The term expatriate is not the first descriptor that most people attach to Thoreau, a man who got the most out of exploring his proverbial backyard in Massachusetts. Yet, despite never traveling farther than the wild hinterlands of Maine, Thoreau’s biggest, most well-known accomplishment—living alone for two years in the woods—qualifies as a special case of expatriation. After all, not only did Thoreau live beyond his native habitat in an alien environment, but he also learned a way of life that was entirely unfamiliar to all but the most seasoned pioneers: those men and women for whom one might call the wilds a native land. None of which is to say that all settlers are expats. Being an expat in the sense that Thoreau was an expat concerns more than simple geography. Being an expat like Thoreau has much more to do with one’s perception of the world. Whereas the common definition of expatriation defines Read more…