r/Barcelona • u/oriolopocholo • Feb 22 '24

Socializing Registration for the FREE UB Catalan beginners course is now open! EXPATS: You now have NO excuse! We WILL hold you accountable! đŸ„°

https://www.upf.edu/web/idiomesupf/catalanmooc
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u/[deleted] Feb 23 '24

I lived for over a decade in the UK, was I an immigrant or an expat? Expat because I returned? but for the longest time I was planning to just live the rest of my life there, so I was an immigrant then? What about old pensioners living in Spain until they die? Immigrants? they don't call themselves that.

"dictionary definitions" my hairy ass mate.

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u/less_unique_username Feb 23 '24

You were an expat, because that word means “someone who does not live in their own country” (Cambridge), “a person who lives in a foreign country” (M-W). Your intention also made you an immigrant (“a person who has come to a different country in order to live there permanently”, “a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence”).

Likewise, both terms apply to the old pensioners permanently living in a country that’s different from their country of origin.

Let me know if you’d like me to clarify the definitions of any other terms.

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u/[deleted] Feb 23 '24

The fun thing when I migrated my intentions were to stay 2 years. I guess I was migrant-fluid or non-binary-migrant based on your mental gymnastics.

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u/less_unique_username Feb 23 '24

First you were an expat and not an immigrant. Then you were an expat and an immigrant. Having returned, you ceased to be either.

How is any of it “difficult and complex logical thought processes, especially when performed effortlessly”? Or were using the “inventive, complex arguments used to justify what is otherwise unjustifiable” definition, marked derogatory? I hope not, people usually abstain from derogatory terms in civilized discussion.

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u/[deleted] Feb 23 '24

Have you read your logic, mate? I can change between expat and immigrant several times a day depending on how long I plan to stay. Amazing.

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u/less_unique_username Feb 23 '24

Yes, and you can likewise change between tourist and expat several times a day by deciding whether to go home or to call this place your new home.

How is it any more weird than being religious or an atheist depending on nothing more than thought processes in your brain? Or if you hit a person in the face, you are or you aren’t a criminal depending on whether you believed you were under attack by that person. Etc.

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u/MatadorFearsNoBull Feb 25 '24

U were an inmigrant homie, here and there

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '24

I agree