Don’t call me expat
I don't consider myself an 'expat'.
Why?
I believe the word perpetuates the privilege the word comes from .. the privileged rich Westerner who calls themselves an expat.
I did not move abroad with the intent of moving to my birth country again. Home, for me, was where I currently lived.
I don't want to separate myself from the people in the country I live in and others who maybe are forced from their homes.
I prefer the word "international professional".
That word entails a global citizen mindset: No matter where we are from, we're in this together. It's becoming local in another. And yes, having the ability to contribute to the society where we currently live.
And my clients don't see themselves as expats either. They are professionals living and working away from their country of birth. Some are wrestling with where they want to go next in their career – and location plays a part. Some are settled where they are but want to take an intentional step in their career. And yes, some are planning to relocate at some point again. All of them are standing on the edge of significant changes in their internationally focused career and life.
What do you think about the word "expat"?
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