Immigrant or expat?
What kind of Pravaasi??
I have been following an interesting debate on British media.
The Left-leaning papers agree that there is a distinct whiff of racism and snobbery in the way these words are used.
The literal meanings are quite neutral.
An immigrant is a person who migrates into another country.
Opposite of emigrant ie one who leaves his/her “native” country.
“Native” is a confusing word.
Not always synonymous with birthplace/janmaboomi.
Some of us were born where our parents lived at the time.
British “comedian” Bernard Manning argued that a dog does not become a horse just because it is born in a stable.
There are some in Britain who refuse to see why that “joke” might be perceived as racist.
Still a minority, but who knows where Brexit will lead?
But let us assume you were born in your “native place”.
Then, you move to a different country and make a home there.
If you were born in a third world country and move to an affluent one…you are an immigrant.
Poor AND brown/black. Definitely immigrant.
Before the influx from Eastern Europe, many white Britons assumed that whites are never immigrants .
Racists have had to rethink their definitions in recent years.
Expat is short for expatriate.
One who has moved out of his/her patria ie parental country.
As in “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.”
(Sweet and fitting it is, to die for your fatherland)
If you are a rich and/or posh Brit who decides to go live in Monaco or the Bahamas, you are an Expat.
Never an immigrant.
If you are a middle or working class white Brit who has a villa in Spain….
Still expat, not immigrant.
You do not even have to learn the local lingo – just speak English loudly, clearly and patronisingly.
But hang on…
Most people in my social circle do not fit tidily into either category.
Skin : brown
Tax bracket : often 40% +
Quick to point out that every penny is hard earned , not scrounged.
My views on that are not B&W.
But right now, I’m discussing the words immigrants and expats.
Not privilege or denial.
Or disingenuous.
What should we call ourselves?
Many of us come from privileged, elite Indian families, and are used to looking down our noses at “ordinary” folk.
We are khaas, not aam.
People bow down to US.
Not the other way round.
Some have lots of money “back home”.
Others have had generations of “high status” , based on caste, education, high prestige jobs, fluency in English….whatever.
If you think the Brits are Top Snobs…. you have obviously not interacted with enough Posh Indians.
When it comes to casually assuming that one is superior to everyone else in the room…..
We take the cake….and the curry 🙄
So, from now on, I shall refer to myself as an expat.
The neighbourhood racist may think I’m just another immigrant.
And that I fast for Ramadan.
But inside my immigrant exterior, there beats an Expat heart.
Random Rambles 