Mumsnet Talk

Overstayed (well, got a job following student visa and then one of the old highly-skilled migrant visas to go with it). And then went native. Really, really, really hoping I can move the family back to the US someday, but that is a long way off for several big reasons. DSD goes to local school, and any future kiddos of ours will likely also go to the neighborhood school.

Also at the expat queens in town that can send their kids to the swish international school with its music programs in Primary and extra-curriculars galore. In another life...

An over-stayer gone native, I think, although not married to a native as DH and I came out together.

Definitely not an ex-pat queen! I don't think we could afford to move/ go back even if we wanted to. But then again, I like it here.

Pupsiecola - we are in the US which I totally understand isn't everyone's cup of tea but the place we live in is like a scene from a Christmas movie! We're on a street that looks like Wisteria Lane (desperate housewives!), the locals are the friendliest people I've ever met, there are fancy malls and independent stores, swimming pools for the hot summers and nearby mountains for winter fun! Our county is ranked has having one of the highest standards of living in the US and if I could stay forever I'd be a very happy bunny!!

Gone native... although I will never actually be accepted as a native. Several times a week, complete strangers stop me and point out my non-native behaviour and how I ought to correct it. I do believe they see me as some sort of project. Well, as long as it keeps them out of mischief...

Was an army brat, became an expat queen and now home thank goodness. It was all great, wouldn't change it, but not getting on a plane again.

Cross between expat queen and expat lite, although do also have itchy feet...

Came out here on a work permit. Now have Permanent Residency and a little Canadian to care for!

I too am expat-lite I love waitrose, labootin, i pretend I am in the home counties on bad days

Ex-prat is funny, know a few of those. And expat queens. They aren't much fun

DP was a downshifter ("retired") in his mid-30's; I came to visit for a long weekend 5 years ago and stayed....
I would say we have "gone native" / emigrated as we have added to the local population (DS is2) and bought property

I had gone native where we used to live... But then DH decided he no longer liked it (partly he felt uncomfortable that he wasn't as settled and integrated as I felt)

Dutiful wife that I am I moved with him and two years on it's starting to feel like home.

NoMoreFootball. Sounds very appealing! We are considering the US or Canada in a couple of years for the long-term. Trying not to think about it too much as need to ensure we enjoy our time here in the meantime. But it's def our plan... neither of us feel motivated to go back to the UK.

Gone native, married to a local. Although I already lived here when I first met him, I didn't come here for him.

I don't actually have any English friends at all here.

Expat queen - my driver takes my shirts to the laundry for me ;)

Grass is greener! Oh for a driver!

Though I would put forward a new category of 'trailing spouse' (flailing spouse in my case).

Oh yes - Trailing Spouse is definitely the tag for me. thank goodness I don't have to suffer under the Expat Queen label any more!

Grass is greener sort of - Hong Kong where we are currently, drives me insane there is too much English! But if I'm brutally honest a bit expat lite in that despite it driving me mad I still live in the expat bubble

Expat Queen but would rather be in Fulham. Basically

Overstayer. I think I fell a little bit in love with NZ.

Expat lite tinged with expat queen. I'm the bread winner with the mega package deal so the husband has his sights set of becoming a Jumeirah Jim if I'd let him

Trailing spouse turned native since getting a job here. Foot in both camps - expat/local and a new urge to put down longer term roots in the UK.

Bertrude : i'm a Jumeriah Jane i would but us JJ's are blatant and really don't care

[tramples over thread in a 4x4]

at "flailing spouse" Brilliant

I'm the "long suffering wife of international academic who gave up career HER to follow HIS" type. All the joy and expense of expat life without a flashy expat package.

We go where the job is---currently the U.k.---but would be back to the U.S. in a flash if the right university came calling.

Gone native. And I much prefer living in the UK to the US (but I lived here for a few years off and on - student - before DH and I married). I don't think we'll move back to the US, though I miss family and friends.