SWISS TIME

EXPAT INFO

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing or legal residence. The word comes from the Latin ex (out of) and patria (country, fatherland)

The term is often used in the context of Westerners living in non-Western countries, although it is also used to describe Westerners living in other Western countries, such as Americans living in the United Kingdom, or Britons living in Spain. It may also reasonably refer to Japanese living, for example, in New York City. The key determinant would seem to be cultural/socioeconomic and causation.
Expatriate can just as well be used to describe any person living in a country other than where they hold citizenship, but is generally not used for government officials stationed in a foreign country.

The children of expatriates are often considered Third Culture Kids (or TCKs) and later in life consider themselves "Adult Third Culture Kids" (or ATCKs). These children often hold passports from multiple countries, speak several different languages, and have a hard time defining where "home" is.

There is a clear trend showing that expatriation in itself is changing. However, in the last couple of years there has only been a slight decrease in the actual number of expatriates, but a different type of expatriate has arisen. Commuter and short-term assignments are becoming the norm, and are gradually replacing the traditional life timer. These types of assignments have clearly less influence on somebody’s personal life. Spouse, children and friends remain at home and continue their own life, while the expatriate makes a ‘slightly’ longer commute experience with these commuter assignments.

(Source: Wikipedia)

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