Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mashimaro]

I've seen the term 'expat' pop up a few times lately, both on the board and over at the 'expats in korea' forums.

What is an expat? Do you consider yourself to be one? I don't really. Whilst I live in korea and plan to stay here longer than most, I don't feel I've really "taken up residence" here as the dictionary states as the definition of expatriate.

When I think of expats I think of Businessmen in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur who have lived there for 10 years, bought a house, started a business, who really 'take residence'. That is not ot say you have to buy a house or be rich to be an expat, that's just the image the words conjures for me. I don't think 22 year old english instructors who if not for korea would be living with their parents.

You could probably argue successfully that anyone living in a foreign country is an expat, that's fine. ESL teaching just seems so transient, so many people coming and going, many maintaining there true 'residence' at home. Any other thoughts


from www.dictionary.com

ex��pa��tri��ate Audio pronunciation of "expatriate" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (k-sptr-t)
v. ex��pa��tri��at��ed, ex��pa��tri��at��ing, ex��pa��tri��ates
v. tr.

1. To send into exile. See Synonyms at banish.
2. To remove (oneself) from residence in one's native land.


v. intr.

1. To give up residence in one's homeland.
2. To renounce allegiance to one's homeland.


n. (-t, -t)

1. One who has taken up residence in a foreign country.
2. One who has renounced one's native land.


adj. (-t, -t)

Residing in a foreign country; expatriated: ��She delighted in the bohemian freedom enjoyed by the expatriate artists, writers, and performers living in Rome�� (Janet H. Murray).

[J.B. Clamence]

The way I see it, "taken up residence" just sounds like a fancy way of saying, "gone somehwere to live". Yes, I suppose it may have the connotation of permanence, but I don't think it necessarily has to. If you are from the U.S., and you were to go to London, and someone there asked you, "Where do you live?", would you say "the U.S." or would you say "Korea"? I would say Korea. I think that makes me an "expat."

[Ihavenolips]

The term "expatriate" is used for soebody that is living in a foreign land. There is a connotation that the individual is either exiled or consciously chosing to live abroad. Personally, I think that expats can refer to anybody who works abroad for an extended period of time - in which they actually must apply for a work or residency visa instead of a simple tourist permit.

There are long term expats that own property in a foreign land, there are people that permanently live overseas for economic and political reasons, there are also workers who only reside abroad for one year - but all of these are expats by my definition.

I am proud to call myself an expatriate (or gen-xpatriate). I prefer to live in a foreign country than the United States. My quality of life is much better than anything I can have back home. Asia feels more like my home even though I bounce around the global village quite often. Perhaps, a more honest definition of an expat is somebody who consciously identifies with a lifestyles in a foreign land.

[manlyboy]

I may be mistaken about this, but the first time I heard someone use the term "expat" was on my first overseas trip in 1999. I was with a bunch of other out-of-country novices except for these two guys who apparently had quite a bit of experience between them. They kept using this term "expat" and none of us were entirely sure what it meant. In fact, they kept using it so frequently, along with a few other terms previously unbeknownst to us, that we started to get the distinct impression they were using these words in front of us just to show off how worldly they were. Kind of like when teachers who've been here a while casually toss out terms like "norae bang", "kimchi chige" and "ddong chim" in front of new arrivals just to show off how "knowledgeable" they are.
If I go back to my hometown in Australia and use the term "expat", I could pretty much guarantee that no one will understand what I mean, and they'll probably think of me as a bit uppity for using it.
"Expat" is one of those words invented by international travellers to be used in front of ordinary, everyday folk to show them how superior we are.

[Cedar]

What is an expat?

Me.

[Derrek]

I have found that non-teachers in Korea will sometimes say, "Teachers are not really expats."

They seem to think that the job of teaching is not "worthy" enough to invoke the title of expat upon an individual.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[manlyboy]

[Kakadoodles]

Don't know what Australian town you're from, but any I've lived in (central Victoria and the Northern Territory) would not think I was being an idiot (or presumptuous) to use the term - and they are certainly not the metropolis!!!

To me expat simply means a person working in country, but not of that origin. I have no idea about the 'business person' meaning for the word! I guess if you were to commit long term to that country then it would be you who would be unhappy to be called it!

[Wisco Kid]

[bosintang]

[Cedar]

I hate the whole idea that people like myself use words like "noraebang" to show off. What the hay? Why do Koreans adopt some English words like "computer" (or rather kom-pyu-tuh)? Because they don't have a native word that describes this machine accurately. So, I say "hagwon", well, sue me! As if institute/academy come close to describing this thing (though "private language school" works fine, it's a bit too long).

So maybe we of Dave's ESL cafe should try to make a "sticky" of essential words in Korean for newbies... heck, i'll start the thread right now.

[oneiros]

I started thinking of myself as an ex-pat when I realized that I had absolutely no intentions of ever going back to live in my own country.

My goal is to turn into some weirdly eccentric old lady, living in the middle of nowhere and boring people with the tales of the grand times we used to have in that lovely country, South Korea, back before it re-united and became just regular Korea. This will possibly involve some horrible caftan, a wine glass, and quite probably an exotic pet, likely a monkey.

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

I always thought that an ex-pat was someone who didn't like the term foreigner.

[peemil]

If you spell it backwards you get...

"tap xe..."

Which is like "tap ze..."

"Tap ze keg..."

Expat.