Hi,

Recently someone told me that expats don't really like to be called expats - because a great many of you have been living in the Netherlands for quite some time and are destined to stay, either for love of the country, because of a job or for reasons of love.

So I then asked what this group - you! - would like to be called, should I be wanting to use a catch-all name.

He said 'Westerners'. Another person said 'foreign national' (I'm not sure whether that computes at all...). Another one simply said, 'immigrant', and another said 'oh cut it out, we are expats!'

What's your opinion?

I've never regarded myself as an 'expat' cos it sounds poncy and middle-class for a start.
Didn't the colonialists of the great british Raj (hahaha) regard themselves as 'expats' ?
I'd like to be regarded as a....errmm...dunno,haven't given it that much thought.
A person who lives in a foreign country perhaps?
An inhabitant of planet earth....I like that.

'Internationals' is a term that is used more and more. Expat is a term that really doesn't fit with a lot of people any more. As you say alot more people are staying for whatever reason or it's a long term stay.

'Internationals', hmmm, I suppose that has a ring to it.

'Internationals' is better...cause i'm not a 'westerner', that would be a bit one sided.

Yes and 'westerner' sounds a bit political.

"Westerner" doesn't work, does it? I come from 'western' Europe and I live in 'western' Europe, albeit in a different country.

I like 'European' but that doesn't work either in the context of someone living in a different European country from the one they were born in.

I quite like the term 'Brit', as in British, but unfortunately, even though I'm proud of my heritage, it has mainly negative connotations for many these days:

"There go the drunken Brits."

"Those Brits always come over here and start trouble."

And so on and so forth...

I don't like 'expat' - where do I come from if I'm an 'expat'? What does it say about me that's not the same as 'foreigner'? It also has, as Mr Fook observes, old-fashioned connotations of the days of Empire (the British Empire), and old colonialists sitting in their clubs with a gin and tonic (usually on the veranda), and lording it over the 'natives'. No thank you (but I wouldn't mind the G&T if you're offering, although a Vodka & Tonic would be better).

No, 'expat' is definitely a word that's gone past its use by date.

You can call me British, if you wish. I don't mind that so much. However, as mentioned above, please don't shorten it.

However, why label me by my nation of birth or my geo-political location on the face of the planet Earth.

Much better that you call me by my name. And they call me Mr Tibbs... er, sorry... Mr Syzygy

That's what I thought... most would just like to be called by their actual name/nick.

I like 'he's from New Zealand'

I'm going to go with "Western Immigrant".

Buitenlander

I don't really care. Call me anything but late for dinner.

Western Immigrant of Eastern European Descent .

No surprise there.

i like "non-dutch"...ok ok i'll go in the naughty corner....

why call us anything? We are all different and all here for different reasons, there is no one size fits all name. I mean, look what happened to the term 'allochtone' - that didnt work either did it!

If you want to talk about foreigners here on work permits - then do so, but call them foreigners here for work, or kennis migranten, or immigrants who have moved here with a dutch partner, or just, immigrants, or 'new dutch' even - theres no need to lump everyone under one term is there? Really? Or do you want some way to distinguish us now from 'allochtone' (the non-western version) And if so - why? Do you need to distinguish between allochtone and expat? Do you want to be able to talk about western and non western immigrants more easily? Do you want to make a clearer distinction between dutch born allochtone and new immigrants? Do you have the idea that 'immigrant' has also become a negative term (like allochtone) and you dont want to apply it to highly paid western foreigners here?

All expats are not western, all 'import-bruiden' are not non-western. Many 'immigrants' will move on in a few years, many 'expats' will stay permanently. You cant find one term and apply it.

I think 'foreigner' covered all the bases.

I mean if you are not from here.. whether you are an expat (here temporarily), here permanently for work or love etc.. it does not matter.

We are all ... just ''Foreigners' though the Dutch word for foreigner is Buitenlander. Same thing.

And if you naturalise? I'll be Nederaussie

The international, wealthy middle class? A group of people that can just move around the world sampling bits of different cultures for fun? Sounds like me

Lucky you...

You love to wind me up. (i love it too)

Yes, like clockwork...

American woman, stay away from me

What about "alien"

After 13 years in Canada, I did not consider myself a foreigner there.

i dont see myself as being a foreigner here, nor an immigrant and non of the Dutch people ive met have regarded me as such. i am European.

Personally, I don't really mind what I'm called - as long as it's not preceded by "you bloody" or something to that tone

But on one things I do agree: we are all just people who decided to go and leave somewhere else, are we really sure we want to be called anything?
In the end, I rather like my own name

Allochtoon, I've just coped, and I take the insult in stride.
Im an expat, allochtoon.

lol i concur!

Anyway just coz you like one thing does not mean that other people will go along with saying it, for eg when i was little i used to call my little bro paul , paula just to pee him off - you know like you do when your kids!