Moving abroad is a radical step. For many expat partners, it’s a move that means a different lifestyle and, as a result, a new identity. And it often comes paired with a drastic change in social status.
Status and identity
In his book, Status Anxiety, British philosopher Alain de Botton writes: “People who hold important positions in society are commonly labelled ‘somebodies’, and their inverse ‘nobodies’ – both of which are, of course, nonsensical descriptors, for we are all, by necessity, individuals with distinct identities and comparable claims on existence.” His words reflect a recurring theme among expat partners who, more often than not, find themselves struggling with questions surrounding social status and identity.
