Swoptov

There is something about moving to and living in a semi-exotic location like South Africa that really makes people want to say they will come visit you. Notice I use the words say they will rather than actually visit. I can (and will) name several individuals who expressed interest, or even outright stated that they were going to visit me in South Africa. Kylie and I discussed this phenomenon, and decided that it needs a name.

We thought about the term "traker" as a combo of travel and faker. Also entertained things like "traveliar." But in the middle of a very boring lecture on the history of epidemiology, I came up with the word swoptov. Its actually an acromnym for "Someone Who Only Promises To Visit." Examples of usage are below:

"Jason really seemed excited to come visit me in April, but then he bailed just before he bought his tickets. What a swoptov!"

"Erica promised me she was going to come stay with us in December, turns out she was really just a swoptov."

Can also be used as a verb:

"David always said he wanted to come see me in Peru. But then he swoptoved his way out of it"

My own personal list of swoptovs is below:

Todd Wiseman (my brother who rarely even returns my emails)
Kristi Wiseman (who graciously stayed behind so my dad could come)
Brent Savoie (former South African travel partner busy with weddings and law school)
Chad Crim (you have a child for Christ's sake, why would you even get my hopes up!)
Jesse Holmes (motivational issues were difficult to overcome)
Blake Brickman (was my leading candidate for a while, but understandably opted for a wedding)

So who is actually coming to visit me? One person: my Dad. We have a 10 day trip planned through the Kruger and to Victoria Falls. This makes him the only pwptovad that I know.