People move abroad for many different reasons. I for one, have moved abroad for 3 different reasons: to the UK for studies, to the US for love and to India for… it’s complicated. My most recent move to the Pacific Northwest, I guess making it reason #4, was supposed to be a temporary visit to renew a visa which ended being a long-term stay. Two months have now turned into two years.
And I also have moved (within the US) for random reasons… “throw a dart at the map” kind of move. That makes reason #5. So, I’m not your typical expat.
Are you an expat? If so, what kind? The infographic below lists a few types based on real people.
[click on the image to view it larger]
Do you fit any of these types?
A New Life Wandering 
Reblogged this on Travelingmind2anywhere and commented:
I am not an expat, but this does make a lot of sense lol.
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I am a “single destination” expat according to the infographic, although technically this is already the 3th “single destination” haha 🙂
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Haha. Were have you been an expat?
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I am a “single destination” expat according to the infographic, although technically this is already the 3th “single destination” haha 🙂
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Haha. Were have you been an expat?
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I was the ex-student. Don’t know what to do aftwr graduating college? Teach abroad! Don’t want to practice law after law school? Teach abroad!
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Haha, good advice. Where did you study?
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Hmm… am I just being contrary to say none really seem to fit? Perhaps because I’m an amalgam…
You could argue I started as a :
– “(Ex)-Student” – I have studied in countries like Germany, France, former Yugoslavia, India…
– “Career” I’ve been recruited locally more than once (India)
– “Foreign Recruitee” – Yet also recruited by a ‘local’ employer in a different country – Singapore. Had it not been that job, I never would have later chosen to set-up my company there.
– “The Romantic” could describe why I moved back to India from Canada as my then spouse wanted to move back without either of us having any specific job
– “Single Destination” is a default surface level way to describe my longer term relationship with India
Yet none of these really seem to ‘fit’… do others feel the same way? Do you?
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The first time I read it I thought the same thing, that none really fit, but in a way I can fit the “ex-student” and “romantic”. But several of my moves don’t really fit, including my current one, which are more of “life happens-circumstances-&-God surrender” moves.
Thanks for your input!
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Hahaha! Yes indeed – the $hi+ happens version of globe-trotting. 😉
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Exactly haha.
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Hmm… am I just being contrary to say none really seem to fit? Perhaps because I’m an amalgam…
You could argue I started as a :
– “(Ex)-Student” – I have studied in countries like Germany, France, former Yugoslavia, India…
– “Career” I’ve been recruited locally more than once (India)
– “Foreign Recruitee” – Yet also recruited by a ‘local’ employer in a different country – Singapore. Had it not been that job, I never would have later chosen to set-up my company there.
– “The Romantic” could describe why I moved back to India from Canada as my then spouse wanted to move back without either of us having any specific job
– “Single Destination” is a default surface level way to describe my longer term relationship with India
Yet none of these really seem to ‘fit’… do others feel the same way? Do you?
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Thanks for sharing. I’d consider myself more of a “traveling spouse who pushed her husband into taking a job opportunity abroad to expand their horizons and travel opportunities.” I suppose that title was too long for the infographic 😉
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Thanks for sharing. I’d consider myself more of a “traveling spouse who pushed her husband into taking a job opportunity abroad to expand their horizons and travel opportunities.” I suppose that title was too long for the infographic 😉
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Hehe, that’s a good titile!
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I’m the romantic, I moved here (India) from America to marry my husband (whom I met online.) lol.
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I’m the romantic, I moved here (India) from America to marry my husband (whom I met online.) lol.
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Mmmm, I could fit into a couple of those categories
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Mmmm, I could fit into a couple of those categories
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hahaha nice!! What a cool infographic!
I have moved twice because of my studies (Canada and Switzerland), then once for love… and I ended up in Germany 😀 so today I am a romantic expat hahah ❤
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You studied in cool places! And you also live in a cool place. Lucky you 😉
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hahaha thank you Mani 😀
You too!!
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hahaha nice!! What a cool infographic!
I have moved twice because of my studies (Canada and Switzerland), then once for love… and I ended up in Germany 😀 so today I am a romantic expat hahah ❤
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You studied in cool places! And you also live in a cool place. Lucky you 😉
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This is awesome!! I used to be a “family expat” when I moved around for my dad’s business, then “student expat” for college, and now I’m back in my home country. I’m working on becoming “the globetrotter” or “the career expat” soon! 🙂
Somin // TCK Goes Home
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