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Ex Pats or Foreigners ?

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:14am
7 replies261 views5 members subscribed
Mac59

Posts: 24

7 helpful points

Location: Torremolinos

Joined: 20 Oct 2021

Am I the only one who thinks that 'ex pats' is just a kinder sounding label when foreigner is actually what we all are and more appropriate? Are we scared to label ourselves foreigners? 

Holaitsdavid

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:41pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:41pm

I think the word "foreigner" very dated, you just call people what they are by ethnicity, Scottish, English, Irish, Spanish, American, Indian, French, In my case I just say British. "Ex Pat" also a blast from the past.  

Mac59

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:10pm

Mac59

Original Poster

Posts: 24

7 helpful points

Location: Torremolinos

Joined: 20 Oct 2021

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:10pm

Holaitsdavid wrote on Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:41pm:

I think the word "foreigner" very dated, you just call people what they are by ethnicity, Scottish, English, Irish, Spanish, American, Indian, French, In my case I just say British. "Ex Pat" also a blast from the past.  

I agree that is far better than both of the previous ones . Many thanks 

pricklyone

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:55am

pricklyone

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Posts: 179

141 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 10 Nov 2018

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:55am

'Ex pat' (ex patria, in full, which is Latin for away from fatherland) applies to someone who is temporarily in another country for, say work, and they plan to return to their homeland. So, folk like diplomats or those sent by their employer for a set period, who are not tax payers in their host country and not required to be resident, are 'ex-pats'. I suppose it was a term used for posh jobs, not for cleaners or au pairs! If you live in Spain but intend to go back to where you are originally from, you're technically an ex-pat. Otherwise, I guess we are immigrants, which I am OK with - it's much better than being an ex-pat, which is a term I dislike.

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Holaitsdavid

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:23pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:23pm

pricklyone wrote on Fri Oct 22, 2021 9:55am:

'Ex pat' (ex patria, in full, which is Latin for away from fatherland) applies to someone who is temporarily in another country for, say work, and they plan to return to their homeland. So, folk like diplomats or those sent by their employer for a set period, who are not tax payers in their host ...

...country and not required to be resident, are 'ex-pats'. I suppose it was a term used for posh jobs, not for cleaners or au pairs! If you live in Spain but intend to go back to where you are originally from, you're technically an ex-pat. Otherwise, I guess we are immigrants, which I am OK with - it's much better than being an ex-pat, which is a term I dislike.

I don't have any argument with the definition expatriate, or ex-pat, just don't care for the prefix added to a person in a global world. The reason I posted this..... 'I think the word "foreigner" very dated, you just call people what they are by ethnicity, Scottish, English, Irish, Spanish, American, Indian, French, In my case I just say British. "Ex Pat" also a blast from the past' 

I think a far example a more pleasant term just to say "British living in Spain", than "Ex-pats".   

Gesther

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:11pm

Posts: 100

24 helpful points

Location: Estepona

Joined: 18 Apr 2020

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:11pm

I work in a school London & the word 

foreigner is band . ( along with He/She. Boy/Girl.  “You Guys”  Father Christmas and so on .  In years to come words will be limited.

 I was born & bred in London and dont mind being called  a foreigner there ..... but love being Called Expat ......: when I’m here . 

Bushy

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:52am

Posts: 9

8 helpful points

Location: Coin

Joined: 21 Jun 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:52am

I am an immigrant. Returning to my country of origin is not in my plan. Therefore I see myself as a guest in this lovely country, and I hope I can behave as one. Like everywhere else it has it's faults but I try so hard to keep them to myself and think only of the good things: the people, the countryside, the cities towns and villages, the climate, and the lifestyle. We're here and I, for one, am at peace with that. 

Mac59

Posted: Sun Nov 7, 2021 8:36am

Mac59

Original Poster

Posts: 24

7 helpful points

Location: Torremolinos

Joined: 20 Oct 2021

Posted: Sun Nov 7, 2021 8:36am

Bushy wrote on Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:52am:

I am an immigrant. Returning to my country of origin is not in my plan. Therefore I see myself as a guest in this lovely country, and I hope I can behave as one. Like everywhere else it has it's faults but I try so hard to keep them to myself and think only of the good things: the people, the cou...

...ntryside, the cities towns and villages, the climate, and the lifestyle. We're here and I, for one, am at peace with that. 

Sums up exactly how I also feel. Muchus Gracias 

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