It's an Irish word for somebody who used to be a Pat.
More seriously, 'ex-pats' appear to be people who want to live in another country without becoming part of that population: culturally, socially or politically. They fall somewhere between 'exiles' and 'emigres'.

Well thats it

Immigrants eventually learn the language and culture, and either themselves or their children will become nationals of that country

Ex-pats do not and will not integrate and will most defintely not want to become a national of the country they've moved to

I'm happy to be an immigrant, my little boy is mainly Spanish and a little bit British. However, those young British kids I saw on the CDS, I think their parents would punch you if you told them their child was Spanish

my kids weren't born here, and both their parents are English..........but they are sort of Spanglish

friends & family in the UK say they are very different in attitude to English kids - & Spanish friends say they certainly seem more Spanish than English

I suspect as they continue to grow up mixing mainly with Spanish friends ( a lot of the time they only speak English at home ) they will become more more & more Spanish - & I wouldn't be in the least surprised if they took Spanish nationality........ if they don't get itchy feet like their mum..........

Sounds like you arent an expat either then lynxxa

Can they change the name of the website to BritishEmmigrants.com

You'd probably get a better class of person in here

Emmigrant? What's that, a cross between an emigrant and an immigrant? Someone who doesn't know whether they are coming or going (a bit like me this morning!!)

I consider myself to be an immigrant - though I can't see myself taking Spanish nationality

I just mentioned this thread to my 16 (and a half) year old - she said that she has already worked out that she can apply for Spanish nationality in just over a year

I see you're starting to pick up on spelling mistakes

Now you're a true BritishExpat regular

If it hadn't been for the crash in 2007, then by now the coastal area from Gandia down to Estepona would have been 90% British, enough to apply to be another autonomous region of Spain, perhaps called something like East Spanglia. It could still happen, the houses have already been built and are waiting to be filled by expats.

Central government wouldn't mind, our taxes would be more than welcome.

Time to go then!