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jennifer rose

Oct 28, 2007, 9:34 PM

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Expat or Immigrant?

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For those of you who live in Mexico, do you view yourselves as expatriates or immigrants? And why?

kwschopf

Oct 28, 2007, 11:18 PM

Post #2 of 38 (6022 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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Interesting and thought-provoking question, Jennifer. I prefer to think of myself as an immigrant, because the term implies that I am moving towards something (Mexico) rather than simply moving away from something (the US). I suppose it is a matter of semantics,and is rather like the half-full/half-empty glass analogy. At any rate, it speaks to motivation, and our motivation to settle in Mexico involved more than a desire to leave the US. Eventually, we expect to become citizens of Mexico, so "immigrant" is more appropriate.

Saludos,
Karen

Rolly

Oct 29, 2007, 6:39 AM

Post #3 of 38 (6004 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I'm an immigrant, and I hope to become a citizen.

Rolly Pirate

bournemouth

Oct 29, 2007, 7:14 AM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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My feelings tend more towards someone who lives internationally - we've been away from the land of our birth for more than 40 years and have lived in several countries during that period - Mexico is one more in the series - a much appreciated location none the less.

drmike

Oct 29, 2007, 8:23 AM

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Re: [bournemouth] Expat or Immigrant?

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Excellent question Jennifer. I think the earlier writer who stated they are moving toward something rather than away makes them an immigrant is a good summation. I, on the other hand, am an ex-pat at this point as I definitely moved away from an environment that I could no longer accept.

I hope to become an immigrant and like Rolly a citizen of Mexico when the time comes.
Dr. Mike

http://www.smarthealthchoices.blogspot.com

There are hundreds of paths up the mountain,
all leading in the same direction,
so it doesn't matter which path you take.
The only one wasting time is the one
who runs around and around the mountain,
telling everyone that his or her path is wrong.

Hindu teaching

Gringal

Oct 29, 2007, 8:33 AM

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Re: [drmike] Expat or Immigrant?

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I moved here in a state of confusion, not sure if this was the last stop or not. After over 3 years, I wouldn't move back. I'm not pleased with the political climate in the states, but I also recognize that life is no bowl of incorruptible cherries here in Mexico, either. I don't know if I'll ever go for Mexican citizenship, so at present, I'm an expat.

MazDee

Oct 30, 2007, 12:36 AM

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Re: [Rolly] Expat or Immigrant?

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I consider myself an immigrant too, even though I have not yet attained that status with the government. According to them, as long as I am on a FM3 visa, I am a non-immigrant. (Just got my 2nd FM3 this month, and now can apply for citizenship!) I think a lot of people confuse "expatriate" with ex-patriot. There is a world of difference. I think it is generally understood that if you live in a country where you were not born and are not a citizen, you are an expatriate. Has nothing to do with your patriotism to your birth nation.

TlxcalaClaudia

Oct 31, 2007, 8:20 PM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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Expat for now.

thriftqueen

Oct 31, 2007, 8:50 PM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I am a hand over my heart ex-pat, lived in Mexico ten years and have no intention of becoming a citizen of Mexico.

GueroPaz

Oct 31, 2007, 11:18 PM

Post #10 of 38 (5823 views)

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Re: [thriftqueen] Expat or Immigrant?

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Without going so far as to say I'm still holding my hand over my heart when my native flag passes by, I still have affections for my native land. However, nationalism and Naziism fall too close together, not only in dictionaries.

I look in my passport to check my citizenship and current status in the world. In Thailand, as I will probably be once again in Mexico, it says "non-immigrant," and expires within 366 days of its issue. I'll never be a permanent resident in Thailand, so that leaves "migrante" (present participle, migrating) and "migrado" (past participle, migrated), or whatever the precise Spanish terms are.

How about 'wanderer'? International traveler? Bitten by wanderlust? Temporarily encamped? Indefinitely passing through?

(This post was edited by GueroPaz on Oct 31, 2007, 11:20 PM)

sandykayak

Nov 1, 2007, 10:04 AM

Post #11 of 38 (5777 views)

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Re: [GueroPaz] Expat or Immigrant?

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Born in England, raised in Venezuela, have lived in Kuwait, England, and now the US for the past 28 years.

I call myself a CITIZEN OF THE WORLD!! :)
Sandy Kramer
Miami, Fla & El Parque

Bloviator

Nov 3, 2007, 2:20 PM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I'm afraid that I demur from both terms. I consider myself an American resident of Mexico. I find a lot of good in both nations as well as things that I have a hard time dealing with.

Not an immigrant if it means I have to become a citizen of Mexico, something I have no interest in at this time.

Not an ex-pat if it means renouncing or rejecting my country of citizenship, the US.

If you're wondering, I'm not a new member, just re-newed with a new name.

(This post was edited by Bloviator on Nov 3, 2007, 2:21 PM)

Gringal

Nov 3, 2007, 3:06 PM

Post #13 of 38 (5678 views)

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Re: [Bloviator] Expat or Immigrant?

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As I understand the term "expatriate", it means simply that you are not living in the nation where you hold citizenship.

bournemouth

Nov 3, 2007, 3:08 PM

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Re: [Gringal] Expat or Immigrant?

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A lot of people seem to see/hear "expatriot" rather than expatriate.

bournemouth

Nov 3, 2007, 8:06 PM

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Re: [Bloviator] Expat or Immigrant?

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I wish I could show music to this remark but you'll have to use your imagination - "we know who you are". Nice to have you back.

GueroPaz

Nov 4, 2007, 12:19 AM

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Re: [bournemouth] Expat or Immigrant?

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Only once did I hear an American wrongly say 'expatriate' when he meant 'ex-patriot,' and he was simply ignorant and confused, riding a train and being the ugly Yankee tourist going to Malaysia. He read expatriate in a comment about VietNam in Lonely Planet, and thought it meant former patriot. Do people in Mexico make the same confusion? Not in Thailand, anyway.

While I'm on the subject: do most Mexicans prefer to call us estadounidenses, rather than americanos? What fooled me was an INM officer in southern Chiapas who put me down on the application for no-inmigrante as 'americano.'

donemry

Nov 4, 2007, 4:34 AM

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Re: [Bloviator] Expat or Immigrant?

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I think we fall into a third category which was not listed, "snowbird". We spend 6 months each year in Mexico. We consider our houses in both countries to be home when we are in residence and we have no political motives for traveling either direction. We do have FM3's.

Rolly

Nov 4, 2007, 5:26 AM

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Re: [GueroPaz] Expat or Immigrant?

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Guero, in my seven years in México, I have heard estadounidenses just one time. And that was from a 'friend' who was ranting about who is an American. I think it is an issue with only a small group of PCs.

Rolly Pirate

bfwpdx

Nov 4, 2007, 6:26 AM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I think Americans should refer to themselves as "aliens" when living abroad. Afterall, that is the term they apply to non-citizens living in the USA.

thriftqueen

Nov 4, 2007, 7:56 AM

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Re: [donemry] Expat or Immigrant?

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You have the best of both worlds.

NEOhio1

Nov 4, 2007, 8:44 AM

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Re: [bfwpdx] Expat or Immigrant?

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Quote

I think Americans should refer to themselves as "aliens" when living abroad. Afterall, that is the term they apply to non-citizens living in the USA.

I hear "alien" refer to ILLEGAL immigrants of any nationality in the US, and there are more than just Mexicanos.

In Cleveland our illegal immigrant propblem is with eastern europeans who come through Canada. And yes they come by boat across the Great Lakes, its just not publicized, because if they are doing it, who else is....

The Mexican government term for some of us is "rentista", and I think that is how you should refer to yourself.

jennifer rose

Jun 27, 2009, 12:59 PM

Post #22 of 38 (5380 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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At http://tzuru4.blogspot.com/2009/06/immigrant.html is an interesting discussion of expatriate v. immigrant.

richmx2

Jun 28, 2009, 10:36 AM

Post #23 of 38 (5287 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I used to say "political exile", given that George W. Bush's first non-election to President was a factor in moving here permanently. But "Resident alien" is what I usually use.

I particularly dislike being called an "ex-pat" since there are overtones of what my brother when he lived in Africa used to call the "Wenwe tribe" (the old Brits who talked incessently about "When we ran things...") and a sense of entitlement and privilege as a relatively wealthy foreigner, or citizen of a powerful state.

"Immigrant," at least in the United States, brings to my mind images of the wretched refuse yearing to breath free." Ok, I may have been yearing to breath free, and I wasn't rich, but I wasn't wretched.

http://mexfiles.net
http://voiceofmexico.com
http://editorialmazatlan.com

roni_smith

Jun 28, 2009, 1:23 PM

Post #24 of 38 (5248 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I will move as an expatriate with intentions of being an immigrant.

FM-2 and eventual inmigrado status is the plan

Citizenship decision to be made later.
------
Planning for Mexico Move Blog

La Isla

Jun 28, 2009, 6:07 PM

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Re: [jennifer rose] Expat or Immigrant?

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I think of myself as an expat since I don't live in the US any more. According to my FM3, I'm a non-immigrant resident of Mexico, which is a rather convoluted way of explaining my situation. I'm not a rentista, though, since I still need to work to pay the bills!

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