What type of expat are you?

[NanLaew]

When I started my 'international gypsy' life (with actual degreed skills), nomads didn't conjure up pictures of landless tribesmen living in tents because that's exactly what they were. And their camels were almost as up themselves as these gobby new IT types.

Actual-degreed skills

I bet the likes of Bills Gates and Mark Zuckerberg envy you enormously!

I reckon if they knew me, they would.

However, since your construct is hugely unlikely, why mention it?

[NanLaew]

Before my (sadly overlooked) forum flounce over a year ago, I had the moniker "International Gypsy" as that was what my best buddy lawyer called me one night while introducing me to a stripper in a Houston nightclub. I reckon that's a lot more classy, romantic and olde worlde than these new-fangled 'Digital Nomads' or any kind of 'pat'.

"International Gypsy" might sound more classy, romantic and olde worlde to you, but paints the image of someone bumming around and doing unskilled manual work here and there. Not that there is anything wrong with that! But, is a very different image to someone termed as a "Digital Nomad" which paints the picture of someone using actual skills (such as graphic art, writing, photography/videography etc) to work online and generate an income.

I probably have a different image of gypsy coming from the UK to those from the US and other areas though. I grew up where the term gypsy meant people who moved onto any fields etc near where you lived and dumped all their crap around without any consideration for the people who lived in the area and had to clean up after them. I saw it with my own eyes. Never gave me a positive romantic olde worlde vibe..and certainly not classy.

..not quite sure being introduced to a stripper with that namesake is what many would rank as classy either..but thats beside the point.. =p

Whoosh!!!!

And you can't tell the difference between tinkers, gypsies, roma and pikeys either.

PS. When I started my 'international gypsy' life (with actual degreed skills), nomads didn't conjure up pictures of landless tribesmen living in tents because that's exactly what they were. And their camels were almost as up themselves as these gobby new IT types.

"'Gipsy/gipsy' is a common word used to indicate Romani people, Tinkers and Travellers, and use of the word "Gipsy" in English is so pervasive (and is a legal term under English lawsee below) that many Romani organizations use it in their own organizational names. However, many Romani people and academics who study them believe the word has been tainted by its use as a pejorative connoting illegality and irregularity,^{%5B26%5D%5B27%5D%5B28%5D%5B29%5D%5B30%5D%5B31%5D%5B32%5D} and some modern dictionaries recommend avoiding use of the word gypsy either entirely, or as a negative modifier.^{%5B33%5D%5B34%5D%5B35%5D%5B36%5D%5B37%5D%5B38%5D}" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_(term)#Gypsy_and_Gipsy

My reply was polite and an honest opinion of what image comes to mind when the word "gypsy" is used (and i would imagine this image comes to mind for many). From your reply im pretty sure that im not the one here that is coming over as "gobby" and "up themselves".. :/ Dont know why you have to be so rude to be honest.

I guess because I have white hairs on my balls, I must come from a generation where gypsy's WERE romantic. That was the olde worlde before it became de rigueur to pigeonhole people by their place in the social hierarchy and whether they did manual work or something more effete such as graphic art, writing, photography/videography, etc.,... and cut and pasting from wikipedia.

Old farts like me have earned the right to be noisome and up ourselves and anyone else leaving unguarded openings.

[mmh8]

I am a poor ( as in little money) expat. I want you to provide me my own class. I have no aspirations to be any of the other types

[slipperylobster]

Dont know where i am in the league ,married and have a son ,we lived in the UK now i am retired and not poor and we live in Thailand,could i just be a normal expat?

No. That is not acceptable. You must belong to a definitive group. If you refuse, you automatically get labelled as a indecisive pat.

[LaraC]

I guess because I have white hairs on my balls, I must come from a generation where gypsy's WERE romantic. That was the olde worlde before it became de rigueur to pigeonhole people by their place in the social hierarchy and whether they did manual work or something more effete such as graphic art, writing, photography/videography, etc.,... and cut and pasting from wikipedia.

Old farts like me have earned the right to be noisome and up ourselves and anyone else leaving unguarded openings.

I dont know where you grew up, but it is my understanding that society is LESS prone to pingeonholing people based on social hierarchy than previous eras. Thailand itself happens to be a very social heirarchy driven society, much more than most countries. So if it offends you, im surprised you would live here. But, maybe you are out in the sticks.

I also wonder why you have taken to be being so defensive (and offensive), for, reading back you will see that i said nothing offensive or down-putting about manual labour. To be honest i find it bizare that you would consider skills such as graphic art, writing, photography/videography, etc, as effet. Really? YOu do realise that those "offete" skills created the platform which allows you to actually discuss this point with me, right?

For the record i dont consider cutting and pasting from wikipedia a skill, i do however find it a helpful to have the skills to consider backing up a comment with facts (as in, i am not the only one in the world that the word "gyspy" conjurs up a negative image for).

Lastly, having "white hairs on your balls" may lead you to believe that it gives a person the right to be "noisome and up ourselves", but personally im against the idea that just by merely getting old gives a person a right to be rude. For that would mean we live in an agist heirarchy driven society.

..ok im done with this anyway now, carry on if you feel like it.

Ill be doing something more constructive.

[NanLaew]

I dont know where you grew up, but it is my understanding that society is LESS prone to pingeonholing people based on social hierarchy than previous eras. Thailand itself happens to be a very social heirarchy driven society, much more than most countries. So if it offends you, im surprised you would live here. But, maybe you are out in the sticks.

I also wonder why you have taken to be being so defensive (and offensive), for, reading back you will see that i said nothing offensive or down-putting about manual labour. To be honest i find it bizare that you would consider skills such as graphic art, writing, photography/videography, etc, as effet. Really? YOu do realise that those "offete" skills created the platform which allows you to actually discuss this point with me, right?

For the record i dont consider cutting and pasting from wikipedia a skill, i do however find it a helpful to have the skills to consider backing up a comment with facts (as in, i am not the only one in the world that the word "gyspy" conjurs up a negative image for).

Lastly, having "white hairs on your balls" may lead you to believe that it gives a person the right to be "noisome and up ourselves", but personally im against the idea that just by merely getting old gives a person a right to be rude. For that would mean we live in an agist heirarchy driven society.

..ok im done with this anyway now, carry on if you feel like it.

Ill be doing something more constructive.

It is more of a case of how I was dragged up versus where. But that is something else that fits the dire need to label people that is much more prevalent now. You probably weren't around in the 40's and 50's to lend any depth to your yardstick so wiki it instead. Just because society's need to label everyone has numbed our awareness of if does not mean it doesn't exist. Being an international gypsy from way, way back gives one a certain degree of self-confidence and worldliness. It is often confused with smart-arse and gobby by the inexperienced. I have no need to worry if my chosen field of manual labour is any more or less valuable or important than anyone elses because I already know it is and I don't have to tell them.

International gypsy...

... paints the image of someone bumming around and doing unskilled manual work here and there

Digital Nomad...

... paints the picture of someone using actual skills

You should go back and read your post when you have time.

And more recently...

You do realise that those "effete" skills created the platform which allows you to actually discuss this point with me, right?

As for 'who invented the internet',... I thought we were talking about gypsy's and not about how important ones job is?

I think you are preaching to the choir here as most Asian countries have a "very social heirarchy driven society", it isn't unique to LOS. I think it's the noobs, nouveau IT (wannabe) 'millionaires' and recent retirees from Bognor and Malaga that find these concepts a bit hard to manage. Being a bit of a xenophile, it is all water off a ducks back down my neck of the woods. Having said that, most foreign blokes revel in the patriarchal bit of local society here once they get used to it.

Just in case you have missed it, despite all the clamour to the contrary, we are living in an increasingly ageist society. When you grow older (and the hair on your balls grow white), you will understand.

[FiftyTwo]

To be honest i find it bizare that you would consider skills such as graphic art, writing, photography/videography, etc, as effet. Really? YOu do realise that those "offete" skills created the platform which allows you to actually discuss this point with me, right?

Would just like to point out these sorts of people don't usually create anything.

Their job is to 'pretty up' what someone else has created.

The 'someone else' earns the big bucks, they get thrown peanuts.

[Smurkster]

I am an Oil Pat - Work on Rotation 28 and 28, could live anywhere in the world I choose. But I choose to live here for Tax reasons. Aww yea!

Not an Expat.

Fifo.

Person of no fixed abode,drifter,

Funny last time I looked I own a Condo in BKK and a Townhouse in CM. They seem pretty fixed to me

Well aren't you just a special one !! , oh so very impressive!

Plenty of Expats own something..and not just townhouses and condos....get over yourself, owning something in the LOS means shit to a tree..especially a "townhouse" or "condo"

Edited February 26, 2014 by Smurkster