course…Oh so good.
Hudson;
The Hey Joe, I try to say it first. But like Expat, it just does not bother me.
Hmm, sounds good. I’ll try that this afternoon, by putting a little garlic in my beer, If I like it, I’ll add chicken at a later date.
Hi Paul,
Add the chicken and then warm it up and you’ve got
Chicken and Barley soup!
Hi Paul,
Regarding your earlier reply, I guess Americans who move to Canada now would indeed be referred to as American Expats. This term would have no negative or positive connotation but just be a simple description. In fact there is a sizeable American population in Toronto but I only found out about this during the Obama / Bush election when the news reported a huge voter turn-out here.
Generally speaking Americans fit in quite well here which isn’t any big surprise since we are “cousins” after all.
In fact it’s only if they use the word ” route ” as in Route 66 that we know they are Americans. Americans pronounce it like ” rowt ” whereas Canadians say ” root “, as in Root Beer. But I know you don’t touch that kind of beer!
Randall;
By the same token, you also say “What’s it all “ABOOT” vice about, and when you wonderful folks would come to Puerto Rico, that’s how we knew where you were from. But the states has some strange speaking habits also, in the Boston it is cool to call someone an a**hole, it’s an odd complement. Do not do it in Texas!
Thank you for playing along with me and reading & commenting on this article. By now you’ve all figured out that I was just having fun, and I enjoyed every comment. Ya can calls me expat, and I’ll answer right back with “Yes Joe” even if your name is Joe! I got to go help my wife with her Honey Do list, so, until next time, Have a great one!!!
Paul – Hey Joe! Ha ha.. well I’m still browsing the archives (was looking for the part 3 of “my car” articles.. I didn’t find I think). This post is in all good humor. I like. You’re an expat! Ha ha. Okay. Not. No renouncing (Oh, what harsh word) took place. 🙂
Sugar;
In Boston when I was a kid, the guy with the Ice Cream Truck, was called the “Good Humor Man”.