10. Expat

The word 'expat' brings to mind lattes, laptops and wi-fi. But that's not the full story. A micro narration in a minute or so.

TRANSCRIPT
White, western, educated, privileged people. I mean, as a woman I am a little less privileged, but still – I cannot complain. There is a name to describe people like me, we are not migrants, we are expats. Sounds so much better, don’t you agree? By saying ‘expat’ you do not envisage war, famine, political unrest. No, you imagine us in suburban cafes, laptop and mobile close by, searching for the best wifi connection. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. And yet, there are moments in which the enormity of my decision – to leave home and to go and leave so far away – hits me, and takes my breath away. Like when my son, aged 6, asks me what the word ‘cousin’ means. Because we might be ‘expat’ but we are certainly alone, we don’t have the luxury of an extended family.