Deconstructing the Migration Lexicon

A person who works or lives outside his/her country is an expatriate, or expat for short. Originated from the Latin terms ex (“out of”) and patria (“country, fatherland,” “expatriate” or “expat” is defined regardless of one’s skin color or country of origin. However, “expat” exclusively applies to white people. The migration lexicon readily implies hierarchy and prejudice.

In reality, color draws a line for the usage of the word. Instead of being called “expats,” Africans are immigrants. Arabs are immigrants. Asians are immigrants. Living/working temporarily or permanently outside one’s native country does not determine whether one is labeled as an expat or an immigrant; his/her skin color may contribute to his/her label. This happens everywhere -- in the US, and in Hong Kong, for example. In the US, top African professionals and Asian global developers, to name a few, are not expats like Europeans; they are “highly qualified immigrants.” In Hong Kong, Westerners are considered expats; Filipino domestic helpers are visitors; Mandarin-speaking Chinese are “Mainlanders.”

Taking a closer look, one can discern that race is not the only factor that governs the label of an “expat” or “immigrant.” More precisely, country of origin, social class, or economic status also determines how people who live abroad are regarded. Some people are described as expats, others as immigrants, and some simply as migrants. This supremacist ideology is outdated and unjust. The world needs to be aware of it, and the deconstruction of this worldview must be undertaken.

There were 258 million international migrants in 2017, according to a UN report. The number is growing rapidly, from 173 million in 2000, 222 million in 2010, and 244 million in 2015. It is a growing trend, and living abroad allows a great opportunity for people to become globally competent world citizens. While some of the so called “expats” stay in their privileged living quarters and demand English menus in restaurants wherever they go, they fail to acquire foreign languages, understand different countries’ peoples or cultures.

An expat is someone who moves to another country for work without the intentions of becoming a permanent resident or citizen of the country, and an immigrant is someone who moves to another country with the intention of permanently living there and/or becoming a citizen of that country. Race, income, status, and privilege should not be the indicators for us to judge either term. Most people move overseas in hopes of bettering their lives. When one lives abroad, it is a fabulous opportunity to learn, to adjust, and to be assimilated to a new society. Perhaps keeping an open mind to discover and absorb, is the very first step one can take to deconstruct the migration lexicon. As an expat, immigrant, or migrant, one’s moving and living abroad experience is enhanced when he/she can freely enjoy life and the new community without borders. A globally competent world citizen would embrace this opportunity.

解构人类迁移用词

迁移到国外工作或生活的人称为EXPATRIATE，或简称EXPAT。此字源于拉丁语ex（“out of”）和patria（“country，fatherland”，“expatriate”或“expat”的定义，无关个人的肤色或原籍。但是，“expat”仅适用于白人，显示了人类迁移用词中所暗示的等级和偏见。

实际上，肤色为使用该词的界限。非洲人不是“expat”，而是移民“immigrant”。阿拉伯人是移民。亚洲人是移民。在国外临时或永久居住/工作并不能确定一个人是否被标记为expat或immigrant;而肤色可能决定/她的标签。这种情况无处不在 - 例如美国和香港。在美国，非洲顶级专业人士和亚洲全球开发商，不像欧洲人可被称为expat;他们是“高素质的移民”。在香港，西方人被视为expat;菲律宾家庭佣工是访客;说普通话的中国人是“大陆人”。

仔细观察，人们可以看出种族或肤色并不是取决“expat”或“immigrant”标签的唯一因素。更准确地说，人们的国籍及社会阶层或经济地位也决定了居住在国外的人如何受人看待。有些人被描述为expat，有些人被描述为immigrant，有些人是migrant。这种白人至上主义的意识形态已经过时且不公正。世人需要意识到这一点，必须对这种世界观进行解构。

根据联合国的一份报告，2017年有2.58亿国际移民。这一数字正在迅速增长，从2000年的1.73亿人，2010年的2.22亿人和2015年的2.44亿人逐年增长。这是一个不断的趋势，居住在国外为人们提供了一个成为具备全球智识的世界公民的绝佳机会。一些所谓的“expat”身处特权的生活区中，无论到哪都要求餐馆提供英语菜单，无法获得外语能力，了解不同国家的人民或文化，实为可惜。

EXPAT是指移居到另一个国家而不打算成为该国永久居民或公民的人，而immigrant是指移居到另一个国家，意图永久居民和/或成为该国公民的人。国籍种族或收入地位和特权不应成为我们判断这两个词的指标。大多数人为了改善生活而移居海外。当一个人住在国外时，有一个学习，调整和融入新社会的绝佳机会。也许保持开放思想去发现和吸收，是解构人类迁移用词的第一步。作为expat，immigrant或migrant，当人可以自由地享受生活和无国界的新社区时，其生活体验将增强而更富色彩。一个具有全球智识的世界公民将竭力把握这个绝佳的学习机会。

Detailed Information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-su-lozeron

https://aacstravel.agentstudio.com/

http://www.aliciasulozeron.com

http://amazon.com/author/aliciasulozeron

http://www.aacs.website/en/services/authors-and-books

https://www.facebook.com/aliciasulozeron

https://www.facebook.com/people/Alicia-Su-Lozeron/100013834032346

https://plus.google.com/108984032785909720247

http://www.aacs.website

https://twitter.com/AliciaSuLozeron