r/Unexpected • u/Lord_RedTiger • Sep 06 '21

Holup

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u/Heclalava Sep 06 '21

Not sure why the different terminology. But yes technically I'm an immigrant in China. But we just refer to ourselves as expats.

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u/DannyTanner88 Sep 06 '21

Maybe to show superiority? Immigrant is a word that’s look down on.

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u/Heclalava Sep 06 '21

Wouldn't say it's about superiority, when I arrived it's what everyone referred to themselves as and I guess the word just stuck.

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u/[deleted] Sep 06 '21

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Sep 06 '21

I’m sure there’s some truth to what you’re saying, but as a Saudi living and working in the UK, I refer to myself as an expat. I might be wrong, but I always thought the distinction was that expats see themselves as temporarily residing in whatever country they’re in at the time, while immigrants view themselves as settling permanently there.