Fresh off the boat
Fresh off the boat (often abbreviated as F.O.B., FOB or freshie) is a derogatory slang phrase applied to people of foreign nationality, who have arrived in an English-speaking nation as tourists or, most commonly, as work permit applicants. The term is commonly applied to Asians in the United States and Canada, and to Pacific Islanders in New Zealand and Australia. It was originally applied to European immigrants who had just stepped off of a ship. The term implies that the person has not yet assimilated to the common regional culture, language, and behavior. FOBs can be easily identified by their fashion, behavior towards others, and their accents. The characteristics of FOBs are magnified if they tend to co-habitate in the same cities. A telling characteristic of FOBs is their tendency to form close social cliques that are closed to those of other nationalities. The term is used not only by whites, but also by Asians born or raised in the host country to distinguish themselves. Various slang terms, such as ABC (American-born Chinese), EOP (English Only-Philipino) or ABCD (American-Born Confused Desi), exist to contrast these groups. Derivative adjective forms of FOB include fobby, fobbish and fobulous, a portmanteau of fob and fabulous. Similar phrases are "Just off the Farm" or "Just come in from the Bush/Jungle/Mountains/Backblocks". A more modern twist to this term is "J.O.J.", meaning "just off the jet".
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