Funny article .. Expatriate Stereotypes

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  1. #1

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    Funny article .. Expatriate Stereotypes

    Mr Bald and Mr Tall have written a pretty decent summary of expats in HK.

    Pity they didn't do one of the Indians..


    The 'Proper' Englishman: in the past, he was definitely a civil servant. Now, he's likely been sent out by his company to be a desk jockey in their Hong Kong operation. Immediately recognizable by his uncontrollable use of the word 'proper', e.g. 'Why can't the bloody Chinese do a proper . . . . (fill in the blank with anything from 'fish and chips' to 'parliamentary system of governance'. Can be spotted in any of a number of expat-dominated clubs, berating the bartender about beer temperatures. His wife is summarized perfectly here [scroll down to the bottom of the page], by Mr Hemlock.
    More on http://www.batgung.com/articles/expattypes.htm

  2. #2

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    Some more stereotypes.

    Types in order of descending salary/ascending morality. Tongue is firmly tucked into cheek here so don't take any of this to heart!

    Corporate Pat Travels to make money and, oh yeah that's right, to experience new cultures … from the 30th floor triple-glazed 100 metre-wide balcony windows of a riverview VIP tower block or from the even safer distance of a walled suburban mansion. Earns up to a quarter of a million - with additional benefits, whatever "additional benefits" could be when you're netting 250k - and is therefore basically royalty when he or she lands in a Republic. Three maids, 4X4, Colón season ticket, unused.

    Oil Pat Sometimes earns almost as much as the bespoke suited gents and ladies above but has to live in a tent on the Patagonian steppes. True pioneering spirit lives on in the petrochemical engineer - loneliness, little time for natives, lots of reading. Doesn't live anywhere as such; enjoys counting and multiplying abstract sums such as hour x rate and is always planning retirement.

    Embassy Pat Supreme world drifters, told where to go and little point adapting, learning Spanish etc. as has to do it all again in Hanoi, Durban, Minsk, Stockholm … next year. Good flats, snobby, strangely proud of their foreignness. Have their own little parties, much in the style of back home, that dodgy little place they don't want much to return to and which, in any case, has little call for them as there are no embassies where they can work in it.

    Journalist Pat As foreign correspondent for prestigious big-selling daily of far wealthier country, s/he works ten minutes a day, copying ideas from local TV or newspapers and slotting in fictitious quotations. Considers him/herself genuine expert (as opposed to ignorant expat) on all matters of country hence passion for spending 70mins a week simplifying and reducing it for those who know hardly anything about the place and care even less.

    School Teacher Pat Has qualifications, some training, even ethics. Considers self superior to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) studentile pedagogue. May be career type or "I teach to travel" or "This is temporary" type. Works in all-English language environment, but pupils don't know this and happily witter on in native tongue. Pupils also don't know teacher earns less in a month than they spend at Unicenter on Saturday afternoons.

    Teacher of English as a Foreign Language Pat Lives in box-shaped, basically-furnished downtown flat. Four shelves, 50 novels, 4 well-worn travel guides. "This is temporary" is obligatory remark. Sociable and likes chatting to students after classes, especially about funny lingusitic confusions and chance of having a quick coffee late tomorrow night.

    Artist Pat Goes about disguised as a teacher, working on a novel/painting/poems/translations in spare time. Apparently has very little spare time. Great schemer. Objects vehemently to expat tag, claiming life in 2000 is rootless per se.

    Bar-Chef Pat Milks kudos of being foreign - pop star status without the talent - and exploits late hours and absurd acceptable price of cocktails and designer beers. Another grand schemer, desperate to transform this vibrant other world into a replica of the plastic, commercialised consumerist hole he hails from.

    Website Pat Highly-talented yet modest genius in total control of new culture and keen to share it with lesser mortals.

    Internship Pat Happy to work for zero money as slave in corrupt local company because foreign experience will look good on CV. Has that deluded "edge" of people who think they're just "passing through" and "moving on to bigger things" elsewhere. Slavery should do him or her good as chances are there's money in the family to pay for the extended holiday in this very dear city.

    Unhappy Pat Repeats himself, generalizes, is expert on new culture, doesn´t speak lingo, doesn´t want to. Thinks Latin men are rude and sexist and all the women rude and sexy … and unattainable. Likes previous job and place more, wherever it was and will like this place soon, wherever he goes off to.

    All Pats Superior to tourist. "Traveller?" Ha ha, just another tourist. Expats tell it like it is and object to being called "expats" and indeed to any kind of pigeonholing except that which tells the foreigners where they stand! All plan to go "home" to settle and/or die - all hesitate and then put inverted commas on the word home.