Many people believe that expats and global citizens are the same the world over. Is there really a typical expat type?
In this article we take a lighthearted look at some of the expat types you may bump into when living overseas. The article is included as a bit of fun and is certainly not intended to cause any offense!
The Ruthless Career Expat
Your sole objective for living abroad is to further your career and get rich. You don’t care where you’re based and what conditions you may have to live in; the worse the conditions the more money they’ll have to pay you, right? You’re not really interested in the culture or history of your host country, just what fringe benefits are on offer and how much danger money you can expect. If you’re asked about what attracted you to the prospect of living in your host country you will probably reply: “Nothing. My company sent me here.”
The Pampered Pooch
You’re keen to live abroad and experience life in a different country but have no interest in living like a local and expect luxury and indulgence all the way. You probably live in a top-of-the-range luxury apartment and spend all of your time with people from a similar background to your own. You have taken the time and effort to learn some of the local language but have done so with the express aim of showing-off to your visiting friends and relatives. You travel quite frequently but have seen the majority of the world from the comfort of your five-star hotel with a personal driver/tour guide in tow. You are most likely to be found enjoying champagne brunch at an international hotel on a Sunday afternoon.
The Seasoned Expat
You are addicted to the excitement of relocating and have lived in several different countries. Moving abroad at the drop of a hat does not faze you in the slightest. Each time you tell yourself that this move is your last but every time a new opportunity arises you simply can’t say no. Your Facebook friend list consists of people all over the world and the majority of your relatives have lost track of where you actually live. It’s rare that you can spend the entire evening in someone’s company without uttering the phrase, “When I lived in…”
The Hippie
You’ve moved abroad with the hope of discovering yourself and achieving true karma. You avoid the other expats like the plague, choosing to immerse yourself in the local culture and language. You consider yourself an expert on the “real” experience in your host country and you live quite comfortably on less than $5 USD a day. You find it difficult to have a conversation with someone without noticing the color of their aura but that is rarely an issue as you are happier in the company of your entourage of stray dogs anyway. You can be identified by your tie-dyed shirt and oversized canvas shoulder bag, which you believe are organic and sustainable but are, in reality, mass-produced imports from India.
The Party Animal
You’re young and single and living life to the max. You work hard and party hard and, for you, life abroad is all about one thing; pleasure. You’re most likely to be found in an expatriate bar, drinking copious amounts of alcohol and sharing stories of drunken debauchery. The only elements of the local language that you have bothered to learn involve rude words and insults and you regularly shout these across the bar at your fellow expat party animals. You certainly do enjoy life but there’s an inherent risk that you won’t remember much of you’re experiences overseas when you do eventually return home.
Do you see yourself in any of these expatriate types? Are there any other types that you have come across during your own experiences living overseas? Drop us a line and let us know.
