What is an Expatriate?

I hesitate when I tell some people who aren't familiar with the word that I'm an expatriate from the U.S. It sounds like I'm saying that I'm an ex-patriotic person. I'm not-and that's not what it means at all.

The word expatriate means someone who is living in another country other than the one he/she was born in. It has nothing to do with patriotism or renouncing one's citizenship from the other country. Most expatriates, in fact, keep the citizenship of their mother/fatherland even if they become citizens in their new country. Most expatriates refer to themselves as expats. Maybe it sounds better; it's certainly easier to pronounce.

The word expatriate is even used in health insurance terminology. When you buy travel health insurance, you often pay for what the insurer refers to as repatriation to your own country for treatment following an emergency. (Of course, they're probably lying about paying for it, but they do use the word.)

You may be interested to know that many Americans have lived out their lives as expatriates-Ernest Hemingway lived in Paris and wrote there. Actor Johnny Depp also lives in France. Gwyneth Paltrow, actor, prefers to live in England.

And there are many people from other countries living as expatriates here. For example, Penelope Cruz is an expat from Spain who lives in the U.S.

The important thing to know is that the term expatriate indicates that a person is living in a country other than the one where he/she is a citizen. It may be temporary or permanent; it may be for work or lifestyle. But it's a matter of identification and has nothing to do with how someone feels about his own country (except for the fact that he has left his country of citizenship and adopted another).

Ilene Springer has been an expat in Malta since October, 2008, and is author of An-american-in-Malta.com.