There has recently been so much confusion about the use of the following terms that I feel it’s time to straighten them out .

A REFUGEE is a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. Bagni di Lucca accommodates several refugees under Italian government redistribution agreements.

A MIGRANT is a person who has moved to other places in search of work or better living conditions. Several British persons may be termed migrants if they only stay at Bagni di Lucca for a specific term and then move to a different location or country.

An IMMIGRANT is a person who has moved to a foreign country permanently for work or for better living conditions. Many British persons in Bagni di Lucca are immigrants either because they have become Italian citizens or hold a ‘permesso permanente di soggiorno ‘.

An EXPAT is a person who has moved to a foreign country temporarily for work often under employer’s contracts. An expat is usually only abroad for the purpose of making money, often has no need or desire to learn the language of that country, tends to live with other expats in compounds or enclaves and is rarely interested in integrating with the local populace. Sometimes persons retiring in a foreign country refer to themselves as ex-pats especially if they live in colonies such as those found in Spain.

I refrain from relating any of the above terms to persons’ political views especially those refering to the EU.