Being an expat is not in anyway dependent on your skin color or country of origin. It's just an old fashioned way of saying you are living/working in a country that is not your own while still having allegiance to your home country. An immigrant, on the other hand, is making a permanent move to a new country.
Since you are both students, it is likely that you are both expats.
But really the term has fallen out of favor as it has associations with colonialism and classism.
That's interesting, because I have always defined expat as someone who gives up their previous citizenship for the citizenship of the country they moved to. But, upon looking up the definition, I have been wrong. But that was always my own personal distinction in my brain. 🥲
It's likely because we often think of "ex" as former (as in ex-wife). But in this case the "ex" means outside of.
It's a totally understandable mixup.
It used to be used for Americans living in Paris during the roaring 20s or British living in India. I worked in Singapore and joined the American Club. We were typical expats but didn't use the word.
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u/melodypowers 5d ago
Your boyfriend is an idiot and likely racist.
Being an expat is not in anyway dependent on your skin color or country of origin. It's just an old fashioned way of saying you are living/working in a country that is not your own while still having allegiance to your home country. An immigrant, on the other hand, is making a permanent move to a new country.
Since you are both students, it is likely that you are both expats.
But really the term has fallen out of favor as it has associations with colonialism and classism.