What is an expatriate?

Someone asked why I call myself an expatriate (expatriado in Spanish). I guess because so many people that I know across the internet are expatriates, it hadn't occurred to me that not everyone is familiar with that term.

The dictionary definition of expatriate is here, but the basic, easy definition is this: Anyone who is living in a country other than their home country. It can be temporary, like for a job, an assignment, or a mission, or permanent, like for retirement, love (!) or other reasons. Expatriate comes from the Latin word patria (homeland) and also can be a verb. Repatriate means to go back to the homeland.

Spelling lesson #87: Being an expatriate (often shortened to 'expat') has nothing to do with patriotism or love or lack thereof for their home country. I think that misconception may come about because the word is so often misspelled as 'expatriot', which definitely sounds like someone who used to love their country, doesn't it?

You might also be interested in where US expatriates are located. The Association of Americans Resident Overseas has a list of the top 10 countries as well as an interactive map in which you can view a list of the top 10 countries in each continent (based on 1999 estimates). The global list puts Mexico at the top with more than 1 million US expats, Canada is second with 687,700, and the UK is third with 224,000 US residents. State Department estimated that 6.6 million US citizens live in other countries in 2005.

Figures vary, but about 90% of Honduran expatriates live in the USA followed by Canada and Spain in some order.

Another thing that I find very interesting, and maybe a little telling, is that English-speaking persons usually refer to themselves as expatriates while referring to others who have migrated to their old country as immigrants. The words do have a different connotation, don't they?

Coming up: Immigrants vs. Expatriates

Ho-hum, another earthquake near La Ceiba, Honduras

Image: USGS Earthquake Center
Click for a larger view

Honduras' 6th earthquake (magnitude 5.0) during the past 6 days occurred at 12:46 a.m. on June 2, 2009, 30 miles (48 km.) southeast of La Ceiba, Atlántida.

Well, I've been trying to move on to other topics, but 'them earthquakes, they just keep a coming! '

Click for a larger view of the map

Comparing the USGS map with a more detailed map, it appears to have been between Olanchito, Yoro, (about 11 miles or 18 km. west of the epicenter) and Saba, Colon, (about 13 miles or 21 km. east of the epicenter). For those familiar with the smaller towns, the epicenter appears to have been very close to Jalisco and El Juncal.

Tremors were felt as far away as Roatán, Tegucigalpa, El Progreso, San Pedro Sula, and Puerto Cortés. Since the epicenter is in a more rural area with fewer people with access to internet, there is only one first-hand "Did you feel it?" report so far from Olanchito.

I haven't been getting much sleep lately. Last night I succumbed and went to bed early, only to be awakened by El Jefe saying, "It's another earthquake." He was pretty sure that this one wasn't an aftershock and he was right. We are all becoming earthquake experts here. ;-)

Though La Prensa has not reported quakes #2 through #5, they quickly updated their internet site for an article about #6. Unfortunately, as of this moment, they have no information about any damages in the epicenter area and in fact, didn't even mention the names of the nearby towns. It's always surprising to me that they don't immediately send a reporter out to report first-hand on these natural disasters, but they don't. I often feel that outside of the big cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, the rest of us are stepchildren.

Let me assure everyone that this quake was very mild in La Ceiba. There probably has been more damage in the Olanchito, Yoro, area but there just isn't any information available yet. The fire department is doing a detailed inspection of buildings in La Ceiba after the 7.3 earthquake on May 28, and so far have only encountered minimal damages such as cracks in walls.

COPECO (Honduras' national emergency agency) reports that we have had 300 aftershocks in the past 5 days in Honduras.

I hope Hilary Clinton doesn't mind some rocking and rolling at the big OAS (Organization of American States) meeting. If she thought that last night was an earthquake, she should have been here for the 7.3!



Related earthquake articles:

Then there were five (Honduran earthquakes)
Make that four Honduran earthquakes
Not one Honduran quake, but three!
Earthquake - The first time the earth moved for me, then again and again and again
Terremoto! 7.1 Earthquake in Honduras

Sorry if that seems excessive. If you or your loved ones were here, you might not think so!

Communicating can be difficult

These are the same. Not!

Communicating, even in English, can be difficult.

The other day, El Jefe picked up some takeout from a Mexican restaurant. I asked him to get me chicken burritos. When I opened the bags, I saw that both containers were burritos. I hollered to him (he had gone to another room), "Are these both the same?" not wanting to take his food by mistake. He hollered back, "Yes, they are the same blah-blah-blah." The last part I couldn't hear.

So I take one container, smother it in jalapeños, and start eating. Meanwhile, he came back and I mentioned that I heard him say yes but I couldn't hear the rest of what he said. "They are both the same except one is chicken and one is pork." Jeeesh!

That is Honduran logic for you. OBVIOUSLY, they were both burritos. Give me a little credit. I wouldn't have needed to ask that. Same size. Same color. Same shape. Same side dishes. To get the answer that I needed, I should have asked, "Are these both the same on the inside" or "Do these both have the same ingredients inside."

Other times I have asked a question and he's answered 'no', but gone on with further explanation which makes it clear that the true answer to my question was 'yes.' And vice versa: He'll agree 'yes' but then go on with details which show the answer really was 'no'. This type of beat-around-the-bush, never-give-a-clear-answer form of communication can be very confusing and annoying.

Similarly, I can ask an either/or question such as "Do you want tacos or spaghetti for dinner?" and the answer will be 'yes'. I always have to ask, "Yes to the first option, or yes to the second option?"

Just today, El Jefe was working on one of the ceiling fans. It has lights below and above the fan, both hidden from view. He had removed the three burnt out lower lights, which were small based but longish 40 watt bulbs. Great! Another hard to find bulb. Just what we need.

I then asked if the upper part took the same bulbs or different. He said, "Yes, the same." Then he pulled out the burnt out bulbs and they are small based like the others, but only nightlight sized bulbs. I asked "Why did you say they were the same when they OBVIOUSLY are not the same?!" There is no answer to these questions.

BTW, the small bulbs are 10-watt and we need six of them. Great, because there is no such thing! I've already checked.

Pet peeve #347: What genius makes a fan with 9 weird light bulbs? The light bulbs are hidden anyway so it's not like it is a decorative thing. They could have popped in one ordinary light bulb below and one above and no one would be the wiser.

Answer: Hampton Bay! We are having so many problems with our Home Depot Hampton Bay fans and parts cannot be found. Capacitors have gone out in four of our fans so far and neither Home Depot or the manufacturer will get them for me. I've scoured the internet to no avail. What a disappointment. I mistakenly thought that was a good brand.


Related article: ?? I thought I wrote an article about how to ask a question in Honduras, but I can't seem to find it. I'll do one soon. Obviously, I need a refresher on this myself.